Mohamed Diarra has emerged as the ultimate X-factor for NC State during the Wolfpack’s surprise postseason success.
NC State’s magical run through the ACC Tournament and into the Final Four has turned several Wolfpack players into national superstars. No one embodies that more than DJ Burns, who has become the face of this year’s NCAA Tournament.
His dazzling offensive production, combined with DJ Horne‘s explosiveness in the backcourt, have been the headline grabbers – and for good reason.
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NC State’s unsung hero
But senior forward Mohamed Diarra has been just as important to NC State’s turnaround as both of the team’s stars.
The 6-10, 215-pound transfer from Missouri wasn’t inserted into the full-time starting lineup until mid-February, and has proven to be the ultimate X-factor for this group. He has thrived in a larger role thanks to his rebounding and rim protection.
“I want to help my team however I can,” Diarra told Heat Check CBB. “We know we have some big players like DJ Burns and DJ Horne, but everyone else’s contributions are great, too. Everybody’s doing their job.”
No one else has seen an uptick in production the way Diarra has, though, essentially doubling his production across the board since the postseason began.
Per EvanMiya.com, no other player in the Final Four has increased their BPR — a metric designed to measure a player’s overall impact — more than Diarra over the last month. He has recorded five double-doubles in NC State’s last seven games, the most of anyone other than Zach Edey during that stretch.
It shouldn’t come as a surprise that NC State’s most efficient lineups all include him, especially considering the intangible impact he has on this team.
“One huge thing, especially during the ACC Tournament, is he brought us a new sense of life,” point guard Michael O’Connell said. “When you have a guy like that who’s going out there and giving it his all, playing as hard as him, you take that energy and run with it.”
It’s not also not lost on his teammates that he’s performing at this level while fasting for Ramadan, a Muslim practice that involves not eating between sunrise and sundown.
“I have zero idea how he’s doing it at all, how he’s able to go out there every day without having eaten and just go get a double-double every game,” Burns told Heat Check CBB. “Honestly, I’m amazed.”
A March turnaround to remember
Part of the reason why NC State’s turnaround has been such a surprise is they haven’t made any significant changes to its approach. Head coach Kevin Keatts’ offense is still isolation-heavy and focused on getting Burns the ball in the post, while the defense relies on a pressure system that tries to speed up opponents.
It’s the same system that NC State was running when it lost 10 of its last 14 regular season games. The biggest change has been Diarra’s increased role, and he has provided a boost in the areas in which the Pack struggled. They were one of the worst rebounding teams in the ACC and still are just middle-of-the-road when it comes to protecting the paint. NC State identified those weaknesses and tasked Diarra with starring in those two departments.
Safe to say he has delivered.
“He’s the ultimate teammate,” Burns continued. “He doesn’t even say many words. He just goes out there and gets whatever we need done, done. That’s why you need a guy like Mo on your team.”
The Wolfpack are heavy underdogs against Purdue in their Final Four matchup on Saturday. It will be the ninth consecutive game in which NC State has held that role. History is also working against them, as no 11-seed has ever advanced to the national championship game.
Several NC State players acknowledged it needs to be at its collective best against the Boilermakers. But no player will be as important to its success as Diarra.
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