College Basketball Week 9: 5 biggest takeaways

By Chris Stone | Jan 9, 2017

Dec 30, 2016; Fort Worth, TX, USA; Kansas Jayhawks forward Landen Lucas (33) shoots as TCU Horned Frogs forward JD Miller (15) and forward Karviar Shepherd (32) defend during the second half at Ed and Rae Schollmaier Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports /

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Jan 4, 2017; Raleigh, NC, USA; North Carolina State Wolfpack guard Dennis Smith Jr. (4) reacts after a basket during the second half against the Virginia Tech Hokies at PNC Arena. The Wolfpack won 104-78. Mandatory Credit: Rob Kinnan-USA TODAY Sports /

3. The two faces of North Carolina State

It would be an arduous task to a find a team that had a more bipolar week than the North Carolina State Wolfpack.

Mark Gottfried’s squad opened the week with a 26-point home win over Virginia Tech with the latter coming off of an upset of the Duke Blue Devils. Freshman point guard Dennis Smith Jr. delivered a triple-double (27 points, 11 assists and 11 rebounds) in the victory. The story was different on Sunday.

Playing at North Carolina in a game that was postponed from Saturday night due to weather, the Wolfpack were absolutely throttled, losing by 51 points to the Tar Heels in Theo Pinson’s return. Smith played perhaps the worst four minute stretch of his young college basketball career to open the game and by the time he checked back in with two fouls and 13 minutes remaining in the first half, the contest was all but over.

The week highlights both the potential and the concern surrounding North Carolina State. With a likely lottery pick, another first rounder and several other highly rated recruits, the Wolfpack should theoretically have little trouble making the NCAA Tournament, but the pieces don’t always fit and the effort isn’t always there. Given a lack of quality non-conference wins, that may be enough to put them on the wrong side of the bubble come Selection Sunday.