Coming into the season, the buzz surrounding NC State is middle of the pack ACC team and an NCAA birth. However, there is not much talk as there are still a good amount of unknowns here. That said, this team only lost one starter, the 14-point, 7 rebound production of Torin Dorn and returns 6 of its top 8 guys with a couple of notable incomers.

Last year's team was a mix and match for the committee to look at as they were Top 40 in the NET Rankings but they also carried the worst non-conference schedule in all of Division 1 basketball, which is what ultimately led them to the NIT opposed to the NCAA. Despite a 9-9 finish in the tough ACC and their advanced stat rankings both in NET and KenPom, this team was doomed by its scheduling.

This year NC State beefs things up a bit with games against the likes of UNC-Greensboro, Memphis, and Wisconsin. They should also be set up to be able to go above .500 in the conference to put them solidly into the NCAA tournament. If they can overcome some depth issues on the block, have Beverly shoot the ball better while Andree comes in and keeps letting it fly and have CJ Bryce, Derek Funderburk and Markell Johnson putting together the seasons they are capable of, this year could surprise many.

The Best Player
6'1' Senior Markell Johnson – Johnson is more of the underrated and undervalued players, not only in the ACC but, in the country. The quick as a hiccup guard has the ability to get to his spots off the bounce, make any shot at any level and completely embarrass his defender with his ball on a string handle. Johnson came to State after he classified up to join the 2016 class, along with lottery pick Dennis Smith Jr. Last year, Johnson showcased he is capable of All-ACC type accolades as he averaged 12.6 points, 4.2 assists while shooting 48% from the field and 42% from 3. Extrapolate those numbers out further than his 25 minutes per game, and he averaged 20 points and 6.7 assists per 40 minutes. Johnson had a 22.3 PER last season with a 7.1 Offensive Box +/-. The numbers support this, but Johnson may finish his last season at NC State being considered the top point guard in the conference.

The Biggest Step
6'10' Junior Derek Funderburk – What a difference a year makes. Funderburk entered last season as a sophomore, with NC State being his 3rd college already. He took a bit to get his footing, but he still provided solid interior presence. Well, with the continuity of the program, Funderburk had a huge offseason. He came back looking bigger, strong and much more aggressive. With the lack of depth at the post, NC State is going to need for Funderburk to step up big this year and play a lot of minutes. At practice, he looked more than up to the challenge as he was hanging out above the rim throughout the day, trying to dunk everything in sight. His strength allowed him to power through defenders. In 20 minutes per game last year, Funderburk averaged 8.8 points on 55% shooting, he also proved to be a solid rim protector averaging over 2 blocks per 40 minutes. However, he is going to need to up rebounding totals (4.2 per game). Funderburk showcased solid analytics last season with a 3.3 Defensive Box +/- and an offensive rating at 127.9, he will now need to take that into a more prominent role. Funderburk showed here he is capable of making an All-League type push this season.

The X-Factor
6'5' Senior CJ Bryce – Bryce is a jack of all trades type player who has been with Keatts since his days at Wilmington. Bryce is a good perimeter defender who can initiate offense, rebound and has shown he can score the ball. Last year he shot the ball as well as Braxton Beverly from 3 (Bryce: 34.5% Beverly: 34.7%), but he also averaged 1.1 steals, 1.8 assists and 4.6 rebounds per game. Expect Bryce to have another stellar year as he will have to take on a major role for this team. If he is able to push for an All-Conference Honorable Mention type of season, this team could be very good. He is the ultimate X-factor.

Rounding out the Rotation
6'8' Graduate Transfer Pat Andree – Andree was brought in for one reason because he can REALLY shoot the ball. That was on display throughout the practice, as he got rid of it quickly, from anywhere on the floor. Andree is a career 41.5% 3-point shooter at Lehigh, while last season he went 70 of 167 (41.9%) from 3, while snagging 5.5 rebounds and dishing 1.7 assists per outing. Andree had an Offensive box +/- of 3.0 and Offensive Rating of 119.6. Expect Andree to fight for minutes at the 4 and be the much-needed floor stretcher this team needs.

6' Junior Braxton Beverly – Many would say Beverly is the heart and soul of this team. He averaged 33 minutes per game in ACC play while shooting just over 35% from 3 for the season, in just over 6 attempts per game. This year, Beverly will need to be the vocal leader of the team as he has Keatts full trust. Even though he takes care of the ball, and can shoot it, it will be interesting to see how Keatts treats his minutes with more wing depth this season, especially with fan's favorite noted defensive shortcomings.

6'7' Sophomore Jericole Hellems – Hellums is a quintessential Keatts guy. His role is as a defensive-minded, undersized 4-man who can guard multiple positions. Hellems will be fighting for a starting role with incoming sharp-shooter Pat Andree. Hellems showed flashes last season but Keatts will need for him to continue showing those flashes on a more consistent basis this coming year.

6'5' Junior Devon Daniels – Daniels came into NC State with a notable reputation as a shooter and playmaker. His freshman season at Utah, he shot 40% from 3 while dishing out 2.6 assists per game. Daniels still has some of that in him as he will be asked to play a 'fill in the blank' role this season. At times, he will need to be a secondary ball-handler, a shot-maker, a small ball 4-man all the while being a defensive dynamo. If Daniels is able to step up to this task, understanding he could assume a different role each night, he could play a major role in the success of this team. More so, if Daniels is able to earn a spot in the starting lineup, that could make this team even more dangerous.

6'3' Junior Blake Harris – Harris needs to find his consistency. Some days he is the far and away from the best player on the floor, then he will go a couple of days without really making a notable impact. At his very best, Harris is a lengthy and explosive point guard who can defend the ball and really pass it. Harris did shoot 42% from 3 (albeit a smaller sample size) and was considered the teams best on the ball defender by the end of last year.

Freshman to Watch
6'7' Freshman Dereon Seabron – Seabron is carbon made to fit what Keatts likes in his players. The lengthy wing can do everything from initiate the play to being a switchable 2-way 4 man in the Torin Dorn mold. Seabron has great length, but it is his versatility (he has played point guard his entire life) that will get him on the floor. Defensively, he can move his feet and is very switchable. He came in without much fanfare or national love, but he could end up being an integral part of this program and a player on everyone's lips once he graduates.

Projected Starting Lineup
PG: Markell Johnson
SG: Braxton Beverly
SF: CJ Bryce
PF: Pat Andree/Jericole Hellums
C: Derek Funderburk