2012-13 College Basketball Preview: 5. NC State Wolfpack

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5. NC State Wolfpack

By: Kels Dayton

WHY THEY’RE SCARY:  Mark Gottfried has got things rolling in Raleigh, with McDonald’s All-Americans Rodney Purvis (6-4, 190 pounds), TJ Warren (6-8, 230) and Tyler Lewis joining future lottery pick C.J. Leslie (14.7 ppg, 7.3 rpg), star guard Lorenzo Brown (12.7 ppg, 6.3 apg) on a now-stacked roster. Leslie is an athletic freak who can score and rebound with anyone in the nation, and stepped his game up big-time in the NCAAs. Brown could be the ACC Player of the Year, and we haven’t even mentioned Richard Howell (10.8 ppg) or sharp-shooting Scott Wood.

WHAT SCARES US:  Everyone is all over the NC State bandwagon, predicting things that the folks in Raleigh haven’t seen since Jimmy V was manning the sidelines. If not for two wins in March, the preseason outlook for this squad may have been much different.  Going from a 23-12 record and an 11-seed to a Final Four contender will be a challenge, especially with everyone expecting the Pack to do it.

FINAL DESTINATION: NC State? In the Final Four? It’s possible, if this team doesn’t get caught up in all the preseason hysteria surrounding it. C.J. Leslie and Lorenzo Brown give the Pack two all-ACC candidates, and seniors Richard Howell and Scott Wood add experience. It seems all the stars have aligned for State to return to glory.

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