N.C. State’s Gottfried won’t be back
Mark Gottfried couldn’t reverse North Carolina State’s two-year slide in time to save his job.
The school announced Thursday that the coach is out after the season. The move comes as a once-promising season continues to unravel, with the Wolfpack struggling to compete in Atlantic Coast Conference play and losing games by lopsided margins.
N.C. State has lost six straight games with four of those by at least 24 points, the last coming Wednesday night against 10th-ranked rival North Carolina.
“Mark and I met today to discuss the future direction of our program,” athletic director Debbie Yow said in a statement. “While it has long been my practice to evaluate the body of work at season’s end, in reviewing the overall direction of our program, we believe a change in leadership is necessary moving forward.”
Gottfried had a 122-82 record with the Wolfpack, including NCAA tournament trips in his first four years that included two Sweet 16 appearances.
But N.C. State has slid to 30-30 over the last two seasons — including 8-24 in ACC play — and struggled to maintain continuity amid transfers, players leaving early to pursue professional careers, and staff turnover.
N.C. State (14-13, 3-11 ACC) was picked to finish sixth in the 15-team ACC after adding one-and-done prospect Dennis Smith Jr. at the point and getting West Virginia transfer Terry Henderson back from an injury that cost him nearly all last season.
But the Wolfpack fell apart once league play started. The highlight came Jan. 23 when N.C. State won at Duke for the first time since 1995 behind a dominant performance by Smith, but it hasn’t won since.
The Wolverines (17-9, 7-6 Big Ten) have won three straight to boost their chances at making the NCAA tournament.
Senior point guard Bronson Koenig (left calf) sat out for the Badgers (21-5, 10-3), who have lost consecutive games for the first time this season.
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