North Carolina State Wolfpack
Overall Rank: #36
Conference Rank: #6 ACC
With the top five scorers back from a team that won 20 games, including 10 in ACC play, the expectations are rising for North Carolina State. The backcourt is extremely experienced with seniors Dominique Wilson, Miah Spencer and Ashley Williams leading the way. Wilson led the team with 15.3 points per game and is the team’s most dynamic scoring threat. Spencer does most of her scoring attacking the basket. The point guard also dished out 4.9 assists per game on top of her 14.1 points. Williams is almost purely a shooter. Of her 164 shot attempts, 145 of them came from beyond the arc. Throw in top 100 recruits Aislinn Konig and Kiana Rudd and sophomores Camille Anderson and Amber Richardson and the Wolfpack have plenty of very good options on the perimeter. The team as a whole does need to shoot better though.
2015-16 Record: 20-11, 10-6
2015-16 Postseason: none
Coach: Wes Moore
Coach Record: 63-34 at NC State, 617-200 overall
Key Departed Players (starters in bold)
Carlee Schuhmacher, Center, 4.4 ppg
Key Returning Players (starters in bold)
Dominique Wilson, Senior, Guard, 15.3 ppg
Miah Spencer, Senior, Guard, 14.1 ppg
Jennifer Mathurin, Senior, Forward, 11.4 ppg
Ashley Williams, Senior, Guard, 6.1 ppg
Chelsea Nelson, Junior, Forward, 7.2 ppg
DD Rogers, Sophomore, Forward, 3.1 ppg
Camille Anderson, Sophomore, Guard, 3.1 ppg
Amber Richardson, Sophomore, Guard, 2.2 ppg
Nae Nae Cole, Sophomore, Center, 1.8 ppg
Key New Players
Erica Cassell, Freshman, Forward
Kaila Ealey, RS Freshman, Guard
Aislinn Konig, Freshman, Guard
Lucky Rudd, Freshman, Guard
Projection
The better shooting will come if North Carolina State can find a consistent scorer in the frontcourt to take some of the attention away from the guards. Jennifer Mathurin is a solid, experienced scorer, but she is much more of a shooter than a post scorer. Chelsea Nelson, who averaged 7.2 points per game off the bench last year, is the best returning option. If she can manage to play more minutes without getting into foul trouble, North Carolina State probably has found their consistent interior scorer. DD Rogers and incoming freshman Erika Cassell will add some good depth in the frontcourt.
Projected Postseason Tournament: NCAA
By the Numbers:
Scoring Offense: 67.5 (106th in nation, 8th in conference)
Scoring Defense: 62.6 (153, 11)
Field-Goal Percentage: 38.7 (218, 11)
Field-Goal Defense: 39.4 (166, 9)
Three-Point Field Goals Per Game: 7.1 (47, 2)
Three-Point Field-Goal Percentage: 30.5 (207, 11)
Free-Throw Percentage: 70.5 (152, 7)
Rebound Margin: 2.5 (95, 7)
Assists Per Game: 12.7 (186, 10)
Turnovers Per Game: 14.7 (89, 3)
Madness 2016 Women’s Basketball Recruit Rankings:
#69 Aislinn Konig
#91 Erika Cassell
#99 Kiana Rudd
