North Carolina State University Athletics
NC State
William & Mary
Wolfpack Opens Season Friday vs. William & Mary
11/12/2015 1:25:00 PM | Men's Basketball
| NC State (0-0) vs. William & Mary (0-0) | ||
| Â Date | Friday, Nov. 13 | |
| Â Time | 8 p.m. ET | |
|  Location | PNC Arena – Raleigh, N.C. | |
| Â Tickets | GoPack.com | |
| Â Television | ESPN3 (Andrew Sanders, Chris Corchiani Sr.) | |
| Â Radio | Wolfpack Sports Network (Patrick Kinas, Tony Haynes) | |
| Â Game Notes | NC State | W&M | |
| Â Season Statistics | Â NC State | W&M | |
| Â Live Stats | Â GoPack.com | |
| Â Social Media | @PackMensBball | Facebook | |
The 106th season of NC State men's basketball tips off Friday night at PNC Arena when the Wolfpack hosts William & Mary. The Wolfpack returns three starters from last season's 22-14 team that made the Sweet 16. William & Mary won 20 games last season and tied for a conference regular season title. The contest is the nightcap of a men's-women's doubleheader at PNC Arena Friday evening. Below is information regarding Friday's set up at PNC Arena:
Tickets: Tickets for the doubleheader start at $21 and may be purchased online, by calling the NC State Athletics Ticket Office at 919-865-1510Â or on game day at the PNC Arena Box Office. A season or single-game ticket for the men's game vs. William & Mary allows fans entry into the women's game as well. Please note, all fans must have a ticket to attend the women's game at 5 p.m.
Parking: Gameday parking is available at PNC Arena for $10 and men's basketball season parking passes will be valid for both games. Parking lots will open at 2:30 p.m. Click here for a gameday parking map.
Seating: Seating for the women's game at 5 p.m. will be general admission, excluding the ADA seating rows which will be held for patrons with accessibility needs. Â At the conclusion of the women's game, all fans will be asked to relocate to their assigned seat location (seat location printed on all tickets). Reserved seating will be enforced for the men's game at 8 p.m.
PNC Arena Doors: Doors will open at 4 p.m., one hour prior to the women's game. All fans must have a ticket and there will be no re-entry into PNC Arena.
*******
College basketball this season features 25 different rule changes, many of which will help increase offense and pace of play. To become further educated on the new rules for this season, watch this video:
Â
*******
The Starting 5Â -Â The Top 5 Storylines For This Game
1. SEASON NO. 106Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
The 106th season of NC State men's basketball - and season No. 5 of the Mark Gottfried Era - tips off Friday night when the Pack welcomes William & Mary to PNC Arena. Three starters return from last season's 22-14 squad that made a run to the Sweet 16. Cat Barber (12.1 points per game) is the team's returning leader, while post players Abdul-Malik Abu, Lennard Freeman and BeeJay Anya all started at least 11 games a year ago. In addition to twins Caleb and Cody Martin, the Pack has three newcomers on the perimeter. After sitting out last season, Terry Henderson is now eligible to play following his transfer to NCSU from West Virginia. Maverick Rowan is a sharp-shooting 6-7 freshman and the Pack also has an athletic 6-8 freshman in Shaun Kirk.
2. DOUBLEHEADER WITH THE WOLFPACK WOMENÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
The NC State women's basketball team will play in PNC Arena against Villanova Friday at 5 p.m., making the opening night of Wolfpack hoops a women's-men's doubleheader. A ticket to the men's basketball game allows fans to see both games. The women's game is general admission seating. Friday's women's game is the sixth time the Wolfpack Women will have played in PNC Arena. The Pack played a game of the Jimmy V Classic there three years in a row and also played two games there in the 2007 NCAA Women's Tournament.
3. CAT AND MALIK LOOKED READYÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
In Sunday's exhibition contest, Cat Barber and Abdul-Malik Abu appeared ready to expect the bigger roles they'll be expected to fill this season. Barber, a second team preseason All-ACC pick, led the Pack with 21 points and six assists and Abu totaled 17 points, nine rebounds and four blocks. Barber and Abu started the exhibition contest along side Caleb and Cody Martin and transfer Terry Henderson, who was taking the court in a Wolfpack uniform for the first time.Â
4. GOTTFRIED'S DRIVE FOR FIVEÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
Head coach Mark Gottfried enters the 2015-16 season with a chance to accomplish something only one other coach in ACC basketball history has matched. Gottfried has led his program to the NCAA Tournament in each of his first four seasons, which has only been accomplished by Skip Prosser (first 4 years) and Roy Williams (first 6 years). NC State is one of just 16 teams in the nation to have played in each of the last four NCAA Tournaments. The Wolfpack is 92-52 under Gottfried, which is the program's highest win total for a four-year span since the Pack won 100 games from 1972-76.
5. SO, HOW'S WILLIAM & MARY?                                   Â
Friday's contest against the Tribe is by no means an easy opening game for the Wolfpack. William & Mary has won 20 games in each of the last two seasons and tied for a share of first place in the Colonial Athletic Association last season. The Tribe returns four starters from last year's team and was picked fourth in its league's preseason poll.
