After tallying 16 points in the NC State basketball loss to BYU in San Diego on Nov. 9, graduate guard Michael O’Connell struggled to find his rhythm in the Wolfpack’s next four outings. The 22-year-old, the lone returning player from the 2023-24 team’s NCAA Tournament starting lineup, committed eight turnovers and shot only 5-for-20 from the field across that stretch.
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But O’Connell signaled a return to his more efficient form in Sunday’s 89-63 home win over Rider.
He bested his season averages with eight points, four rebounds, five assists, and zero turnovers, shooting 1-for-2 from the field and an attack-mode 6-for-7 at the charity stripe.
Closed out the non-conference slate in the win column 🎥 pic.twitter.com/JmY8RfUGWH
— NC State Men’s Basketball (@PackMensBball) December 24, 2024
“You know, he and I just sat down, and I just said, ‘Man, just play…just have fun,'” eighth-year NC State basketball head coach Kevin Keatts said about his recent conversation with the 6-foot-2, 195-pound New York native. “‘I mean, this is your last year. You can start counting down the games and stop worrying about everything.’
“And he never said this, but [I said], ‘You don’t have to carry the load because the team won the ACC Tournament and went to the Final Four last year. You’ve just got to play.’ He’s such a great kid. So, I don’t know if that’s what he was thinking…’But just go play and have fun.'”
Evidently, O’Connell heeded the advice to Keatts’ satisfaction.
“Certainly, he looked like the Michael that we’ve all grown to love,” Kevin Keatts noted about Michael O’Connell’s bounceback effort against Rider.
NC State (8-4, 1-0 ACC) next plays at Virginia (7-5, 0-1 ACC) at noon ET Tuesday (ESPN2).
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