Role to be limited for Pack's Ferguson

Trevor Ferguson, N.C. State’s leading backcourt scorer, will play a limited role at most Saturday when the Wolfpack meets Georgia Tech in a noon game at the RBC Center.

Ferguson still is wearing a protective pad on his left hand that limits his effectiveness. He missed three games after breaking a bone in that hand on Dec. 22 against Marquette, but returned to play N.C. State’s last two games with the pad.

“I think he’ll suit up (Saturday), but I’m not sure how long he will play,” coach Sidney Lowe said Friday during his weekly news conference. “He still has that pad on his hand, and it definitely affects his shooting.”

Ferguson is averaging 6.9 points per game. He led the team with 17 3-pointers for the season when he was hurt, but has missed all four of his 3-point attempts since returning.

Lowe declined to say who would start in Ferguson’s place. During the three games Ferguson missed, Courtney Fells moved from small forward to shooting guard while Dennis Horner moved into the starting lineup at small forward.

Another option for Lowe would be to keep Fells at small forward and start freshman C.J. Williams at shooting guard. Williams scored eight points Tuesday against Florida State in a productive stint off the bench.

–Ken Tysiac