Keatts continues to court transfers
NC State basketball coach Kevin Keatts has had success supplementing his roster with transfers during his first two seasons with the Wolfpack.
Allerick Freeman led the team in scoring in 2017-18 while Sam Hunt was the team's designated 3-point gunner. Last season, Wyatt Walker and his man bun started 35 of 36 games as State's lone true big man while Eric Lockett played a lesser role off the bench .
Continuing that tradition, Keatts have brought in three more experienced newcomers for the upcoming 2019-20 campaign to bolster a roster that already includes three players -- C.J. Bryce, Devon Daniels and Blake Harris -- that started their careers at other schools.
Pat Andree is a 6-foot-8 forward who played his first three seasons at Lehigh, averaging 12.9 points and 6.2 rebounds per game last season while shooting 42 pecent from 3-point range.
Danny Dixon played last season at UMKC after two years at George Mason (David Butler II/USAToday sports)
Danny Dixon is a 6-10, 230-pound banger who like Walker, will be counted on more for his rebounding and defensive presence in the lane than his offensive prowess. State will be Dixon's third school after starting his career at George Mason, then spending last season at Missouri-Kansas City.
Both Andree and Dixon will have one final season of eligibility remaining.
Atticus Taylor, meanwhile, is a 6-6 wing from Southwest Mississippi Community College who will be available for three more seasons.
After playing three seasons in the Patriot League, Andree said he's excited about having the chance to test himself in the more competitive.
"It's definitely going to be a change from the Patriot League," he said Thursday at the Wolfpack's preseason media day. "I've played teams in the ACC before. It's always been a goal of mine to play in the ACC and this year's my chance to do that."
Andree said he sees his role primarily as a 3-point gunner and mentor to the younger players on the team.
Dixon said he's ready to do whatever Keatts and the team need him to do to make his one season with the Wolfpack memorable -- even if it means getting up and down the court a lot faster than he's used to.
"I think I can move pretty well. Better than people expect," he said. "It's working out well. ... I'm just trying to get better every day."
As for Taylor, State's recent history of accepting transfers and allowing them to play key roles was a major selling point when he was looking for a place to play last spring.
"That really attracted me, because it makes me know Coach knows how JUCO players feel," he said. "Not too many coaches recruit JUCO players. I feel like he saw what I could do and took a chance on me."
