Terrance Arceneaux weathered a turbulent start to his NC State tenure. But now the standout defender is back on track

Terrance Arceneaux’s voice seemed at ease. He grinned as he spoke. If you sat across from him, just like this January afternoon sitting on newly-installed thick padded chairs inside NC State’s film room at the Dail Basketball Center, you’d think this season has gone according to plan for himself by the way he carried himself.  But it hasn’t. It’s been anything other than what he or anyone around the program envisioned for the start to his tenure in Raleigh.  Arceneaux, one of the Wolfpack’s top transfer portal additions this offseason from national runner-up Houston, had more games in which he didn’t record a single second of playing time (four) than he had with more than 4 points scored (two) through the first 15 games of the campaign.  It wasn’t an ideal start to Arceneaux's stint with the Wolfpack, one that had high expectations upon his arrival this past summer. He brought a defensive-backed reputation with a skill of knocking down 3-pointers at a somewhat decent rate in his career, and the opening half of his first season at NC State was anything but that.  While those outside the program were left wondering what was wrong with Arceneaux, who didn’t even dress for the Pack’s wins over UNC Greensboro and VCU in mid-November, the veteran guard made sure to keep his own health — both mental and physical — at the forefront. “It was a pretty shaky start for me,” Arceneaux told TheWolfpacker.com. “I was dealing with a lot, like being sick and an injury, so I didn’t get off to a good start like I wanted to. The coaches did a good job believing in me, pushing me along and encouraging me to get well and do well in practice. It was definitely a shaky start.” Although his initial introduction to NC State basketball was less than optimal, Arceneaux has finally found his groove on the court. He’s in a much better space with his health, and in doing so, has been able to play with a clear mind. And the results of that? Well, they’ve shown the type of player that Arceneaux can be within the Wolfpack’s aggressive defensive system and free-flowing offensive scheme. But, first, he had to weather an unexpected storm of injury and illness in Raleigh.