NC State snapped its four-game losing streak Wednesday night with a home win over Wake Forest, but it sustained a significant loss, too, with senior guard Devon Daniels going down in the second half.
Daniels suffered a torn ACL during the game, the Wolfpack program announced on Thursday. He will miss the remainder of the season, striking a blow to an NC State team that finally captured some momentum and has a lightening schedule ahead.
"I'm gutted and heartbroken for Devon," NC State head coach Kevin Keatts said in a statement. "Devon joined our program shortly after I was named head coach and I quickly appreciated the tenacity and relentlessness he brought into the gym every day. Devon built himself into one of the premier players in the ACC and with that tireless work ethic, I have no doubt that he will attack his rehab and come back even stronger. I hope all NC State fans will join me in praying for Devon and a swift recovery."
Daniels was averaging a career-high and team-leading 16.5 points and 3.1 assists per game for the Wolfpack this season. Among all ACC players, he ranked eighth in both points and steals per game as the catalyst on offense and defense for NC State.
Without him, freshman wing Dereon Seabron, whose role had steadily been reduced since conference play, may see an uptick in opportunity. Thomas Allen and Shakeel Moore may also see their roles increase. Senior guard Braxton Beverly and his understudy, Cam Hayes, may also see expanded opportunities come their way.
Regardless, it's a challenging midseason loss for NC State. It is 7-5 on the season and 3-4 in ACC play, but eight of its next nine games are against unranked opponents. It's certainly not a lost season by any measure, but with Daniels out it makes it much more difficult to picture this team snapping out of its slump and making a run into March Madness.
