​Rumor central hints the Pack might open the season against the Fighting Camels. Snelly is back—Jordan Snell has been hired onto the Wolfpack staff as a graduate assistant. In NCAA news, Wichita has been chosen as the second site, alongside Dayton, for the opening round of the expanded 76-team NCAA tournament. Each city will host three games on the Tuesday and Wednesday after Selection Sunday, with the opening round featuring the 12 lowest-seeded automatic qualifiers and the 12 lowest-seeded at-large teams.
Looking ahead, the NCAA has announced enforcement priorities for the 2026-27 season: more stringent scrutiny of post play physicality, offensive three-second violations, freedom of movement, and traveling. Given that calls for 3 seconds have been rare in recent decades and post play has grown rough, fans should expect some 40+ foul nights early in the season.
On the recruiting front, NC State reportedly landed a major talent—“the best player in college basketball that doesn’t score” (BPICBTDS). Yet the big question remains: did they really? Coach Gainey has outlined the type of players he wants, and Patrick Stacy claimed, “I’ve got a guy.” Stacy kept repeating that until Coach Gainey agreed to look at film, liked what he saw on the defensive end, and RJ received a call. The recruiting yarn unfolded with little drama or bidding wars, and an unofficial visit would come later. This story could become a defining NC State lore moment—either celebrated as a once-in-a-generation diamond in the rough or dismissed as a footnote.
The backstory centers on RJ Keene, a senior statesman from Texas. A 2021 graduate, he entered as a three-star prospect listed around No. 350 by 247. In his high school years, he averaged 19 points, 9.1 rebounds, 4.2 assists, and 2.5 steals per game. Although his three-point percentage dipped to 30% in his senior season (145 attempts), he had shot 38% as a junior. Across his three-year varsity career, he was a 37% shooter from beyond the arc, attempting 694 three-pointers. He earned all-state honors twice and surpassed 2,000 career points. A fun note: during RJ’s junior year, he attempted 352 three-pointers and sank 135, more than Paul McNeil’s best single-season total in high school.
RJ drew interest from North Texas, Hawaii, Grand Canyon, Louisiana, Rice, and, notably, McNeese State among others. He eventually chose Boise State, drawn by the cold weather and even the blue-tinted football field, and elected to redshirt his freshman year. An unfortunate injury during his second season sidelined him completely.
In the 2023-24 season, after sitting out for two years, RJ began slowly, appearing in 21 games with 9.8 minutes per game, no starts, and shooting 34.1% overall, 18.2% from three, and 55.6% from the line. He averaged 1.8 points, 2.0 rebounds, and 0.7 assists per game. The 2024-25 season saw him start 11 of 36 games. His overall usage declined, as he attempted only about one FG per game, but his rebounding increased to 161 total boards, with assists rising to 55 and steals to 25. He finished the year shooting 38.5% overall, 22% from three, and 68.2% from the free-throw line, marking continued growth and potential as a defensive contributor on the floor.