Although traditionally overshadowed by national powerhouses North Carolina and Duke, this could finally be the season North Carolina State is better than its in-state rivals.

“I think we have a chance to be,” said Bobby Lutz, N.C. State associate head coach. “We did not beat Duke or North Carolina last season so we have to earn that. It’s exciting to be thought of in the same level, and that’s where we want to be.

“We want to be one of the top teams in our league and we think we have the potential to do that.”

The Wolfpack shocked the college basketball world by reaching the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament after being projected to finish eighth in last season’s ACC preseason media poll. The team finished 24-13 — its best win total since 1987-88 — and earned its first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2006. Leading scorer C.J. Leslie and point guard Lorenzo Brown are among four returning starters who look to lead the Wolfpack to the top of the conference and into the national spotlight.

In addition to being ranked No. 6 in the first Associated Press poll of the season, N.C. State is just the second team in the last 16 years besides the Tar Heels or Blue Devils to be selected as the ACC preseason favorite.

Leslie was tabbed as the preseason ACC Player of the Year and was named to the preseason All-ACC team, along with Brown. Rodney Purvis — one of the Pack’s three McDonald’s All-American freshmen — received Preseason Rookie of the Year honors for the conference.

Lutz said the recognition is exciting for the Wolfpack’s fan base. To the coaches, Lutz said, the honors indicate just how legitimate the team’s chances are to succeed.

But N.C. State is still unfamiliar with this type of hype.

“It’s new territory for our team. This is unchartered waters,” second-year head coach Mark Gottfried said at ACC Media Day. “And we have to learn how to accept that responsibility. It’s something I think our guys are in the process of doing right now.”

Lutz said the maturity of players like Leslie and Brown from the previous seasons played a role in the team’s growth as did Gottfried’s coaching style.

“He was just unbelievably patient but firm,” Lutz said. “And really willed them into getting better, and they started to see the value of playing the style that we’re playing and it was up-tempo.”

As a No. 11 seed in last year’s NCAA tournament, the Wolfpack upset San Diego State in the first round and beat Georgetown in the second round to earn a trip to the Sweet 16 — only to draw Kansas, the No. 2 seed in the Midwest region.

N.C. State shot less than 30 percent from the field, but managed to only lose by three points to the Jayhawks, who finished as the national runners-up to Kentucky. It was a disappointing finish to the Pack’s hard-fought season.

“It was very tough. I mean, we felt like we had the game won,” Brown said. “We felt like we deserved that game. We worked hard to get there and we definitely want to get back this year.”

Leslie’s return, despite being predicted to be selected in the middle of the first round of the NBA, boosted the Wolfpack’s hopes before the season began.

Leslie took his time to decide whether to return to the Wolfpack or begin his professional career. Lutz said the coaching staff believed the star would return, but didn’t know for sure until that “pleasant day” arrived.

“I felt like I still had stuff to do,” Leslie said. “I felt that there was something here that I wanted to do for myself and for my team.”

The power forward is difficult to defend, Lutz said, because of his length and athleticism. Now a junior, Leslie is much improved from March, particularly in his shooting and ball-handling skills. Brown said his teammate is quicker than most big men, making Leslie more effective in the post.

Richard Howell also returns for his senior season after grabbing 10 rebounds or more in 14 out of 37 contests last year. Fellow senior Scott Wood shot almost 41 percent from beyond the arc and is regarded as one of the nation’s top shooters.

“We’re not as tall as some,” Lutz said. “But we think our athleticism makes up for that. I think we’ve got a nice, balanced team.”

Lutz said the four leading scorers from last year are unselfish and have a great understanding of what Gottfried expects from his starting unit on both sides of the basketball. The group will also be instrumental to the development of the Pack’s three incoming McDonald’s All-American freshmen — guards Purvis and Tyler Lewis, and forward T.J. Warren.

“It’s been a pretty good transition so far for everybody,” Lutz said. “Even though those freshmen are really talented, there’s no doubt that the pulse of our team comes from those four starters.”

Duke and UNC have comparable experience to N.C. State on their own rosters, with the exception of the point guard position. The Tar Heels look to freshman Marcus Paige while the Blue Devils turn to sophomore Quinn Cook, who averaged less than 12 minutes per game last year.

What might set the Wolfpack apart from its local adversaries is Brown, who enters this season with two years as starting point guard under his belt. At 6 feet 5 inches and 186 pounds, Brown has the quickness to defend the opponent’s top ball-handlers and the size to guard a wing as well, Lutz said.

Brown’s 6.3 assists per game last year ranked 12th in the nation and second-best in the ACC to UNC’s Kendall Marshall’s 9.8. Based on Brown’s performance thus far in practice, Lutz expects an even better season from the fourth-year junior.

“I think he has a chance to be one of the top-five point guards in the country,” Lutz said. “It’s an unbelievable comfort level to have a guy that you know can play the way he can play. It’s a great comfort level to know that we have an experienced, really hard-working, quiet leader like him.”

With veterans like Brown and Leslie and an array of capable scorers, Lutz said N.C. State’s strengths are its experience and balance. From what Lutz has seen in practice, six or seven different players are capable of leading the team in scoring in any given contest.

The preseason was productive for the Wolfpack and the team is ahead of schedule compared to last season, Lutz said. But opening day can’t come any sooner.

N.C. State is ready to compete with the Tar Heels and Blue Devils for the top spot in the conference.

“Practice is still good,” Lutz said. “But we’re looking forward to scrimmages and things that we have coming up, and getting the season started.

“This team is ready. We’re ready to play some other people.”

Published on November 8, 2012 at 2:01 am

Contact Phil: pmdabbra@syr.edu | @PhilDAbb