So long, Big Ern.
NC State forward Ernest Ross announced via Instagram today that he intends to enter the transfer portal. Not exactly a surprising development given how little he played this season, but still tough to see such a big positive influence on the team move on.
Even though he didn’t see much action, Ernie will always be a part of NC State’s March run—and arguably he inadvertently started it by donning those three-goggles that irked Jim Boeheim so much that first day of the ACC tournament.
The clip was widely shared amongst State’s fan base and eventually made it back to the team that night. They even made T-shirts.
“That brought us together for that second day,” Justus said. “That lit a fire.”
The biggest reason why: Boeheim targeted Ross, who’s the most beloved member on the roster.
The Pack smoked Syracuse by 18 that second day and the run was on from there. It remains an enduring memory from last month for me, so thank you for that, Ernie.
He’s been more than patient in three seasons at State and deserves to find a place that will let him get on the floor and make the impact he’s capable of: he’s a career 59% two-point shooter, which is pretty darn good. HIs best game in a State uniform came in a big overtime win against Miami last season when he scored 17 points on 8-10 shooting and grabbed nine rebounds.