After watching his Wolfpack (5-2, 0-0 ACC) suffer double-digit losses in its Rady Children’s Invitational outings against the No. 13-ranked Purdue Boilermakers and unranked BYU Cougars in San Diego this week, NC State basketball head coach Kevin Keatts accepted full responsibility for the woes when speaking to the program’s radio broadcast team.
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And judging by his comments, it’s safe to say the 52-year-old Keatts is well aware of the fact that he and his staff have their work cut out for them in preparing the players for a stretch of four games that includes bouts with three high-major opponents and concludes with a true road contest against the top-ranked Kansas Jayhawks on Dec. 14.
“I don’t think we were very good the entire week,” Keatts said. “And it starts with me at the top.
“You know, we got to get better. When you look at it, we gave up 13 offensive rebounds [in the 71-61 loss to Purdue on Thursday], and we gave up 15 [in the 72-61 loss to BYU on Friday]. We got to play with a sense of toughness, and that starts with me from the top.
WIDE OPEN! What a pass to Traore for the SLAM! 🔥 @BYUMBB pic.twitter.com/kKu2RKiJXO
— FOX College Hoops (@CBBonFOX) November 29, 2024
“Obviously, one of the things with the group, it takes some groups a little longer, and we got to get a little bit more connected. Right now, we are a little bit more individuals than a team, and we’ve got to figure it out — quickly.
“Nobody’s to blame for this other than me….We’ll get better.”
Dawson with the feed to Fouss
📺 FOX pic.twitter.com/hOr5yAxPQt
— BYU Men’s Basketball (@BYUMBB) November 29, 2024
Keatts’ eighth NC State basketball squad is now back in Raleigh and has several days to practice for its SEC/ACC Challenge showdown against the visiting Texas Longhorns (6-1, 0-0 SEC) in the Lenovo Center at 9:15 p.m. ET Wednesday (ESPN2).
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Stay tuned to NC State Wolfpack On SI for more NC State basketball news.