North Carolina State University Athletics
Roommates And Backcourt Mates Shine In Opener
11/14/2014 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
In Friday's 93-58 win over Jackson State, teammates and roommates Trevor Lacey and Anthony `Cat' Barber stole the spotlight. With a combined 47 points, both guards proved that they will provide a potent backcourt in the competitively-stacked ACC league this season. Their chemistry was evident, and Wolfpack Nation could ask for nothing better than that as the season gets going.
After a mediocre exhibition game, Lacey was able to show people what he meant when he said that he was glad the first game didn't count. Effortlessly running the ball up and down the court, the combo guard racked up an easy 20 points in the first half alone. Nine of those came from behind the 3-point arc.
With that being said, watching Lacey play is fun. His personality shines on the court, and he always smiles when his teammates do something deserving of credit. That doesn't go without saying that he deserves a lot of that credit to himself after watching his performance tonight.
Creating open shots for his teammates as well as playing excellent defense, Lacey made his presence known in his first game as a Wolfpacker. The main takeaway was how well Lacey and Barber worked together on offense.
Sophomore post player Kyle Washington described Lacey as a distributor. Fans will be able to agree with him as Lacey was quick to find Barber throughout the night.
Barber looked like the point guard the Wolfpack has been hoping for. Staying consistent and setting the pace offensively, Barber chose his shots wisely on his way to 18 first-half points. The 6-2 sophomore continued to play with a hungry intensity and set a new career high of 25 points.
Whether it was passing the ball off to each other or playing defense for one another, Lacey and Barber seemed to possess an understood appreciation for each other's help.
"We know what each other can do and we feed off each other," Lacey said after the game.
After a particular 3-pointer by Barber during the first half, Lacey and his teammate immediately beamed at each other as Barber held up a three with his fingers while Lacey stuck out his tongue at him.
"That's my roommate. We talk everyday," Lacey said of Barber. "Tonight was one of those nights where we were both making shots."
