“I just wish we were shooting it better as a group.” Running on four straight loses after the SMU defeat, the NC State head coach Kevin Keatts is quite sure what is missing from the locker room. But instead of finding a solution, he only got more bad news. The Wolfpack lost 74-64 to Duke. Now, with a 2-7 in ACC play, the team is unlikely to make the cut for this year’s 15-team ACC Tournament at Charlotte’s Spectrum Center in March. But that is, if Keatts can work around the one issue he keeps stumbling upon.

Kevin Keatts appeared for the post-game interview where he stated: “You know, we just don’t have a superstar. I thought when things got really tight for Duke, I mean, everybody in the entire building knew who they were going to. We’ve got a bunch of really good players that obviously need each other to play well, and so we don’t have that closer.”

The first half of the game was tightly contested, with NC State holding a narrow four-point lead at halftime with 33-37. However, as the pressure mounted in the second half, Duke turned to their star freshman, Cooper Flagg. The guard stepped up, as always, outscoring everyone on the court and finishing with 28 points, securing the victory for his team.

“That being said, I love our team, but this is one of the groups that, you know when you say ‘team,’ we have to be a team to win because we don’t have that guy that can go off for 20 points a game.”

Marcus Hill, the team’s leading scorer, averages only 12.8 points per game, and in their latest loss, Dontrez Styles led the way with 18 points, but it still wasn’t enough.

With no clear standout scorer, NC State must focus on a more balanced approach, where every player plays a role. For the team to succeed, it will require strong teamwork and collaboration, rather than depending on one player to shoulder the offensive burden.

However, this is not the first time that Keatts is mentioning how his roster is not able to play the game as it is supposed to be played: As a team. In their weekend matchup against SMU, the 8-year head coach spoke on similar lines as Samet Yigitoglu and the Mustangs didn’t let them catch a breather.

Then, he had mentioned, “We’re not shooting the ball well at all,” Keatts said. “I thought we had some really good looks, and for whatever reason, we’re not making those.” While happy with the team’s defense, Keatts is not able to achieve the same efforts on the offense. And there is the same haunting reason why!

“I just think we’ve gotta see the ball go in the hole. We gotta make shots. In college basketball, you have to be able to make shots. … I love our guys, they’re working their a– off. There’s not one person that I can point to and say, ‘I wish he was shooting it better.’ I just wish we were shooting it better as a group”

In contrast, Duke has found a go-to player in freshman Cooper Flagg, who continues to step up when needed, guiding the Blue Devils to another win as they gear up for a highly anticipated rivalry game.

Flagg leads Duke over NC State, preps for UNC showdown

Duke’s freshman standout, Cooper Flagg, delivered another impressive performance on Monday night, helping the No. 2 Blue Devils secure a win over NC State, despite trailing at halftime for the first time in a home game this season. Flagg struggled in the first half as Duke found themselves down by as much as 13, but he came alive in the second, scoring 22 of his 28 points and leading the Blue Devils to their 14th straight victory.

Flagg quickly made his mark in the second half, scoring 8 points in the first 6 minutes, including a jaw-dropping dunk, as the Blue Devils took back control of the game. A pivotal moment came when NC State pulled within 51-50 after a Trey Parker 3-pointer over Flagg. But Flagg wasn’t rattled, answering with a clutch play to help keep Duke firmly in the lead.

Duke will face off against in-state rival North Carolina on Saturday in one of the most anticipated games of the weekend. Flagg will have the opportunity to make his mark in one of the fiercest rivalries in sports, all in front of a passionate crowd at Cameron Indoor Stadium.

With no clear standout scorer and a team still struggling for consistency, the Wolfpack’s chances of making the ACC Tournament are slimming down. Emphasizing the need for teamwork and resilience as they prepare to face the Crimson Tigers, Keatts is in hopes of getting his team back on track.