RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) – One significant piece to North Carolina State’s improbable run to the Final Four is coming back to suit up for the Wolfpack next year.
NC State guard Michael O’Connell will use his additional year of eligibility to return to Raleigh for the 2024-25 season, he announced on social media on Wednesday.
O’Connell made the announcement on Instagram with a highlight video and a caption that read: “Unfinished business #BackWithThePack.”
The Stanford transfer averaged 5.7 points, 3.4 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game in his first season with the Wolfpack, but these numbers only tell part of the story.
He helped fuel a spark for Kevin Keatts’ group in the postseason, starting every contest during the 10-game stretch in the ACC Tournament and NCAA Tournament. Over that span, O’Connell raised his game average to 9.5 points while shooting 51.6% from behind the three-point line.
His “One Shining Moment” came during the ACC Tournament semifinals against Virginia when he hit a game-tying three at the buzzer to force overtime, with the Wolfpack ultimately prevailing with a 73-65 victory. O’Connell scored in double figures in six out of the 10 games during NC State’s magical run.
O’Connell is set to be an experienced leader for a program that’s undergoing major changes with a roster that was overhauled during the offseason.
He will be entering his fifth season of college basketball following the bonus year of eligibility awarded to student-athletes in the fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic.