NC State survived Miami's comeback bid on Sunday afternoon, but they weren't as fortunate Tuesday night against Clemson. After leading by as much as 19 in the first half over the Tigers, State (12-8, 2-4) went cold in what turned out to be a 60-50 win for Clemson (14-6, 3-3) at Littlejohn Coliseum.
Just how cold did they go? The Pack scored a season low 16 points in the second half, and shot under 40 percent for the game. Senior forward Tracy Smith was the Pack's only double-figure scorer, finishing with 13 points and 5 rebounds.
NC State is now 1-5 on the road (0-3) in the conference. There is no chance this team makes the NCAA tournament without winning a few road games- and they only have five of their final ten games remaining at home. This is about as bad of a loss as they could have possible had in the game before heading to Chapel Hill Saturday.
NC State appeared very confident early, but folded as Clemson got hot from the floor. NC State, like they do in almost every game, went through their usual slump. During this stretch Clemson went on a 16-0 run, digging themselves out of a seven point hole and putting away the Pack in the final ten minutes.
NC State is a team led by their forwards in the paint, when they don't succeed, the team doesn't either. Smith's 13 were the only thing the Pack's big men had to build off of. After scoring a career high 17 points in Sunday's win over Miami, sophomore forward Richard Howell disappeared. He would be held scoreless in 25 minutes, and was 0-4 from the floor. Sophomore DeShawn Painter scored two points, but managed to foul out in just eight minutes of play. Freshman C.J. Leslie had his worst game of the season, as he was held scoreless in 13 minutes- though he's been battling the flu the last few days and it seemed to slow him down in the game and last Sunday against Miami.
Freshmen guards Ryan Harrow and Lorenzo Brown each scored nine points and were very instrumental in the Pack's fast start, but neither could contain Demontez Stitt on the defensive end in the second half. Stitt abused the Pack's guards en route to a game high 17 points.
The Pack's wings players, who have silently been the glue for Sidney Lowe's team, each struggled to find a rhythm in the ballgame. Sophomore Scott Wood and junior C.J. Williams both started, but were each held to just six points. Wood finished just 2-7 from the floor- all from beyond the arc. Clemson covered him and stayed in his face the whole night, and he never got a good look in his 36 minutes of play. Both of his threes were with a hand in his face. Williams shot 3-5 from the floor, but only played 21 minutes after getting his second straight start.
The Pack's RPI rating, which had gotten up to 83, could have moved up into the 70s with a win, which nears bubble team status. But the loss dropped the Pack back to 92, and in desperate need of a win Saturday. Even the most optimistic of State fans can't really expect State to win that game. They'll come in with no momentum, an 0-3 road record in conference games, and play in an arena where they have yet to win at under Coach Lowe. There's more to come on this game in a preview on Friday.
NC State has three days off to regroup and get healthy. They will need everyone to step up if they want to right this ship, and come close to meeting the expectations that were put before them coming into the season.
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Monday, January 24, 2011
Good Stretch for Pack Football Recruiting
Wolfpack head coach Tom O'Brien is in the process of a recruiting tear, as he has recently added three more commitments to his 2011 class.
The big news came last night when Greenville (SC) Wade Hampton standout wide receiver Hakeem Flowers chose the Pack over Michigan, Oregon, and LSU. Flowers (6-2, 180 pounds) had 50 catches for 1,000 yards and nine touchdowns in his senior season at Wade Hamton. He is rated as a three-star recruit by Scout.com, and a four-star recruit by ESPN. Scout.com had this to say about Flowers, who was said to have offers from eight different SEC schools: "Physically, Hakeem Flowers has all the tools to be a top flight prospect. College coaches will love his height and athleticism."
Earlier in the same day, Jacksonville (FL) Raines defensive tackle Chris Jones committed to play for NC State. Rated as a three-star prospect and the 47th best defensive tackle in the class, Jones (6-5, 260) also held offers from Iowa State, Louisville, Miami (Fl), North Carolina, Rutgers, and Tennessee. Like Flowers, Jones committed shortly after his visit to Raleigh, and is the Pack's second defensive tackle commitment in the 2011 class.
On January 19, Milford (NY) Academy defensive back Rodman Noel also chose the Pack. At 6-4, 205 pounds, Noel projects as a safety for the Wolfpack. This commitment was big for the Pack, who have had their struggles in the secondary over the last couple years, and this signing will help improve their depth at safety. Last year, Noel signed with Maryland but failed to qualify academically. After a year of prep school at Milford Academy, he improved his grades and signed on to play for Tom O'Brien and the Pack.
NC State's 2011 class now has 17 commitments, and is looking to total 20 on signing day. Still available is Wadesboro (NC) Anson five-star linebacker Stephone Anthony, who would certainly be the top recruit of the class. Anthony will make his official visit to the Pack this weekend.
As always, for breaking news on NC State football and basketball recruiting, follow me on Twitter at FirstandShort.
The big news came last night when Greenville (SC) Wade Hampton standout wide receiver Hakeem Flowers chose the Pack over Michigan, Oregon, and LSU. Flowers (6-2, 180 pounds) had 50 catches for 1,000 yards and nine touchdowns in his senior season at Wade Hamton. He is rated as a three-star recruit by Scout.com, and a four-star recruit by ESPN. Scout.com had this to say about Flowers, who was said to have offers from eight different SEC schools: "Physically, Hakeem Flowers has all the tools to be a top flight prospect. College coaches will love his height and athleticism."
Earlier in the same day, Jacksonville (FL) Raines defensive tackle Chris Jones committed to play for NC State. Rated as a three-star prospect and the 47th best defensive tackle in the class, Jones (6-5, 260) also held offers from Iowa State, Louisville, Miami (Fl), North Carolina, Rutgers, and Tennessee. Like Flowers, Jones committed shortly after his visit to Raleigh, and is the Pack's second defensive tackle commitment in the 2011 class.
On January 19, Milford (NY) Academy defensive back Rodman Noel also chose the Pack. At 6-4, 205 pounds, Noel projects as a safety for the Wolfpack. This commitment was big for the Pack, who have had their struggles in the secondary over the last couple years, and this signing will help improve their depth at safety. Last year, Noel signed with Maryland but failed to qualify academically. After a year of prep school at Milford Academy, he improved his grades and signed on to play for Tom O'Brien and the Pack.
NC State's 2011 class now has 17 commitments, and is looking to total 20 on signing day. Still available is Wadesboro (NC) Anson five-star linebacker Stephone Anthony, who would certainly be the top recruit of the class. Anthony will make his official visit to the Pack this weekend.
As always, for breaking news on NC State football and basketball recruiting, follow me on Twitter at FirstandShort.
Pack Faces Must-Win Sunday
Somewhere inside the Weisiger-Brown building on NC State's campus, Sidney Lowe is sitting very quietly- hopefully in deep thought. As his team lost their best chance at a signature win 92-78 to Duke at home last Wednesday night.
At the moment, a 13 point advantage over George Mason (ranked 40th in the RPI) in mid-November stands to be the Pack's only quality win of the season. When Miami comes to town Sunday, the Pack will have another shot at defeating a top 50 team. Miami (12-6, 1-3) comes in ranked 49th in the RPI, and at home this is about as easy as a top 50 win can possibly come.
State must take advantage of their new trio of big men that played well most of the second half against Duke, senior Tracy Smith, sophomore Richard Howell, and freshman C.J. Leslie. When the three are on the court together they create match-up problems for their opponents- especially Leslie who can play small forward with his incredible athleticism. It will be interesting to see if Lowe uses the three to create problems for Miami on Sunday afternoon.
NC State (11-7, 1-3) currently sits at 104 in the RPI. This week after the Pack host Miami on Sunday, they'll hit the road Tuesday to play at Clemson (86) and Saturday in Chapel Hill to take on North Carolina (24). Over the next seven days the Pack will have three chances to get another quality win to add to their resume- preferably more than one of them.
As the team poster says in all capital letters, "The stage is set." It sure is at the moment, the Pack have a chance to crawl out of their 1-3 ACC hole and pick up some quality wins in the process. It all comes down to execution at both ends of the floor, especially on defense where the Pack are giving up more points per game than everyone in the conference, with the exception of Wake Forest.
According to reports, morale was fine after the Duke game, and the guys held their heads high. We'll see what they're made of this week, and if they have what it takes to get back in contention for a NCAA tournament bid.
At the moment, a 13 point advantage over George Mason (ranked 40th in the RPI) in mid-November stands to be the Pack's only quality win of the season. When Miami comes to town Sunday, the Pack will have another shot at defeating a top 50 team. Miami (12-6, 1-3) comes in ranked 49th in the RPI, and at home this is about as easy as a top 50 win can possibly come.
State must take advantage of their new trio of big men that played well most of the second half against Duke, senior Tracy Smith, sophomore Richard Howell, and freshman C.J. Leslie. When the three are on the court together they create match-up problems for their opponents- especially Leslie who can play small forward with his incredible athleticism. It will be interesting to see if Lowe uses the three to create problems for Miami on Sunday afternoon.
NC State (11-7, 1-3) currently sits at 104 in the RPI. This week after the Pack host Miami on Sunday, they'll hit the road Tuesday to play at Clemson (86) and Saturday in Chapel Hill to take on North Carolina (24). Over the next seven days the Pack will have three chances to get another quality win to add to their resume- preferably more than one of them.
As the team poster says in all capital letters, "The stage is set." It sure is at the moment, the Pack have a chance to crawl out of their 1-3 ACC hole and pick up some quality wins in the process. It all comes down to execution at both ends of the floor, especially on defense where the Pack are giving up more points per game than everyone in the conference, with the exception of Wake Forest.
According to reports, morale was fine after the Duke game, and the guys held their heads high. We'll see what they're made of this week, and if they have what it takes to get back in contention for a NCAA tournament bid.
'Desperate' Pack Can't Keep Pace With Duke
NC State's chance for a quality win over a top ten team was unsuccessful, as Duke seemingly scored at will en route to a 92-78 victory over the Wolfpack Wednesday night at the RBC Center.
The Wolfpack (11-6, 1-3) lost their third straight ACC game, and once again it was defense that doomed them. After being down 14 at the half, the Pack played well to cut the Blue Devil lead down to five, but could not get a stop as Raleigh native Ryan Kelly buried a three from right in front of Duke's bench to stretch the lead back to eight. The Pack would not get closer than six the rest of the way, and every time they got some momentum Duke answered like you would expect a top five team to do.
It has been a tough 16 years for the Pack against the Blue Devils, as they are just 5-29 against Duke since 1995. Surprisingly though, Sidney Lowe has beaten Coach Krzyzewski twice since he took over at NC State (2-5) five years ago, a feat that looks pretty good compared to his predecessor Herb Sendek's 3-21 in ten seasons.
When expectations were sky high coming into the season- then starting out 1-3 in the conference, finding morale victories is a stretch. If anything one could say State played one of their better halves of the season in the second half against Duke, and yet, the Pack only managed to tie the Blue Devils at 50 points a piece.
In my opinion there is really only one way to upset Duke; you must get out the gates quickly and build up a lead on the Blue Devils. When Duke makes their inevitable run that they get every second half, you just have to hope that lead was enough. It is seemingly impossible to beat Duke while playing from behind, they just shoot too well for that. When Florida State knocked off Duke over a week ago, they led by 11 points in the second half before Duke made their run, ultimately coming up short. A year ago today when the Pack beat Duke at the RBC Center, State led the whole way, as Duke could not sustain a long enough run to overcome the Pack's double-digit lead.
The offense was there for the Pack, as five State players scored in double figures (Tracy Smith, 19, Ryan Harrow, 15, Scott Wood, 15, C.J. Leslie, 13, Richard Howell, 10). Coach Lowe is often criticized for his substitution pattern, and deservedly so, but I believe he may have found a line-up combination that woks well. He started playing with a big line-up, using three big men, senior Tracy Smith, sophomore Richard Howell, and freshman C.J. Leslie to find points in the paint against Duke.
Those three would combine for 42 of NC State's 78 points, while pulling down 24 of the Pack's 32 rebounds. Nearly all of the other 36 points for the Pack came from sophomore sharp-shooter Scott Wood, who finished 4-7 from three-point land, and freshman point guard Ryan Harrow, who played 36 minutes off the bench for the Pack. Wood and Harrow scored 15 points each, and really fueled some of NC State's second half runs. The other six points came from starting point guard Javier Gonzalez, who scored four points in only four minutes of play, and sophomore C.J. Williams who added two points on a first half jumper.
If State can play offense like this (granted they only shot 36 percent from the floor, but had 17 offensive rebounds) against Miami on Sunday in front of a crowd that will undoubtedly be thousands fewer than last night's game, they should win easily. State's offense was good enough to beat anyone else in the conference, but the defense must sharpen up if they are going to beat a top team like Duke. The Pack need to tighten up their defense, Duke will still beat you shooting just 35 percent from the floor, at 50 percent you really don't have a chance, especially if Duke wins the battle on the boards easily at 42-32, like they did Wednesday night.
The Wolfpack were said to be "desperate" going into their match-up with Duke, so I'm not even sure of a word they would use to describe how badly they need to beat Miami Sunday at noon. For all intents and purposes, Sunday is the season. A loss and you can pretty much chalk this year up as a failure and another NIT appearance, even as a Lowe supporter I feel a loss on Sunday should just about do it for his time in Raleigh. After Sunday's bout, the Pack will travel to take on Clemson just two days later, in what is probably another must-win for the Pack to keep their Bid Dance hopes alive.
The Wolfpack (11-6, 1-3) lost their third straight ACC game, and once again it was defense that doomed them. After being down 14 at the half, the Pack played well to cut the Blue Devil lead down to five, but could not get a stop as Raleigh native Ryan Kelly buried a three from right in front of Duke's bench to stretch the lead back to eight. The Pack would not get closer than six the rest of the way, and every time they got some momentum Duke answered like you would expect a top five team to do.
It has been a tough 16 years for the Pack against the Blue Devils, as they are just 5-29 against Duke since 1995. Surprisingly though, Sidney Lowe has beaten Coach Krzyzewski twice since he took over at NC State (2-5) five years ago, a feat that looks pretty good compared to his predecessor Herb Sendek's 3-21 in ten seasons.
When expectations were sky high coming into the season- then starting out 1-3 in the conference, finding morale victories is a stretch. If anything one could say State played one of their better halves of the season in the second half against Duke, and yet, the Pack only managed to tie the Blue Devils at 50 points a piece.
In my opinion there is really only one way to upset Duke; you must get out the gates quickly and build up a lead on the Blue Devils. When Duke makes their inevitable run that they get every second half, you just have to hope that lead was enough. It is seemingly impossible to beat Duke while playing from behind, they just shoot too well for that. When Florida State knocked off Duke over a week ago, they led by 11 points in the second half before Duke made their run, ultimately coming up short. A year ago today when the Pack beat Duke at the RBC Center, State led the whole way, as Duke could not sustain a long enough run to overcome the Pack's double-digit lead.
The offense was there for the Pack, as five State players scored in double figures (Tracy Smith, 19, Ryan Harrow, 15, Scott Wood, 15, C.J. Leslie, 13, Richard Howell, 10). Coach Lowe is often criticized for his substitution pattern, and deservedly so, but I believe he may have found a line-up combination that woks well. He started playing with a big line-up, using three big men, senior Tracy Smith, sophomore Richard Howell, and freshman C.J. Leslie to find points in the paint against Duke.
Those three would combine for 42 of NC State's 78 points, while pulling down 24 of the Pack's 32 rebounds. Nearly all of the other 36 points for the Pack came from sophomore sharp-shooter Scott Wood, who finished 4-7 from three-point land, and freshman point guard Ryan Harrow, who played 36 minutes off the bench for the Pack. Wood and Harrow scored 15 points each, and really fueled some of NC State's second half runs. The other six points came from starting point guard Javier Gonzalez, who scored four points in only four minutes of play, and sophomore C.J. Williams who added two points on a first half jumper.
If State can play offense like this (granted they only shot 36 percent from the floor, but had 17 offensive rebounds) against Miami on Sunday in front of a crowd that will undoubtedly be thousands fewer than last night's game, they should win easily. State's offense was good enough to beat anyone else in the conference, but the defense must sharpen up if they are going to beat a top team like Duke. The Pack need to tighten up their defense, Duke will still beat you shooting just 35 percent from the floor, at 50 percent you really don't have a chance, especially if Duke wins the battle on the boards easily at 42-32, like they did Wednesday night.
The Wolfpack were said to be "desperate" going into their match-up with Duke, so I'm not even sure of a word they would use to describe how badly they need to beat Miami Sunday at noon. For all intents and purposes, Sunday is the season. A loss and you can pretty much chalk this year up as a failure and another NIT appearance, even as a Lowe supporter I feel a loss on Sunday should just about do it for his time in Raleigh. After Sunday's bout, the Pack will travel to take on Clemson just two days later, in what is probably another must-win for the Pack to keep their Bid Dance hopes alive.
Sunday, January 16, 2011
After Loss to Seminoles, Doomsday Clock Continues to Tick in Raleigh
Let me open with this: Thank God for Wake Forest. Without arguably the worst ACC basketball team of all time, NC State could find themselves losing every conference game this season.
The Pack (11-6, 1-2) just don't seem like they want to win. Complain all you want about coaching, but at some point the players themselves need to get it. I could go on and on about how head coach Sidney Lowe has lost control of this team, and how I'm so excited about how new athletic director Debbie Yow will bring the axe on Lowe and bring in a top-tier coach, but honestly I like Lowe. People in Raleigh do want him to succeed. He won a National Title as a player for the Pack (and when you've only won two, that is a big deal) and he clearly bleeds red and white. He just might be in over his head and not fit to be a college coach.
At some point in the second half when Florida State was still perfect from the floor for the half, it seemed as if the Wolfpack players could care less on the defensive end. Florida State (13-5, 3-1) would go on to win 84-71, but that score is closer thanks to some garbage points at the end for the Wolfpack.
The Pack might be in the top three of the most talented teams in the ACC, but that means nothing if there is no hustle, and no passion shown on the court. State's start against Florida State Saturday afternoon was indicative of how this season has gone to this point.
Looking to put the first points of the game on the board, star senior forward Tracy Smith went up for an uncontested layup- and missed. This season is right there for the taking for this team, with their talent and experience (aside from the three freshman, who certainly have the talent) they should not find themselves below .500 in ACC play, it is just unacceptable.
The bright spot for the Pack was out-rebounding the Seminoles, a strong team, 34-29. That- and freshman point guard Ryan Harrow. In his first collegiate start, he scored 17 points and handed out three assists in just 21 minutes played. He hustled the whole game but was clearly out-matched on the defensive end, as he is not big enough yet to be a good defender in the ACC. The Pack also received double-digit scoring from Tracy Smith, who led he team with 19 points, and Scott Wood and C.J. Leslie, who each scored 10.
Florida State received double-digit scoring from five players and eight from one off the bench in limited time. That is an indication of a lack of team defense. This shows a complete dominance at that end of the court for the opponent. The Seminoles shot 54.5 percent from the floor, many of which were uncontested dunks down low. I can understand getting beat by one guy who you seemingly can't find an answer to (like J.J. Redick back in the day would always do to State, and many other teams), but when the whole team is scoring at ease there is a problem.
The Pack (11-6, 1-2) just don't seem like they want to win. Complain all you want about coaching, but at some point the players themselves need to get it. I could go on and on about how head coach Sidney Lowe has lost control of this team, and how I'm so excited about how new athletic director Debbie Yow will bring the axe on Lowe and bring in a top-tier coach, but honestly I like Lowe. People in Raleigh do want him to succeed. He won a National Title as a player for the Pack (and when you've only won two, that is a big deal) and he clearly bleeds red and white. He just might be in over his head and not fit to be a college coach.
At some point in the second half when Florida State was still perfect from the floor for the half, it seemed as if the Wolfpack players could care less on the defensive end. Florida State (13-5, 3-1) would go on to win 84-71, but that score is closer thanks to some garbage points at the end for the Wolfpack.
The Pack might be in the top three of the most talented teams in the ACC, but that means nothing if there is no hustle, and no passion shown on the court. State's start against Florida State Saturday afternoon was indicative of how this season has gone to this point.
Looking to put the first points of the game on the board, star senior forward Tracy Smith went up for an uncontested layup- and missed. This season is right there for the taking for this team, with their talent and experience (aside from the three freshman, who certainly have the talent) they should not find themselves below .500 in ACC play, it is just unacceptable.
The bright spot for the Pack was out-rebounding the Seminoles, a strong team, 34-29. That- and freshman point guard Ryan Harrow. In his first collegiate start, he scored 17 points and handed out three assists in just 21 minutes played. He hustled the whole game but was clearly out-matched on the defensive end, as he is not big enough yet to be a good defender in the ACC. The Pack also received double-digit scoring from Tracy Smith, who led he team with 19 points, and Scott Wood and C.J. Leslie, who each scored 10.
Florida State received double-digit scoring from five players and eight from one off the bench in limited time. That is an indication of a lack of team defense. This shows a complete dominance at that end of the court for the opponent. The Seminoles shot 54.5 percent from the floor, many of which were uncontested dunks down low. I can understand getting beat by one guy who you seemingly can't find an answer to (like J.J. Redick back in the day would always do to State, and many other teams), but when the whole team is scoring at ease there is a problem.
Monday, January 10, 2011
Pack Pounds Wake in ACC Opener
For the first time this season, NC State (11-4, 1-0) scored 90 points in a game, and it was plenty to beat Big Four rival Wake Forest. The Pack dismantled the Demon Deacons 90-69 behind 23 points and 11 rebounds from senior forward Tracy Smith in the ACC opener for both teams.
NC State moved to 1-0 in ACC play for the first time under head coach Sidney Lowe, as they shot 51 percent from the floor and 5-10 from behind the arc which helped them put away the Demon Deacons in the second half. The hot shooting continued at the free-throw line as the Pack shot an unusually successful 17-19. This led to the high scoring for the pack, as four players (Smith, 23, C.J. Leslie, 19, C.J. Williams, 16, Scott Wood, 11) finished the game in double-figures.
The most surprising of those scorers was junior guard C.J. Williams. Though I am often made fun of for this, I feel that Williams can be a valuable role player for the Pack. He can often provide a spark for the Pack when they start slowly and should help the Pack during tough ACC games. Williams brought the crowd of over 16,000 to their feet after he received a behind-the-back pass from Scott Wood and finished it with a one-hand slam- this brought a rare smile to the face of Sidney Lowe. Williams also pulled down seven rebounds and dished out three assists while shooting 7-8 from the floor and 2-2 from the free-throw line.
Complimenting the team's hot shooting was NC State's dominating performance on the boards. It was a total team effort as he Pack held a 43-20 advantage in the rebounding column as nine different players recorded a rebound for State. Ever since Tracy Smith returned from his knee injury, the Pack have been more aggressive on the boards.
There was a worry that the three stellar freshmen for the Pack (C.J.Leslie, Lorenzo Brown, Ryan Harrow) would start slowly due to nerves from their first ACC game, but those worries were put to rest. The three combined for 32 points and 13 rebounds, most of those (19 points, 6 rebounds) were recorded by Leslie, who earned ACC Rookie of the Week for his performance.
The Pack will now face a difficult stretch of conference games. They will head to Chestnut Hill to take on Boston College Tuesday night, then have a few days off before hitting the road to play Florida State January 15. Once they return from two games away from home they'll face the nation's top team, Duke. If the Pack can play well in these three games, the sky is the limit for this team. That is a big if, though.
NC State moved to 1-0 in ACC play for the first time under head coach Sidney Lowe, as they shot 51 percent from the floor and 5-10 from behind the arc which helped them put away the Demon Deacons in the second half. The hot shooting continued at the free-throw line as the Pack shot an unusually successful 17-19. This led to the high scoring for the pack, as four players (Smith, 23, C.J. Leslie, 19, C.J. Williams, 16, Scott Wood, 11) finished the game in double-figures.
The most surprising of those scorers was junior guard C.J. Williams. Though I am often made fun of for this, I feel that Williams can be a valuable role player for the Pack. He can often provide a spark for the Pack when they start slowly and should help the Pack during tough ACC games. Williams brought the crowd of over 16,000 to their feet after he received a behind-the-back pass from Scott Wood and finished it with a one-hand slam- this brought a rare smile to the face of Sidney Lowe. Williams also pulled down seven rebounds and dished out three assists while shooting 7-8 from the floor and 2-2 from the free-throw line.
Complimenting the team's hot shooting was NC State's dominating performance on the boards. It was a total team effort as he Pack held a 43-20 advantage in the rebounding column as nine different players recorded a rebound for State. Ever since Tracy Smith returned from his knee injury, the Pack have been more aggressive on the boards.
There was a worry that the three stellar freshmen for the Pack (C.J.Leslie, Lorenzo Brown, Ryan Harrow) would start slowly due to nerves from their first ACC game, but those worries were put to rest. The three combined for 32 points and 13 rebounds, most of those (19 points, 6 rebounds) were recorded by Leslie, who earned ACC Rookie of the Week for his performance.
The Pack will now face a difficult stretch of conference games. They will head to Chestnut Hill to take on Boston College Tuesday night, then have a few days off before hitting the road to play Florida State January 15. Once they return from two games away from home they'll face the nation's top team, Duke. If the Pack can play well in these three games, the sky is the limit for this team. That is a big if, though.
Thursday, January 6, 2011
Luck Not on Panthers' Side
With Thursday's news that Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck will remain in school, many questions arose for the Carolina Panthers.
As the consensus number one overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft, the Panthers had already announced that they would draft Luck with the first pick if he declared for the draft, but he didn't, and now the Panthers have some decisions to make.
1. Who will be the next head coach of the Panthers?
It is anyone's guess, but reports have said that Giants defensive coordinator Perry Fewell seems to be the front-runner for the job. It would be a good hire for the Panthers, and Fewell in a North Carolina native.
2. What do the Panthers do with the number one pick?
ESPN's draft expert Mel Kiper, Jr. predicts that the Panthers will now take Clemson defensive end Da'Quan Bowers. Bowers could be the guy who finally adequately replaces Julius Peppers and revamps the defensive line.
3. Without Luck, now what at quarterback?
The Titans have announced that they will part ways with Vince Young, and if the Panthers are patient they can pick him up as a free agent in February. This gives Jimmy Clausen and Matt Moore some competition. He has shown that he can win in the NFL.
The Panthers will have their work cut out for them, but there is hope for this team, because with a little luck (sorry), this team could turn it around.
As the consensus number one overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft, the Panthers had already announced that they would draft Luck with the first pick if he declared for the draft, but he didn't, and now the Panthers have some decisions to make.
1. Who will be the next head coach of the Panthers?
It is anyone's guess, but reports have said that Giants defensive coordinator Perry Fewell seems to be the front-runner for the job. It would be a good hire for the Panthers, and Fewell in a North Carolina native.
2. What do the Panthers do with the number one pick?
ESPN's draft expert Mel Kiper, Jr. predicts that the Panthers will now take Clemson defensive end Da'Quan Bowers. Bowers could be the guy who finally adequately replaces Julius Peppers and revamps the defensive line.
3. Without Luck, now what at quarterback?
The Titans have announced that they will part ways with Vince Young, and if the Panthers are patient they can pick him up as a free agent in February. This gives Jimmy Clausen and Matt Moore some competition. He has shown that he can win in the NFL.
The Panthers will have their work cut out for them, but there is hope for this team, because with a little luck (sorry), this team could turn it around.
Sunday, January 2, 2011
He's Backkkkkk, Smith Leads Pack in Return
For the past ten games, Sidney Lowe's Wolfpack (9-4) has taken the floor without their star senior forward, Tracy Smith. In those ten games the Pack went 6-4, and looked out of sync without their big man to run the offense through.
Saturday the Pack welcomed WCC opponent San Diego (3-11) to the RBC Center. It took until the 15:12 mark of the first half before Smith came off the bench and checked into the game to a standing ovation from the 11,000 plus fans in attendance. He would finish the contest with a game-high 16 points, and added two rebounds, a block and a steal in 25 minutes leading the Pack to a 76-54 victory.
If rebounding had been the problem for the Pack without Smith, than his presence must have ignited his teammates to work harder on the boards, especially sophomore Richard Howell. Howell recorded a career high 13 rebounds to go along with 13 points, just his second double-double of his career.
In the end State out-rebounded the Toreos 44-22, equaling their best performance on the boards so far this season. Though Howell's 13 lead the way, it was a team effort as 10 other State players recorded a rebound.
As the clock ran down late in the second half, Coach Lowe appeared to clear the bench. 13 total players checked into the game for the Pack, but one was missing. Absent from the floor today was seven-foot sophomore center Jordan Vandenberg. He had seen time in every game this season- and even started a few times, but never got into the game. One has to wonder if there is something going on with him, as he has only played three minutes in the last three games. The cause of his absence is unknown at this point, and I would assume the topic will be approached later this week.
The Pack have now put their two best performances of the season back-to-back, and have outscored their last two opponents by 53 points and seem to be playing their best basketball- and at the perfect time, too. State has one last non-conference game remaining, against Elon in Greensboro January 5. Then its time for the Pack to dive head first into ACC play against Wake Forest January 8.
Saturday the Pack welcomed WCC opponent San Diego (3-11) to the RBC Center. It took until the 15:12 mark of the first half before Smith came off the bench and checked into the game to a standing ovation from the 11,000 plus fans in attendance. He would finish the contest with a game-high 16 points, and added two rebounds, a block and a steal in 25 minutes leading the Pack to a 76-54 victory.
If rebounding had been the problem for the Pack without Smith, than his presence must have ignited his teammates to work harder on the boards, especially sophomore Richard Howell. Howell recorded a career high 13 rebounds to go along with 13 points, just his second double-double of his career.
In the end State out-rebounded the Toreos 44-22, equaling their best performance on the boards so far this season. Though Howell's 13 lead the way, it was a team effort as 10 other State players recorded a rebound.
As the clock ran down late in the second half, Coach Lowe appeared to clear the bench. 13 total players checked into the game for the Pack, but one was missing. Absent from the floor today was seven-foot sophomore center Jordan Vandenberg. He had seen time in every game this season- and even started a few times, but never got into the game. One has to wonder if there is something going on with him, as he has only played three minutes in the last three games. The cause of his absence is unknown at this point, and I would assume the topic will be approached later this week.
The Pack have now put their two best performances of the season back-to-back, and have outscored their last two opponents by 53 points and seem to be playing their best basketball- and at the perfect time, too. State has one last non-conference game remaining, against Elon in Greensboro January 5. Then its time for the Pack to dive head first into ACC play against Wake Forest January 8.
Friday, December 31, 2010
Pack Adds Two O-Linemen, Safety
Head coach Tom O'Brien's Wolfpack hasn't played a game since November 27, but that doesn't mean his staff hasn't been busy. The Pack have received three commitments in the past week, bringing the total number of 2011 commitments for the Pack to 13, of their 14 available scholarships.
After two-star Lawrence Academy (MA) running back Tony Knight de-committed from the Pack on December 14, Tom O'Brien and staff wasted little time filling his spot. Losing Knight meant little to the Pack, as their top two rushers from the 2010 season were true freshman Mustafa Greene, and red shirt-freshman Dean Haynes.
Instead the Pack went to an area where Tom O'Brien made a living off of at Boston College: the offensive line. This week the Pack added two linemen to help stabilize their line for the future.
First, Kettering, OH Archbishop Alter lineman Joe Thuney verbally committed to play for NC State. The three star prospect is Scout.com's 92nd best tackle in the class, and is quite athletic for his size- he earned an Honorable Mention for All-District in basketball in 2009. Thuney has the height (6-5) to play in the ACC, but his weight (235) will need to increase for him to be a productive part of the line- I suspect that will happen once he gets on campus.
Then two-star lineman Alex Barr de-committed from Vanderbilt, and gave NC State his verbal commitment after Robbie Caldwell was fired. Barr (6-7, 285) of Fayetteville, GA Stars Mill was said to be at the top of Vanderbilt's O-Line board, and clearly has the size to make a difference for the Pack once he is needed. He is ranked as the 131st best tackle in the 2011 class.
In between the signings of the two offensive linemen, the Pack also improved their defensive secondary. Henderson, NC Southern Vance safety Hakim Jones chose NC State as well. The two-way star also played wide receiver for Southern Vance, and at 6-2, 190 he'll come to State as an athlete and Tom O'Brien and staff will figure out where he'll play during the summer.
After these three signings, the Pack has just one scholarship left. They hope to land Wadesboro, NC Anson linebacker Stephone Anthony, who is currently the top ranked recruit in North Carolina. NC State is on Anthony's short list, and the Pack hope that the fourth best outside linebacker in the class will enjoy his last official visit, a trip to Raleigh on January 29. It looks like State will have to wait until after their bowl game on December 28 against West Virginia, and his visit in mid-January before they hear any news from Anthony.
As always, for breaking news on NC State football and basketball recruiting, follow me on Twitter @FirstandShort.
After two-star Lawrence Academy (MA) running back Tony Knight de-committed from the Pack on December 14, Tom O'Brien and staff wasted little time filling his spot. Losing Knight meant little to the Pack, as their top two rushers from the 2010 season were true freshman Mustafa Greene, and red shirt-freshman Dean Haynes.
Instead the Pack went to an area where Tom O'Brien made a living off of at Boston College: the offensive line. This week the Pack added two linemen to help stabilize their line for the future.
First, Kettering, OH Archbishop Alter lineman Joe Thuney verbally committed to play for NC State. The three star prospect is Scout.com's 92nd best tackle in the class, and is quite athletic for his size- he earned an Honorable Mention for All-District in basketball in 2009. Thuney has the height (6-5) to play in the ACC, but his weight (235) will need to increase for him to be a productive part of the line- I suspect that will happen once he gets on campus.
Then two-star lineman Alex Barr de-committed from Vanderbilt, and gave NC State his verbal commitment after Robbie Caldwell was fired. Barr (6-7, 285) of Fayetteville, GA Stars Mill was said to be at the top of Vanderbilt's O-Line board, and clearly has the size to make a difference for the Pack once he is needed. He is ranked as the 131st best tackle in the 2011 class.
In between the signings of the two offensive linemen, the Pack also improved their defensive secondary. Henderson, NC Southern Vance safety Hakim Jones chose NC State as well. The two-way star also played wide receiver for Southern Vance, and at 6-2, 190 he'll come to State as an athlete and Tom O'Brien and staff will figure out where he'll play during the summer.
After these three signings, the Pack has just one scholarship left. They hope to land Wadesboro, NC Anson linebacker Stephone Anthony, who is currently the top ranked recruit in North Carolina. NC State is on Anthony's short list, and the Pack hope that the fourth best outside linebacker in the class will enjoy his last official visit, a trip to Raleigh on January 29. It looks like State will have to wait until after their bowl game on December 28 against West Virginia, and his visit in mid-January before they hear any news from Anthony.
As always, for breaking news on NC State football and basketball recruiting, follow me on Twitter @FirstandShort.
Leslie Emerges as Rebounding Leader, Pack Cruise
Through the first few games of the season, the reason for NC State's struggles were clear: rebounding, and losing star forward Tracy Smith didn't help. After being out-rebounded by Georgetown, Fairleigh Dickinson, and Wisconsin, the Pack have bounced back and won the battle on the boards in their last three games.
Such was the case Tuesday afternoon as the Pack routed Alabama A&M 82-51. NC State won the battle on the boards 36-30, led by C.J. Leslie's 11 rebounds. This was Leslie's fourth double-figure rebound game, and he leads the team with 95 on the season.
Along with his recent dominance on the boards, Leslie is third on the team in points per game with over ten a contest. With two ACC Rookie of the Week Awards, Leslie has started to look more and more like the player he was expected to be out of high school.
Though Leslie has provided the spark State has needed to get back on track, the early feeling is that the Pack goes as Scott Wood goes. The sophomore has improved in many statistical categories this season. Those include, points, rebounds, assists, steals, field-goal percentage, free-throw percentage, and three-point percentage.
Wood now leads the team in scoring, and has been the one consistency in State's lineup. He has led by example on the court each and every game, and his 18 points on Tuesday tied his season high.
All in all it was what is was supposed to be for the Pack. They destroyed a small team from the SWAC, and took advantage of the size difference. They were the better team and took care of business the way they should have.
NC State has just two non-conference games left, against San Diego January 1, and on the road at Elon January 5. Then ACC play will be upon the Pack, and Head Coach Sidney Lowe will need to rally his team and prepare them for the most important games of the season. Luckily for the Pack, they begin ACC play with Wake Forest, who has many questions of their own to answer.
Such was the case Tuesday afternoon as the Pack routed Alabama A&M 82-51. NC State won the battle on the boards 36-30, led by C.J. Leslie's 11 rebounds. This was Leslie's fourth double-figure rebound game, and he leads the team with 95 on the season.
Along with his recent dominance on the boards, Leslie is third on the team in points per game with over ten a contest. With two ACC Rookie of the Week Awards, Leslie has started to look more and more like the player he was expected to be out of high school.
Though Leslie has provided the spark State has needed to get back on track, the early feeling is that the Pack goes as Scott Wood goes. The sophomore has improved in many statistical categories this season. Those include, points, rebounds, assists, steals, field-goal percentage, free-throw percentage, and three-point percentage.
Wood now leads the team in scoring, and has been the one consistency in State's lineup. He has led by example on the court each and every game, and his 18 points on Tuesday tied his season high.
All in all it was what is was supposed to be for the Pack. They destroyed a small team from the SWAC, and took advantage of the size difference. They were the better team and took care of business the way they should have.
NC State has just two non-conference games left, against San Diego January 1, and on the road at Elon January 5. Then ACC play will be upon the Pack, and Head Coach Sidney Lowe will need to rally his team and prepare them for the most important games of the season. Luckily for the Pack, they begin ACC play with Wake Forest, who has many questions of their own to answer.
Thursday, December 23, 2010
State Survives, As Lowe Escapes with his Job
On an odd night for ACC hoops, where two conference teams lost to mid-major opponents, and five others escaped upset-bids, NC State found themselves gridlocked with MEAC opponent, Delaware State. Tied at 70 with 37 seconds to go, the Pack broke from a timeout. Now for most teams, this would be the part where a set play was executed to get an open shot or easy look- but the Wolfpack (7-4) aren't like most teams.
The Pack's inability to execute set plays- or even move around without the ball on offense has frustrated fans to no end through their first 11 games. The offense has often consisted of one man trying to beat his man one-on-one while the other four stand around and watch.
Such was the case as the Pack took the floor for the final half minute Wednesday night. Freshman guard Lorenzo Brown drove one-on-one to the basket against his man, then passed to fellow freshman guard Ryan Harrow who was standing in the corner. Harrow put up a contested three-pointer that clanged hard off the rim and fell right into the arms of sophomore forward Scott Wood. Wood, State's sharp-shooter, was scoreless to this point of the game at 0-6 from the floor, and 0-5 from three-point land, put up a leaning shot from the elbow that went in with 2.1 seconds to go.
After a time-out to check the clock, Delaware State inbounded the ball under their own basket. They got the ball into the arms of guard Jay Threatt, who took four dribbles and let fly a shot from 45 feet away that was perfectly online.
I'll stop the story right here for a moment. Surely, Pack fans remember Florida's Chandler Parsons heaving a 75-foot prayer of a game-winner against the Pack last season- on this same court. That shot ended what was an exciting over-time thriller, and arguably the greatest ending to a game the RBC Center has seen in its ten years of existence. Many Pack fans, along with players and coaches appeared nervous when Delaware State set up to inbound the ball in the final seconds.
Threatt's shot appeared to be right on target as started to fall toward the basket. Luckily for State head coach Sidney Lowe, this one hit the rim and bounced out. Sealing a win for the Pack, who may not have deserved it.
"I was thinking, 'Oh, Lord, don't do this to me again,'" said Lowe in a post-game interview.
Lowe's job seems to be in question at the moment. As Pack fan's continue to be displeased with the performance- and hustle, they have seen from the team so far this season. There has just been a lack of effort out of the Pack so far this season. Possibly from frustration of losing to all four BCS conference opponents to this point- and only being real competitive with two of them, or the loss of star forward Tracy Smith to a knee injury that has sidelined him since the second game of the season. Whatever the reason, the Pack need to work their way out of this.
The Pack's early-season frustration was evident during the second half as highly-ranked freshman C.J. Leslie received a technical foul for mouthing off to an official after a touch-foul was called on him. The looks on the faces of some of the State players- and particularly Coach Lowe's, said it all. This season, to this point at least, has not lived up to the hype.
With 20 games left, and not a single conference game under their wing yet, there is lots of time left for this team to improve. First off, Tracy Smith should be back soon. He was expected to see time back on December 4th against Syracuse- but hasn't dressed out for a game since his knee injury on November 18th.
Sidney Lowe's teams have shown improvement throughout the season in each of his first four years in Raleigh, and with the talent this team has on it's roster, that improvement could mean big things. But they'll need big things if they want Lowe to return next season, as first-year Athletic Director Debbie Yow is a no non-sense boss, who will not accept the mediocrity that occurred during former AD Lee Fowler's tenure at State.
The Pack will hit the floor next at home against the Alabama A&M Bulldogs of the SWAC December 28th. I'd expect to see a little more hustle out of the Pack- but then again I've expected to see this ever since they got embarassed by Wisconsin three weeks ago. Here's to hoping we see Tracy Smith, hustle, and better free-throw shooting for the Pack next week, for for now, I'd settle for just one of the three areas to improve.
The Pack's inability to execute set plays- or even move around without the ball on offense has frustrated fans to no end through their first 11 games. The offense has often consisted of one man trying to beat his man one-on-one while the other four stand around and watch.
Such was the case as the Pack took the floor for the final half minute Wednesday night. Freshman guard Lorenzo Brown drove one-on-one to the basket against his man, then passed to fellow freshman guard Ryan Harrow who was standing in the corner. Harrow put up a contested three-pointer that clanged hard off the rim and fell right into the arms of sophomore forward Scott Wood. Wood, State's sharp-shooter, was scoreless to this point of the game at 0-6 from the floor, and 0-5 from three-point land, put up a leaning shot from the elbow that went in with 2.1 seconds to go.
After a time-out to check the clock, Delaware State inbounded the ball under their own basket. They got the ball into the arms of guard Jay Threatt, who took four dribbles and let fly a shot from 45 feet away that was perfectly online.
I'll stop the story right here for a moment. Surely, Pack fans remember Florida's Chandler Parsons heaving a 75-foot prayer of a game-winner against the Pack last season- on this same court. That shot ended what was an exciting over-time thriller, and arguably the greatest ending to a game the RBC Center has seen in its ten years of existence. Many Pack fans, along with players and coaches appeared nervous when Delaware State set up to inbound the ball in the final seconds.
Threatt's shot appeared to be right on target as started to fall toward the basket. Luckily for State head coach Sidney Lowe, this one hit the rim and bounced out. Sealing a win for the Pack, who may not have deserved it.
"I was thinking, 'Oh, Lord, don't do this to me again,'" said Lowe in a post-game interview.
Lowe's job seems to be in question at the moment. As Pack fan's continue to be displeased with the performance- and hustle, they have seen from the team so far this season. There has just been a lack of effort out of the Pack so far this season. Possibly from frustration of losing to all four BCS conference opponents to this point- and only being real competitive with two of them, or the loss of star forward Tracy Smith to a knee injury that has sidelined him since the second game of the season. Whatever the reason, the Pack need to work their way out of this.
The Pack's early-season frustration was evident during the second half as highly-ranked freshman C.J. Leslie received a technical foul for mouthing off to an official after a touch-foul was called on him. The looks on the faces of some of the State players- and particularly Coach Lowe's, said it all. This season, to this point at least, has not lived up to the hype.
With 20 games left, and not a single conference game under their wing yet, there is lots of time left for this team to improve. First off, Tracy Smith should be back soon. He was expected to see time back on December 4th against Syracuse- but hasn't dressed out for a game since his knee injury on November 18th.
Sidney Lowe's teams have shown improvement throughout the season in each of his first four years in Raleigh, and with the talent this team has on it's roster, that improvement could mean big things. But they'll need big things if they want Lowe to return next season, as first-year Athletic Director Debbie Yow is a no non-sense boss, who will not accept the mediocrity that occurred during former AD Lee Fowler's tenure at State.
The Pack will hit the floor next at home against the Alabama A&M Bulldogs of the SWAC December 28th. I'd expect to see a little more hustle out of the Pack- but then again I've expected to see this ever since they got embarassed by Wisconsin three weeks ago. Here's to hoping we see Tracy Smith, hustle, and better free-throw shooting for the Pack next week, for for now, I'd settle for just one of the three areas to improve.
Thursday, December 16, 2010
Pack Takes Two After Exam Break
After an impressive performance by State's three freshmen in their 79-60 victory over USC-Upstate on Saturday, Sidney Lowe's Wolfpack hit the floor again Thursday night against Youngstown State.
After a very slow start in the first half, the Pack (6-3) ran away with a 67-50 win, improving their record to 4-0 at home this season. For the second straight game, the three talented freshmen lead the way for the Pack.
In the first game against USC-Upstate, the freshmen combined for 50 of the team's 79 points (Ryan Harrow, 20, Lorenzo Brown, 17, C.J. Leslie, 13). Harrow led the team in steals, Brown led the team in assists, and Leslie led the team in rebounds.
The second game was a career day for Leslie, as he led the Pack on both ends of the floor. His 14 points and 19 rebounds led a slow starting NC State squad. Seven of his 19 rebounds were on the offensive end, and he brought the crowd of over 9,000 to their feet with two electrifying blocks. Harrow and Brown also pulled their weight, scoring 14 points and seven points, respectively.
NC State's rebounding has improved significantly since the first few games of the season. State out-rebounded USC-Upstate 31-29 and Youngstown State 49-32. All of this thanks to Leslie and sophomores Richard Howell, DeShawn Painter, and Jordan Vandenberg, who have all worked together to replace star senior forward Tracy Smith, who has missed the last six games with a knee injury.
The latest update on Smith is that he could have played in both games this week, but is waiting until Sunday's important match-up with Arizona so that he can be as close to 100 percent as possible. The Pack will need a great effort from the players and fans on Sunday, as they will be hosting three recruits on their official visits. IMG Academy teammates DeAndre Daniels (Four-star power forward) and Christian Garrett (shooting guard) will be in attendance, along with Nemanja Djurisic, the three-star power forward out of South Kent, CT.
Sunday will present the Pack with their most difficult non-conference game remaining on the schedule. A win would probably mean that the Pack will finish 11-3 in non-conference play, setting themselves up for what will need to be a solid conference record.
After a very slow start in the first half, the Pack (6-3) ran away with a 67-50 win, improving their record to 4-0 at home this season. For the second straight game, the three talented freshmen lead the way for the Pack.
In the first game against USC-Upstate, the freshmen combined for 50 of the team's 79 points (Ryan Harrow, 20, Lorenzo Brown, 17, C.J. Leslie, 13). Harrow led the team in steals, Brown led the team in assists, and Leslie led the team in rebounds.
The second game was a career day for Leslie, as he led the Pack on both ends of the floor. His 14 points and 19 rebounds led a slow starting NC State squad. Seven of his 19 rebounds were on the offensive end, and he brought the crowd of over 9,000 to their feet with two electrifying blocks. Harrow and Brown also pulled their weight, scoring 14 points and seven points, respectively.
NC State's rebounding has improved significantly since the first few games of the season. State out-rebounded USC-Upstate 31-29 and Youngstown State 49-32. All of this thanks to Leslie and sophomores Richard Howell, DeShawn Painter, and Jordan Vandenberg, who have all worked together to replace star senior forward Tracy Smith, who has missed the last six games with a knee injury.
The latest update on Smith is that he could have played in both games this week, but is waiting until Sunday's important match-up with Arizona so that he can be as close to 100 percent as possible. The Pack will need a great effort from the players and fans on Sunday, as they will be hosting three recruits on their official visits. IMG Academy teammates DeAndre Daniels (Four-star power forward) and Christian Garrett (shooting guard) will be in attendance, along with Nemanja Djurisic, the three-star power forward out of South Kent, CT.
Sunday will present the Pack with their most difficult non-conference game remaining on the schedule. A win would probably mean that the Pack will finish 11-3 in non-conference play, setting themselves up for what will need to be a solid conference record.
Sunday, December 12, 2010
State Snags Recruit from Deacs
Recruiting for Tom O'Brien this season has been slow, to say the least. With just 11 commitments, the 2011 class for NC State is ranked as the 84th best in the country. But things seem to be looking up for the Pack, as Simpsonville (SC) Hillcrest defensive end Mike Rose de-committed from Wake Forest and signed with NC State on Friday.
ESPN grades Rose as a 76, as an athlete, but Scout has him as the 95th best outside linebacker in the class and a three-star recruit, which makes him one of the top NC State recruits in the 2011 class.
In his senior season at Hillcrest, Rose showed off his athleticism and versatility as he recorded 86 tackles, seven sacks, caused five fumbles and blocked three kicks; he also ran for four touchdowns.
Rose is an incredible athlete. At 6-3 and 215 pounds, he runs a 4.45 forty yard dash. His speed is backed up by his desire to run track for the Pack, as he runs the 100m at Hillcrest. His speed is complemented by his strength- he benches 275-pounds, squats 380 and has a 33-inch vertical jump.
The signing of Mike Rose could be an affect of the 8-4 regular season record, and things could really heat up on the recruiting trail for the Pack if they can beat nationally ranked West Virginia in the Champs Sports Bowl.
ESPN grades Rose as a 76, as an athlete, but Scout has him as the 95th best outside linebacker in the class and a three-star recruit, which makes him one of the top NC State recruits in the 2011 class.
In his senior season at Hillcrest, Rose showed off his athleticism and versatility as he recorded 86 tackles, seven sacks, caused five fumbles and blocked three kicks; he also ran for four touchdowns.
Rose is an incredible athlete. At 6-3 and 215 pounds, he runs a 4.45 forty yard dash. His speed is backed up by his desire to run track for the Pack, as he runs the 100m at Hillcrest. His speed is complemented by his strength- he benches 275-pounds, squats 380 and has a 33-inch vertical jump.
The signing of Mike Rose could be an affect of the 8-4 regular season record, and things could really heat up on the recruiting trail for the Pack if they can beat nationally ranked West Virginia in the Champs Sports Bowl.
Sunday, December 5, 2010
ACC Power Rankings: End of Regular Season
Who ya got in the Orange Bowl: Hokies or Cardinal?
(1) Virginia Tech Hokies
The Hokies did it. They went undefeated in conference play and finished it off by beating Florida State in the ACCCG, on to the Orange Bowl to play Stanford.
(2) Florida State Seminoles
The Seminoles were handed a gift by NC State to put them in the ACCCG, but failed to capitalize on their opportunity. They'll head to Atlanta for the Chic-Fil-A Bowl as a consolation prize.
(3) NC State Wolfpack
The Pack finished 8-4, but they could have easily won 10 games this year. They'll head to Orlando for the Champs Sports Bowl to play West Virginia, a win would probably put the Pack in the top 25 in the final poll.
(4) Maryland Terrapins
Maryland fans are quite upset about falling all the way to the Military Bowl, where they will play East Carolina. But considering that they finished 2-10 last season, I think the improvement to 8-4 warranted a better bowl game. Either way, the Fridge keeps his job for another year.
(5) Miami Hurricanes
The Sun Bowl was not the goal for the Hurricanes this season, and failing to reach their goal of an upper-tier bowl game cost Randy Shannon his job. Now the long search for his replacement is under way.
(6) Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
Not the season the Yellow Jackets were hoping for after winning the ACC title a year ago, they'll head to the Independence Bowl to play the Air Force Falcons.
(7) Boston College Eagles
The Eagles won five straight games to finish the season, and will head to the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl to play Nevada, no complaints in Chestnut Hill after the horrific start to their season.
(8) Clemson Tigers
The Meineke Car Care Bowl will be the destination for the Tigers, where they will play South Florida. With the return of Kyle Parker for his senior season, expectations were higher than this.
(9) North Carolina Tar Heels
Through all of the distractions, Butch Davis still managed to pull seven wins out of this season. Their reward? Playing Tennessee in the Music City Bowl.
(10) Virginia Cavaliers
This program is further along than their 4-8 record shows, and there is a plan in place for the Virginia program to grow. With Mike London in charge, they should be preparing for a bowl game this time next season.
(11) Wake Forest Demon Deacons
The Demon Deacons beat Vanderbilt. Other than that, there is always next year.
(12) Duke Blue Devils
I've said it once and I'll say it again. David Cutcliffe could be the head coach in Knoxville right now- he must know something we don't about the future of Duke football.
(1) Virginia Tech Hokies
The Hokies did it. They went undefeated in conference play and finished it off by beating Florida State in the ACCCG, on to the Orange Bowl to play Stanford.
(2) Florida State Seminoles
The Seminoles were handed a gift by NC State to put them in the ACCCG, but failed to capitalize on their opportunity. They'll head to Atlanta for the Chic-Fil-A Bowl as a consolation prize.
(3) NC State Wolfpack
The Pack finished 8-4, but they could have easily won 10 games this year. They'll head to Orlando for the Champs Sports Bowl to play West Virginia, a win would probably put the Pack in the top 25 in the final poll.
(4) Maryland Terrapins
Maryland fans are quite upset about falling all the way to the Military Bowl, where they will play East Carolina. But considering that they finished 2-10 last season, I think the improvement to 8-4 warranted a better bowl game. Either way, the Fridge keeps his job for another year.
(5) Miami Hurricanes
The Sun Bowl was not the goal for the Hurricanes this season, and failing to reach their goal of an upper-tier bowl game cost Randy Shannon his job. Now the long search for his replacement is under way.
(6) Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
Not the season the Yellow Jackets were hoping for after winning the ACC title a year ago, they'll head to the Independence Bowl to play the Air Force Falcons.
(7) Boston College Eagles
The Eagles won five straight games to finish the season, and will head to the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl to play Nevada, no complaints in Chestnut Hill after the horrific start to their season.
(8) Clemson Tigers
The Meineke Car Care Bowl will be the destination for the Tigers, where they will play South Florida. With the return of Kyle Parker for his senior season, expectations were higher than this.
(9) North Carolina Tar Heels
Through all of the distractions, Butch Davis still managed to pull seven wins out of this season. Their reward? Playing Tennessee in the Music City Bowl.
(10) Virginia Cavaliers
This program is further along than their 4-8 record shows, and there is a plan in place for the Virginia program to grow. With Mike London in charge, they should be preparing for a bowl game this time next season.
(11) Wake Forest Demon Deacons
The Demon Deacons beat Vanderbilt. Other than that, there is always next year.
(12) Duke Blue Devils
I've said it once and I'll say it again. David Cutcliffe could be the head coach in Knoxville right now- he must know something we don't about the future of Duke football.
Pack Impressive in Loss
As stated in an earlier post, A New Lowe, I said "a loss wouldn't be the end of the world if State plays with heart, hustles to loose balls, and plays the seventh ranked Orange close," and losing 65-59 would definitely fit that bill.
Sure, the Wolfpack (4-3) lost, but I doubt anyone expected this team without injured senior Tracy Smith to go into the Carrier Dome, three days after losing by nearly 40 at Wisconsin, and take it to Syracuse. As expected, Scott Wood got his shots against the Syracuse zone defense, and finished with six three pointers for a team high 18 points in 39 minutes of action, but the sophomore went cold late when the Pack needed him the most.
As well as they played, they still failed to score a basket in the final 7:20 of the game. Another game, another drought for the Pack, this one following a 10 minute scoring drought against Wisconsin. This turned a six point Pack lead into a six point deficit, costing State the ballgame- that and their 17 turnovers.
How about C.J. Leslie? In his most complete game of his career, the highly regarded freshman showed fans what they were expecting to see when he committed to play for the Pack last spring. His 13 points, 11 rebounds, and three blocks kept State in the game, and lead State to a surprising 34-29 advantage on the boards.
Eight different players scored for the Pack, with Wood and Leslie being the only two in double figures. Scoop Jardine led Syracuse with 23 points, as only he and Rick Jackson (16) scored in double-figures for the Orange.
Getting out-shot at the free-throw line also set the Pack back, as Syracuse got to the line 26 times to the Pack's 11. Foul trouble once again played a role for the Pack as Tracy Smith's replacements couldn't keep up in the paint, leading to Richard Howell and DeShawn Painter both finishing with four fouls.
The Pack will look to end this two game losing streak against USC-Upstate this Saturday at home. Tracy Smith is expected to be in the line-up for the first time since the Charleston Classic, and it should be a good chance for him to get back into the swing of things.
Sure, the Wolfpack (4-3) lost, but I doubt anyone expected this team without injured senior Tracy Smith to go into the Carrier Dome, three days after losing by nearly 40 at Wisconsin, and take it to Syracuse. As expected, Scott Wood got his shots against the Syracuse zone defense, and finished with six three pointers for a team high 18 points in 39 minutes of action, but the sophomore went cold late when the Pack needed him the most.
As well as they played, they still failed to score a basket in the final 7:20 of the game. Another game, another drought for the Pack, this one following a 10 minute scoring drought against Wisconsin. This turned a six point Pack lead into a six point deficit, costing State the ballgame- that and their 17 turnovers.
How about C.J. Leslie? In his most complete game of his career, the highly regarded freshman showed fans what they were expecting to see when he committed to play for the Pack last spring. His 13 points, 11 rebounds, and three blocks kept State in the game, and lead State to a surprising 34-29 advantage on the boards.
Eight different players scored for the Pack, with Wood and Leslie being the only two in double figures. Scoop Jardine led Syracuse with 23 points, as only he and Rick Jackson (16) scored in double-figures for the Orange.
Getting out-shot at the free-throw line also set the Pack back, as Syracuse got to the line 26 times to the Pack's 11. Foul trouble once again played a role for the Pack as Tracy Smith's replacements couldn't keep up in the paint, leading to Richard Howell and DeShawn Painter both finishing with four fouls.
The Pack will look to end this two game losing streak against USC-Upstate this Saturday at home. Tracy Smith is expected to be in the line-up for the first time since the Charleston Classic, and it should be a good chance for him to get back into the swing of things.
Thursday, December 2, 2010
A New Lowe
Before we discuss last night's embarrassment at the hands of the Wisconsin Badgers in the ACC/Big 10 Challenge, lets quickly eliminate a couple of possible excuses the Pack (4-2) might have had for losing 87-48. And for those of you who might be wondering, this is State's worst loss in eleven years.
Possible excuse number one: No Tracy Smith. We knew this would play a factor, as it forced three sophomores, Richard Howell, Jordan Vandenberg, and DeShawn Painter to cover the versatile Jon Leuer. In the end, Howell and Vandenberg fouled out, and Painter finished with four fouls. For comparison, the three finished with 16 points and 14 fouls while Leuer ended up with 22 points and 11 rebounds (he's averaging nearly 19 and eight), so his numbers weren't too much better than usual. Even had Smith been in the game, his 6-8 frame would do little but foul Leuer like his three teammates did.
Possible excuse number two: The Kohl Center. So much is made of the hostile environment at the Kohl Center in Madison. Sure they are 70-5 against non-conference opponents at home under Bo Ryan, and yes they beat Duke at home last year, but come on, so did State. The crowd of a little over 17,000 did little to make the Pack feel uncomfortable. Most of the time the only noise from the crowd was laughter and an "aww" when Scott Wood's layup ended a 10 minute scoring drought in the second half.
The only viable excuse for this loss (besides the obvious lack of effort) was coaching. Sidney Lowe failed to have his team motivated and prepared for the versatility and patience of Wisconsin's athletes. If he did in fact have his team prepared, it only showed for the first six minutes. After that things fell apart quickly.
Wisconsin started shooting the lights out, as they shot an even 50 percent from the floor, and an incredible 55 percent (11-20) from three-point land. Of course, most good teams will hit about half of their unguarded threes, as most of the time there wasn't a State player with five feet of the shooter. Heck, my Cary Parks and Recreation basketball team from elementary school would have knocked a few of those down (with the exception of the Jordan Taylor long bomb that brought back memories of J.J. Redick hitting 35 footers against the Pack back in the day).
Before the final horn mercifully sounded, State fans were hitting the panic button, several forum topics with titles similar to "Top choices for next year's basketball head coach" and "Fire Sidney Lowe, tired of being a J.O.K.E." were already in action.
I'm not jumping ship... yet. If you could find anything encouraging from last night's game, it was the play of sophomore Scott Wood. His 13 points lead the Pack, and he played within the game the whole night. Not once did he give up on a play, let up on defense, or try to do too much. Hopefully this will spark the sharp-shooter, as he will definitely get his chances to shoot against Syracuse's zone defense on Saturday.
Don't forget about this freshman class, either. They were highly regarded for a reason, and I think they'll reach their potential as they learn the in's and out's of college basketball. The three (Lorenzo Brown, C.J. Leslie, and Ryan Harrow) did combine for exactly one-third of the Pack's 48 points, but several times turned the ball over trying to do too much. They'll settle down and get more comfortable with State's style of play over the next few weeks.
I'm going to do what every coach preaches after a big win or a tough loss, I'm going to put this one behind us and look toward Saturday. This season is not lost, I mean, with the exception of Duke, did you see how crummy the ACC is over the last few nights? There is still time to salvage this season. Saturday for all intents and purposes, is D-Day for this season of Wolfpack basketball. They can either play like they did last night (and lose by what is surely going to be worse than last night due to the fast pace play of Syracuse, and their incredible zone defense) or come out ready to play and prove themselves.
That being said, a loss wouldn't be the end of the world if State plays with heart, hustles to loose balls, and plays the seventh ranked Orange close. It would probably give them some confidence knowing that they are not as bad as last night's embarrassment might have shown. A win could really turn this season around. Without a doubt if the Pack beats the Orange in the Carrier Dome Saturday evening, it will propel them through what should be a fairly easy December schedule. Oh, and one final note while we're on a rare note of optimism for today, Tracy Smith stated yesterday that he is a "maybe" for the Syracuse game.
Possible excuse number one: No Tracy Smith. We knew this would play a factor, as it forced three sophomores, Richard Howell, Jordan Vandenberg, and DeShawn Painter to cover the versatile Jon Leuer. In the end, Howell and Vandenberg fouled out, and Painter finished with four fouls. For comparison, the three finished with 16 points and 14 fouls while Leuer ended up with 22 points and 11 rebounds (he's averaging nearly 19 and eight), so his numbers weren't too much better than usual. Even had Smith been in the game, his 6-8 frame would do little but foul Leuer like his three teammates did.
Possible excuse number two: The Kohl Center. So much is made of the hostile environment at the Kohl Center in Madison. Sure they are 70-5 against non-conference opponents at home under Bo Ryan, and yes they beat Duke at home last year, but come on, so did State. The crowd of a little over 17,000 did little to make the Pack feel uncomfortable. Most of the time the only noise from the crowd was laughter and an "aww" when Scott Wood's layup ended a 10 minute scoring drought in the second half.
The only viable excuse for this loss (besides the obvious lack of effort) was coaching. Sidney Lowe failed to have his team motivated and prepared for the versatility and patience of Wisconsin's athletes. If he did in fact have his team prepared, it only showed for the first six minutes. After that things fell apart quickly.
Wisconsin started shooting the lights out, as they shot an even 50 percent from the floor, and an incredible 55 percent (11-20) from three-point land. Of course, most good teams will hit about half of their unguarded threes, as most of the time there wasn't a State player with five feet of the shooter. Heck, my Cary Parks and Recreation basketball team from elementary school would have knocked a few of those down (with the exception of the Jordan Taylor long bomb that brought back memories of J.J. Redick hitting 35 footers against the Pack back in the day).
Before the final horn mercifully sounded, State fans were hitting the panic button, several forum topics with titles similar to "Top choices for next year's basketball head coach" and "Fire Sidney Lowe, tired of being a J.O.K.E." were already in action.
I'm not jumping ship... yet. If you could find anything encouraging from last night's game, it was the play of sophomore Scott Wood. His 13 points lead the Pack, and he played within the game the whole night. Not once did he give up on a play, let up on defense, or try to do too much. Hopefully this will spark the sharp-shooter, as he will definitely get his chances to shoot against Syracuse's zone defense on Saturday.
Don't forget about this freshman class, either. They were highly regarded for a reason, and I think they'll reach their potential as they learn the in's and out's of college basketball. The three (Lorenzo Brown, C.J. Leslie, and Ryan Harrow) did combine for exactly one-third of the Pack's 48 points, but several times turned the ball over trying to do too much. They'll settle down and get more comfortable with State's style of play over the next few weeks.
I'm going to do what every coach preaches after a big win or a tough loss, I'm going to put this one behind us and look toward Saturday. This season is not lost, I mean, with the exception of Duke, did you see how crummy the ACC is over the last few nights? There is still time to salvage this season. Saturday for all intents and purposes, is D-Day for this season of Wolfpack basketball. They can either play like they did last night (and lose by what is surely going to be worse than last night due to the fast pace play of Syracuse, and their incredible zone defense) or come out ready to play and prove themselves.
That being said, a loss wouldn't be the end of the world if State plays with heart, hustles to loose balls, and plays the seventh ranked Orange close. It would probably give them some confidence knowing that they are not as bad as last night's embarrassment might have shown. A win could really turn this season around. Without a doubt if the Pack beats the Orange in the Carrier Dome Saturday evening, it will propel them through what should be a fairly easy December schedule. Oh, and one final note while we're on a rare note of optimism for today, Tracy Smith stated yesterday that he is a "maybe" for the Syracuse game.
Sunday, November 28, 2010
ACC Power Rankings After Week 13
Hokies and Seminoles, see you on December 4th in Charlotte, should be a good one.
(1) Virginia Tech Hokies
The Hokies did it. They went undefeated in conference play and are set for the ACCCG in Charlotte on December 4.
(2) Florida State Seminoles
What more could you want out of a weekend as a Seminole? You blast Florida, get help and make it to the ACCCG, and rival Miami fires their head coach. Life is good... for now until you have to deal with Virginia Tech on Dec. 4, a challenge the Seminoles don't mind one bit.
(3) NC State Wolfpack
Once again the Pack snatches defeat from the jaws of victory. Golden opportunity to win the Atlantic Division blown by their loss to Maryland after being up 14-0. This team could easily be 10-2 or better, they just can't seem to get it all together.
(4) Maryland Terrapins
It must have been a great feeling for Kernersville, North Carolina native Danny O'Brien to throw four touchdowns against an NC State team that didn't even offer him a scholarship. A win that kept NC State out of the ACC Championship Game and propelled Maryland to an eight win season.
(5) Miami Hurricanes
Losing to a non-conference team from the state of Florida that is not the Gators is unacceptable. Randy Shannon learned that after his Hurricanes lost to South Florida 23-20 on Saturday, leading to his termination. Unlike LeBron, Shannon will not be taking his talents to South Beach next season.
(6) Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
Much like Clemson, the Jackets lost to an in-state rival in Georgia. Even during a down year Georgia beat the Jackets. It is hard to believe Paul Johnson lead this team to an ACC Championship last season.
(7) Boston College Eagles
The Eagles won five straight games to finish the season, and will head to a bowl game. In their season finale victory over Syracuse, the Eagles' defense stifled the Orange, allowing just seven points.
(8) Clemson Tigers
6-6? Really? Kyle Parker passed up a major league baseball contract with the Rockies to go 6-6? Yes, the last loss being to in-state rival South Carolina, who will play for the SEC Championship while Clemson sits at home waiting to hear about which crummy bowl game they'll go to in December.
(9) North Carolina Tar Heels
There are still many questions to be answered in Chapel Hill surrounding head coach Butch Davis and the Tar Heel football program. One question that they answered on Saturday, they still own Duke.
(10) Virginia Cavaliers
No Commonwealth Cup victory for the Cavaliers over Virginia Tech, but hey, no one else in the ACC could beat the Hokies either. This program is further along than their 4-8 record shows, and there is a plan in place for the Virginia program to grow.
(11) Wake Forest Demon Deacons
Say what you want about how the ACC is not one of the superior conferences, but Wake Forest proved Saturday that the ACC's worst team is better than the SEC's worst team, beating Vanderbilt convincingly 34-14 on the road. This win should give the Wake Forest seniors a little something to be proud of about their last year in the program.
(12) Duke Blue Devils
David Cutcliffe could be the head coach in Knoxville right now- he must know something we don't about the future of Duke football.
(1) Virginia Tech Hokies
The Hokies did it. They went undefeated in conference play and are set for the ACCCG in Charlotte on December 4.
(2) Florida State Seminoles
What more could you want out of a weekend as a Seminole? You blast Florida, get help and make it to the ACCCG, and rival Miami fires their head coach. Life is good... for now until you have to deal with Virginia Tech on Dec. 4, a challenge the Seminoles don't mind one bit.
(3) NC State Wolfpack
Once again the Pack snatches defeat from the jaws of victory. Golden opportunity to win the Atlantic Division blown by their loss to Maryland after being up 14-0. This team could easily be 10-2 or better, they just can't seem to get it all together.
(4) Maryland Terrapins
It must have been a great feeling for Kernersville, North Carolina native Danny O'Brien to throw four touchdowns against an NC State team that didn't even offer him a scholarship. A win that kept NC State out of the ACC Championship Game and propelled Maryland to an eight win season.
(5) Miami Hurricanes
Losing to a non-conference team from the state of Florida that is not the Gators is unacceptable. Randy Shannon learned that after his Hurricanes lost to South Florida 23-20 on Saturday, leading to his termination. Unlike LeBron, Shannon will not be taking his talents to South Beach next season.
(6) Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
Much like Clemson, the Jackets lost to an in-state rival in Georgia. Even during a down year Georgia beat the Jackets. It is hard to believe Paul Johnson lead this team to an ACC Championship last season.
(7) Boston College Eagles
The Eagles won five straight games to finish the season, and will head to a bowl game. In their season finale victory over Syracuse, the Eagles' defense stifled the Orange, allowing just seven points.
(8) Clemson Tigers
6-6? Really? Kyle Parker passed up a major league baseball contract with the Rockies to go 6-6? Yes, the last loss being to in-state rival South Carolina, who will play for the SEC Championship while Clemson sits at home waiting to hear about which crummy bowl game they'll go to in December.
(9) North Carolina Tar Heels
There are still many questions to be answered in Chapel Hill surrounding head coach Butch Davis and the Tar Heel football program. One question that they answered on Saturday, they still own Duke.
(10) Virginia Cavaliers
No Commonwealth Cup victory for the Cavaliers over Virginia Tech, but hey, no one else in the ACC could beat the Hokies either. This program is further along than their 4-8 record shows, and there is a plan in place for the Virginia program to grow.
(11) Wake Forest Demon Deacons
Say what you want about how the ACC is not one of the superior conferences, but Wake Forest proved Saturday that the ACC's worst team is better than the SEC's worst team, beating Vanderbilt convincingly 34-14 on the road. This win should give the Wake Forest seniors a little something to be proud of about their last year in the program.
(12) Duke Blue Devils
David Cutcliffe could be the head coach in Knoxville right now- he must know something we don't about the future of Duke football.
Pack Hoops Faces Big Week
After an uninspiring performance by Sidney Lowe's Wolfpack against Fairleigh Dickinson (win, 77-67), the Pack sits at 4-1, with the lone loss to a ranked Georgetown team in the finals of the Charleston Classic.
Maybe there was a bit of a hangover from that loss, or maybe it was the "crowd that felt like 150" as a peer of mine stated to me, but whatever it was, State needs to clean it up, and quickly. Getting out-rebounded by Fairleigh Dickinson, even without star-forward Tracy Smith, is unacceptable.
The Pack will hit the road for a pair of tough non-conference games. First, they'll take on Wisconsin at the Kohl Center, a place where road teams never fare well (ask Duke, who lost there last season), in the ACC/Big-10 Challenge (Wednesday, 7:15). Then three days later they'll head to the Carrier Dome to take on number 9 Syracuse (Saturday, 5:15).
In the first game, State will have their hands full with Wisconsin's senior forward Jon Leuer. Leuer is averaging 18 points and 7 rebounds per game for the Badgers. His 6-10, 230 pound frame will cause match-up problems for State's big men. Not to mention, he is 9-18 from behind the arc this year. State will have to devise a plan to stop Leuer, play him man-to-man will result in disaster.
Against Syracuse, the Pack will need to keep tabs on junior Scoop Jardine. The 6-2 point guard from Philadelphia is second on the team in points per game (12.8) and leads the Orange in assists with 7 per game. After failing to score in the season opener against Northern Iowa, Jardine has scored at least 11 points in every game since. State's best bet for slowing him down might be to keep freshman stand-out guard Lorenzo Brown covering Jardine everywhere he goes.
One thing's for sure, a win in one (or both) of these two games would go a long way for the Pack when they show off their resume to the NCAA Tournament Selection Committee, and the momentum could help them string off a bunch of wins in December as they prepare for ACC play.
Maybe there was a bit of a hangover from that loss, or maybe it was the "crowd that felt like 150" as a peer of mine stated to me, but whatever it was, State needs to clean it up, and quickly. Getting out-rebounded by Fairleigh Dickinson, even without star-forward Tracy Smith, is unacceptable.
The Pack will hit the road for a pair of tough non-conference games. First, they'll take on Wisconsin at the Kohl Center, a place where road teams never fare well (ask Duke, who lost there last season), in the ACC/Big-10 Challenge (Wednesday, 7:15). Then three days later they'll head to the Carrier Dome to take on number 9 Syracuse (Saturday, 5:15).
In the first game, State will have their hands full with Wisconsin's senior forward Jon Leuer. Leuer is averaging 18 points and 7 rebounds per game for the Badgers. His 6-10, 230 pound frame will cause match-up problems for State's big men. Not to mention, he is 9-18 from behind the arc this year. State will have to devise a plan to stop Leuer, play him man-to-man will result in disaster.
Against Syracuse, the Pack will need to keep tabs on junior Scoop Jardine. The 6-2 point guard from Philadelphia is second on the team in points per game (12.8) and leads the Orange in assists with 7 per game. After failing to score in the season opener against Northern Iowa, Jardine has scored at least 11 points in every game since. State's best bet for slowing him down might be to keep freshman stand-out guard Lorenzo Brown covering Jardine everywhere he goes.
One thing's for sure, a win in one (or both) of these two games would go a long way for the Pack when they show off their resume to the NCAA Tournament Selection Committee, and the momentum could help them string off a bunch of wins in December as they prepare for ACC play.
Sunday, November 21, 2010
ACC Power Rankings After Week 12
Hokies and Wolfpack, see you in Charlotte on December 4th.
(1) Virginia Tech Hokies
The Hokies have now officially clinched the Coastal Division following their win over Miami on Saturday, where they used two fourth quarter touchdowns to put away the Hurricanes After nine straight wins, I can't see them losing to Virginia this week.
(2) NC State Wolfpack
State has controlled their own destiny for all but a few hours this season. Now that they are back in control of the Atlantic Division, all they have to do is beat Maryland this Saturday and they clinch the Atlantic Division- I like their chances, and I think they'll play Virginia Tech on Dec. 4th.
(3) Florida State Seminoles
Florida State's win over Maryland gives them a chance to still win the Atlantic- but they'll still need help from Maryland on Saturday. The 25th ranked Seminoles got another good performance from their defense- who are now the fifteenth best defense in the country. I think the 'Noles will surprise a lot of people this Saturday with their performance against Florida.
(4) Miami Hurricanes
The Hurricanes lost to Virginia Tech, finishing up their ACC schedule at 5-3. That's not going to get it done for Randy Shannon, who had the pressure on him to start the season.
(5) Maryland Terrapins
Following their loss to Florida State on Saturday night, the Terrapins are no longer in the race for the Atlantic Division title, but they'll still go to a bowl game and they have made great improvement from their 2-10 season last year.
(6) Clemson Tigers
The Tigers became bowl eligible by beating the ACC's worst team, Wake Forest 30-10. Though, 4-4 was not what Kyle Parker passed up a professional baseball contract for, he can still go out in style if the Tigers can knock off rival South Carolina this Saturday night.
(8) Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
Much like Clemson, the Jackets became bowl eligible on Saturday with their win, and have only their non-conference rivalry game remaining at Georgia. They are still number one in the country in rushing yards per game, but it was the air attack showed signs of life on Saturday when they beat Duke.
(7) North Carolina Tar Heels
Tough loss for the Tar Heels, as they lost to rival NC State for a fourth straight year. Now I think Butch Davis' job might be in question.
(9) Boston College Eagles
Well they haven't made it look easy, but the Eagles have taken advantage of their easy November schedule. Four straight ACC wins against teams at the bottom of the conference will send Boston College, along with eight other ACC teams, to a bowl game this post-season.
(10) Virginia Cavaliers
Mike London can make a huge first impression on Cavalier fans this Saturday if he can manage to upset Virginia Tech for the Commonwealth Cup this Saturday. Unfortunately for him, there is too much of a talent gap for Virginia to overcome, even against a Tech team who has already clinched the Coastal Division.
(11) Duke Blue Devils
Duke blasted Colgate Friday night, Irving nearly had a double-double with 13 points and 9 assists- wait this is for football? The Devils just keep going through the motions, maybe they'll beat Carolina in the season finale this year. Hey, it could happen.
(12) Wake Forest Demon Deacons
When you're 97th in the country in points per game, and 114th in points given up per game, you're bound to be last in the Power Poll.
(1) Virginia Tech Hokies
The Hokies have now officially clinched the Coastal Division following their win over Miami on Saturday, where they used two fourth quarter touchdowns to put away the Hurricanes After nine straight wins, I can't see them losing to Virginia this week.
(2) NC State Wolfpack
State has controlled their own destiny for all but a few hours this season. Now that they are back in control of the Atlantic Division, all they have to do is beat Maryland this Saturday and they clinch the Atlantic Division- I like their chances, and I think they'll play Virginia Tech on Dec. 4th.
(3) Florida State Seminoles
Florida State's win over Maryland gives them a chance to still win the Atlantic- but they'll still need help from Maryland on Saturday. The 25th ranked Seminoles got another good performance from their defense- who are now the fifteenth best defense in the country. I think the 'Noles will surprise a lot of people this Saturday with their performance against Florida.
(4) Miami Hurricanes
The Hurricanes lost to Virginia Tech, finishing up their ACC schedule at 5-3. That's not going to get it done for Randy Shannon, who had the pressure on him to start the season.
(5) Maryland Terrapins
Following their loss to Florida State on Saturday night, the Terrapins are no longer in the race for the Atlantic Division title, but they'll still go to a bowl game and they have made great improvement from their 2-10 season last year.
(6) Clemson Tigers
The Tigers became bowl eligible by beating the ACC's worst team, Wake Forest 30-10. Though, 4-4 was not what Kyle Parker passed up a professional baseball contract for, he can still go out in style if the Tigers can knock off rival South Carolina this Saturday night.
(8) Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
Much like Clemson, the Jackets became bowl eligible on Saturday with their win, and have only their non-conference rivalry game remaining at Georgia. They are still number one in the country in rushing yards per game, but it was the air attack showed signs of life on Saturday when they beat Duke.
(7) North Carolina Tar Heels
Tough loss for the Tar Heels, as they lost to rival NC State for a fourth straight year. Now I think Butch Davis' job might be in question.
(9) Boston College Eagles
Well they haven't made it look easy, but the Eagles have taken advantage of their easy November schedule. Four straight ACC wins against teams at the bottom of the conference will send Boston College, along with eight other ACC teams, to a bowl game this post-season.
(10) Virginia Cavaliers
Mike London can make a huge first impression on Cavalier fans this Saturday if he can manage to upset Virginia Tech for the Commonwealth Cup this Saturday. Unfortunately for him, there is too much of a talent gap for Virginia to overcome, even against a Tech team who has already clinched the Coastal Division.
(11) Duke Blue Devils
Duke blasted Colgate Friday night, Irving nearly had a double-double with 13 points and 9 assists- wait this is for football? The Devils just keep going through the motions, maybe they'll beat Carolina in the season finale this year. Hey, it could happen.
(12) Wake Forest Demon Deacons
When you're 97th in the country in points per game, and 114th in points given up per game, you're bound to be last in the Power Poll.
Friday, November 19, 2010
Howell's Double-Double Powers Pack
The day could not have started off any worse for Sidney Lowe's Wolfpack. Star forward Tracy Smith headed back to Raleigh with a knee injury that will keep him out of the rest of the Charleston Classic, and could possibly be out for six to eight weeks. No results have been released concerning the scope done in his knee.
In their first game without Smith, the Pack, much like last night, received great games from their role players, as the they defeated George Mason 78-65. Richard Howell lead the Pack on the boards with eleven rebounds, and added 13 points along with it, earning his first double-double of the season.
NC State got 31 bench points- the most significant contributions from Howell and freshman point guard Ryan Harrow (14 points). The Pack had three other players score in double figures (Scott Wood, 13, C.J. Leslie, 11, Javier Gonzalez, 10).
Even without Smith, the Pack won the battle on the boards, 35-27. This was the second straight night that the Pack had 35 rebounds, as ten of them came on the offensive end.
For the first time all season the Pack got the three-pointer to work for them. Wood made four by himself, as the team was 8-19 from behind the arc on the night.
State will now play Georgetown on Sunday night for the championship. It will be a good test for the Wolfpack, as Georgetown is ranked 21st in the nation. State will need to continue to play hard on the defensive end if they want to have a chance to win, and rebounding will be a must.
In their first game without Smith, the Pack, much like last night, received great games from their role players, as the they defeated George Mason 78-65. Richard Howell lead the Pack on the boards with eleven rebounds, and added 13 points along with it, earning his first double-double of the season.
NC State got 31 bench points- the most significant contributions from Howell and freshman point guard Ryan Harrow (14 points). The Pack had three other players score in double figures (Scott Wood, 13, C.J. Leslie, 11, Javier Gonzalez, 10).
Even without Smith, the Pack won the battle on the boards, 35-27. This was the second straight night that the Pack had 35 rebounds, as ten of them came on the offensive end.
For the first time all season the Pack got the three-pointer to work for them. Wood made four by himself, as the team was 8-19 from behind the arc on the night.
State will now play Georgetown on Sunday night for the championship. It will be a good test for the Wolfpack, as Georgetown is ranked 21st in the nation. State will need to continue to play hard on the defensive end if they want to have a chance to win, and rebounding will be a must.
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