North Carolina State University Athletics
Sunday, November 8
2 p.m.
NC State
vs
Cal St. Los Angeles (Exh.)
Wolfpack Exhibition Contest, Fan Fair Set For Sunday
11/7/2015 11:27:00 AM | Men's Basketball
2015-16 NC STATE BASKETBALL
NC State (0-0) vs. Cal State Los Angeles (0-0) (Exhibition)
Sunday, Nov. 8 – 2 p.m.
GAME NOTESÂ |Â LIVE VIDEOÂ |Â LIVE STATS
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The NC State men's basketball team takes the court for the first time this season when it hosts Cal State Los Angeles Sunday at 2 p.m. The exhibition contest will not only be Wolfpack fans' first time to watch the Pack in action, but there will also be a fan fest and a chance to meet the team.
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WOLFPACK FAN FAIR
PNC Arena doors open at 1 p.m. for Wolfpack Fan Fair. NC State mascots and cheerleaders will be on hand in addition to face painting and balloon twisting for children. The cheerleaders will sign autographs on the concourse before the game from 1-1:45. There will also be an inflatable hot shot basketball game for children.
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The Wolfpack players will sign autographs on the floor for 45 minutes after the game.
THE STARTING FIVE – The Top 5 Storylines For This Game
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1. FIRST GLIMPSE OF THE 2015-16 WOLFPACKÂ 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 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
While Sunday's exhibition contest doesn't count in the official won-loss ledger, it will be the public's first glimpse at the NC State Wolfpack. 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.
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2. READY FOR T. HENNY
Terry Henderson made 89 shots from 3-point range in his two seasons at West Virginia. The Raleigh native, who averaged 11.7 points per game as a sophomore, sat out last season and is now primed for a significant role this season. With the Pack having to replace long-range threats Trevor Lacey and Ralston Turner, NC State will be looking to Henderson to provide perimeter scoring.
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3. ON THE MARKÂ 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 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 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). The Wolfpack is 92-52 under Gottfried, which is the program's highest win total for a four-year span since 1972-76 (100 wins).
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4. MORE ON BIG CATÂ 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 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 Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
While Anthony Barber is famously known as Cat, his mother, Pamela Barber, has always called him Big Cat. He will need to be a big cat this season for the Wolfpack. Barber, a second team preseason All-ACC pick, will be counted on to play major minutes while running the team and contributing his usual standout on-the-ball defense. Barber was the 'Big Cat' down the stretch for the Pack last season, averaging 14.6 points and 4.0 assists per game over the last 14 games of the season. Included in that run was a career-best performance of 34 points in the ACC second round against Pittsburgh.
CAT BARBER MIX TAPE
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5. STARTING OFF THE SEASON RIGHTÂ 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 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
After Sunday's exhibition contest the Wolfpack opens the regular season with two games during the first weekend, hosting a William & Mary team that won 19 games last season and a South Alabama team that figures to be much improved this season. After a home game vs. IUPUI, Mark Gottfried's team heads to Brooklyn, N.Y., for a pair of games at the Barclays Center. A win over Arizona State in the first game in New York could potentially set up a showdown with nationally-ranked LSU, who the Wolfpack edged in the NCAA Tournament last season.
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SUNDAY'S OPPONENT
SO, HOW'S CAL STATE LOS ANGELES?
Sunday's exhibition will be the CSU Los Angeles' third exhibition of the young season. The NCAA Division II Golden Eagles, picked eighth in their conference in the preseason, lost 95-57 at UCLA and 54-50 at Cal State Northridge. Cal State Los Angeles was 10-16 last season in head coach Dieter Horton's first season.Â
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Players Mentioned
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