GoPack.com photo
Wolfpack Gets Into Win Column in Johnson's Return
Markell Johnson is back and the NC State basketball team is in the win column for the first time in 2019-20.
But while Johnson's presence in the lineup was a factor in the Wolfpack's 84-65 victory against Detroit Mercy on Sunday, it was the senior point guard's backcourt mate Braxton Beverly that had the biggest impact on the outcome at PNC Arena.
Beverly set career highs with 23 points and six 3-pointers against the Titans' zone defense to lead the way and help State bounce back from a season-opening overtime loss to Georgia Tech last Tuesday.
“It feels good. Especially (against) a zone like that," Beverly said. "Once you get two or three you start finding a rhythm and start looking for gaps to get shots like that. Thankfully I had teammates that were finding me. Markell does that, he finds me. It all worked out real well.”
Beverly hit his first 3-pointer right off the opening tip and stayed hot the entire game, going 6 of 9 from the floor, with all of his baskets coming beyond the arc.
Johnson, on the other hand, had the opposite kind night. Playing for the first time since missing Tuesday's opener with an ankle injury, he missed his first five field goal attempts before finally connecting on a 3-pointer from the top of the circle with 11:39 left and finished 1 of 8.
Despite his lack of scoring, the preseason All-ACC selection found other ways of making his presence felt by handing out 10 assists and leading the Wolfpack with seven rebounds.
“It was great," Johnson said." "It’s a great feeling. It’s the first game of my senior year. I’ve been working."
Although Johnson declared his injured ankle to be "straight," it was clear from the noticable limp with which he walked around the locker room after the game that hs still isn't 100 percent physically.
But he was good enough for the time being. And he'll only get better as he continues to heal and gets closer to 100 percent.
"It's tough when you really haven't practiced," Keatts said. "He only practiced (Saturday) a little bit to get back in the flow and it's hard just to come back and play.
"But he'll be fine. I don't worry about him because I know when his scoring comes back it gives us another weapon on the perimeter."
The Wolfpack (1-1) had plenty enough weapons to take care of business against a Detroit Mercy team playing its season opener.
C.J. Bryce had another strong all-around game with 19 points on 8 of 11 shooting, five rebounds, four assists and four steals. Devon Daniels quickly put the final-minute mistake that led to the loss at Georgia Tech behind him by scoring 14 points while freshman big man Manny Bates added eight points and seven blocked shots.
On the defensive end of the court, State shored up some of the mistakes that help lead to its loss to the Yellow Jackets by not allowing the Titans to get to the rim off the dribble while forcing 15 turnovers.
And while Detroit Mercy star Antoine Davis -- the son of coach Mike Davis -- finished with 28 points, it took him 23 shots to do it. The nation's top returning scorer, Davis was 2 of 10 from 3-point range.
But while the Wolfpack's effort was clearly an improvement from its first game four days earlier, there are still plenty of rough edges to smooth out during an upcoming four-game stretch against lesser competition before taking on Memphis in Brooklyn on Thanksgiving day.
Of greatest concern is rebounding.
Detroit Mercy won the battle of the board 40-33 and outscored State 12-4 on second chance points.
"I want to get better in certain areas," Keatts said. "We came into this game, No. 1 defensive transition. I didn't like it against Georgia Tech and I thought we did a good job tonight. Offensive transition, I thought we did better.
"I want to do a better job rebounding the basketball. I thought we gave up too many second and third shots. That being said, we'll go from game-to-game. I want to see improvement the next time we play Wednesday (against Florida International) .. and by the time we get to the next ACC game (on Dec. 7 at Wake Forest) we''ll have shored up in a number of areas."
