In Gottfried's fifth season, NC State lost half of its scoring threat with Trevor Lacey declaring for the draft and Ralston Turner and Desmond Lee graduating. Additionally, Kyle Washington transferred to the Cincinnati. NC State suffered a loss in their opening game against William & Mary, and highly touted guard Terry Henderson suffered an ankle injury in the first 10 minutes, which resulted in him sitting out for the rest of the season. This was the beginning of a long and painful season for the Pack. NC State struggled to compete in the ACC after going 10–3 out of conference. Junior point guard, Anthony "Cat" Barber finished the season as the ACC's leading scorer, averaging 23.5 points per game and making the All-ACC first team. After a tough loss to Duke in the second round of the ACC Tournament, NC State finished the season 16–17 and 5–13 in the ACC, making it Gottfried's worst season to date. The Wolfpack decided to not participate in any post-season tournaments.