Big Win For Pack Men; Close But No Cigar For The Women

ETHAN HYMAN - ehyman@newsobserver.com

NCAA Basketball Stats

College Basketball

Dennis Horner picked a fine time to get bloody and go off on a team.

After a nasty spill that required stitches above his right eye, Horner came back in the second half to lead State on a 19-5 charge that sealed State's third win in four games.

He finished with 14 points, most of them coming in a flurry at the end on old-fashioned three-point plays and huge long-range shots.

He had the second-highest +/- ratio at 13, second to CJ freaking Williams' 22. When you add in the 10 points scored against the Pack when CJ was off the court, his Roland Rating was an astounding 32. In fact, State didn't score a single point in the five minutes CJ was on the bench. His play down the stretch has been huge and frankly a bit unexpected. It's seems we've been waiting all year for the promise we saw in him last season to bloom into what we've seen the last two weeks.

Farnold Degand didn't have as memorable a senior game as Horner; in fact it was rather forgettable: In 15 minutes, he logged just one point, one assist, one rebound, one steal and a couple of fouls. Still, I'm sure it was sweet for the senior who transferred here from Iowa State to get a win in his final home game as a Wolfpack player.

...

As for the women, they started the ACC Championship game strong. They built a seven point lead against Duke at one point, but Duke cranked up their press and forced the Pack into what felt like a baker's dozen straight turnovers. Once the Blue Devils took the lead, they did so for good. The Pack would rally twice to cut it to single digits, but could never get even.

As we've seen from State teams that have made it to the ACC title game recently, usually having played four games in four days, there just wasn't enough left in the tank to make a big enough push against a fresher, not to mention bigger and more athletic, Duke team.

That's not to say they phoned it in. The Pack fought to the bitter end, a quality I think we'll see from here on out from the teams of first-year coach Kellie Harper. Lee, get that checkbook and fancy pen ready...we need to lock up Harper for the long haul.

...

All in all, not a bad Sunday. The Pack men will now face Clemson Thursday night at 9:00 in a rematch of State's almost-win-but-still-a-73-30-loss at the RBC Center earlier this year.

View the complete entry of "Big Win For Pack Men; Close But No Cigar For The Women"

ALERT: Lee Fowler About To Receive Praise From A State Fan

As much grief as Lee Fowler justly deserves, I have to give the man credit for this: He made one hell of a ballsy hire in Kellie Harper.

There were many that would've preferred Stephanie Glance be given the job following the passing of Kay Yow last year, per Kay's wishes. Lee, however, went against the grain and decided to give the keys to the program to a hot up-and-comer from Western Carolina.

And today, as State prepares to take on Duke in the Women's ACC Championship, that decision appears to be paying big dividends.

I think there's something to be said for "resetting" a program from time to time. State's women's basketball program needed a reset, and Kay's passing, while tragic and somber, provided the athletics program them that opportunity. Following through on that opportunity was a difficult choice to make, but Lee did it, and for that, he gets credit.

Now, for the other 98% of his decisions...nevermind. We'll keep it positive in this post. In hiring Harper, he earned it.

View the complete entry of "ALERT: Lee Fowler About To Receive Praise From A State Fan"

Unbalanced Conference Schedules And Why The Mythical "Regular Season Title" Is A Farce

Ever since the death of the round robin conference basketball schedule, it's become more difficult to objectively look at conference win/loss records to determine which teams are best in the league.

The win/loss column is no doubt a good place to start--no one would argue that State is a better team than Duke, for example, despite the Pack winning the lone head-to-head meeting. But since each team plays more teams only once (6) than it does twice (5), it can lead to some misleading perceptions when looking at the standings.

This post is an attempt to give a clearer picture of which teams have faced tougher competition within the conference this season. Since the validity of the win/loss records are in question, I'm looking at RPI numbers to determine the strength of each team. To come up with a strength rating for each team, I took the total number of Division 1 teams - Team X's RPI, then divided that number by the lowest team's rating to serve as the baseline.

For example, Virginia has the lowest RPI (currently) of 122. Subtracting that from the total number of Div. 1 teams gives us 347-122=225. The divisor for all the team ratings therefore becomes 225. Virgina's strength rating becomes 1 (225/225), and Duke's becomes 1.528 ((347-3)/225).

The next step is to add up all of the combined strength ratings of the teams on a particular schedule. But since away games are typically more difficult than home games, I borrowed the RPI's convention of multiplying home game values by .6 and away game values by 1.4.

So, a team's schedule strength rating becomes: ((Sum of team ratings for home games)*.6) + ((Sum of team ratings for away games)*1.4)

Make sense? Me either. In any event, here's the chart:



What we see:

• Virginia Tech has played the weakest schedule this year of any team in the league. In addition to a crappy non-con schedule, they can't even lean on their in-conference body of work to impress the Tournament Selection Committee.
• Carolina has played the toughest in-conference schedule due mostly to home-and-aways with Duke, Georgia Tech and Wake, and their lone matchup against 2nd-place Maryland was away.
• Clemson's 9-6 conference mark looks disappointing on the surface, but they've played the 2nd-toughest conference schedule of any team: two games each against the 1st, 2nd and 4th teams in the standings.
  
• Being the worst team in the league (in terms of RPI) doesn't guarantee you faced one of the tougher conference schedules. Virginia, despite having a conference schedule entirely full of teams with better RPIs, still wound up with a weak 7th-place schedule rating.

The bigger implication that comes with comparing schedule strength is that it makes it easier to debunk the notion of a "Regular Season Champion." That term gets thrown around so much these days, carelessly, by members of the media and coaches alike. Coaches love any excuse to hang a banner, and the media--for some reason--seems to have a beef with conference tournaments determining the league champion.

This, I don't understand, precisely BECAUSE of the imbalanced schedules. If the round robin format were still in place today, I could stomach the notion of a regular season champion more easily. But because some teams play far more difficult schedules than others, how can we legitimately crown any team "regular season champ?"

Case in point: Virginia, 2007. They finished tied with Carolina in the conference standings, despite playing a weaker conference schedule. Were they legit "regular season champions," along with the Tar Heels? I don't buy it. I'm sure they hung a banner in John Paul Jones, but as far as I'm concerned, it carries far less weight than what the Tar Heels accomplished that season.

So why debate? Let the conference determine its champion like it ALWAYS has--on the court, in a conference tournament. Finishing first in the regular season awards you one prize and one prize only: top seed in the tourney.

Just like Everett Case wanted.

View the complete entry of "Unbalanced Conference Schedules And Why The Mythical "Regular Season Title" Is A Farce"

CJ Leslie: Julius Hodge Has A Message For You (On Twitter)

Lest you ever start to think Julius Hodge's love for N.C. State has waned any in the years following his graduation, he's put that to rest in the last week or so with some timely tweets.

Regarding incoming stud point guard prospect Ryan Harrow:

I just saw the Ryan Harrow youtube mix...WOOOWWW! Yes very fine days ahead Wolfpack Fans! Forreal I still can't jump like that!N I'm 6'7!

His latest Tweet crusade? Landing Raleigh's CJ Leslie at State this spring. The day after his Harrow tweet, he had this to say:

where do "I" have to travel to convince CJ Leslie NC STATE is home?? we gotta get this kid PackNation!

He then followed that up with a flurry of four tweets tonight on what State had that appealed to him (with a nice dig at Matt Doherty thrown in for good measure):

You know what was the deciding point for me to go to State..besides the coaching, warm atmosphere, and Matt Doherty coming in lol..no but

...

Seriously..it was being able to start my own LEGACY. I had prestige programs and was offered EVERYTHING! But u can't buy what I wanted..

...

Only thing that would have made it icing on da cake is having my family within minutes away(CJ;)and having JP stay his junior year(dammit! )

...

Get back on board baby.. Believe me you won't be this loved/appreciated by the "people/fans"anywhr else I promise you that! Am I right?

Jules, I think I speak for Wolfpack Nation when I say this: Whenever you get done banking those Aussie dollars, the Pack has a place for you SOMEWHERE in the organization as a recruiting coordinator. I'm sure Sid would love to put you to work on the recruiting trails.

One final tweet, regarding his daughter:

Today I asked my daughter was she hungry and she replied" when I hungry I eat daddy" HAHAHAHA I couldn't have said it better myself!! lol!

Like father, like daughter...

View the complete entry of "CJ Leslie: Julius Hodge Has A Message For You (On Twitter)"

Red-Hot Pack On Two-Game Winning Streak

;)

NCAA Basketball

NCAA Basketball

Ok, so the title was a little tongue-in-cheek.

Nevertheless, State wins its second ACC game in a row, the first time State's won back-to-back conference games this season. That brings them to four conference wins, deadlocking the bottom of the conference in a three-way tie for 10th (Miami and UNC).

The win ensures that State, at 16-13, can finish no worse than .500 before postseason bids are handed out, and if the Pack can win one more game between now and the end of the ACC Tournament, a .500 record is guaranteed for the year. Not great, but better than most predicted this team to achieve this season.

As for the game itself, State rallied from a nine-point second-half deficit to claim the victory. CJ Williams played another solid game, Tracy Smith was his normal team-carrying self and despite some bad free throw shooting most of the game, the team hit the ones that counted down the stretch.

The Pack now heads to Cassel to take on an exhausted VT team coming off a double-overtime thriller against Maryland. The Pack may be catching the sagging Hokies at just the right time. VT will be desperate, however, trying to cling to its hopes of making the NCAA tournament.

With Boston College heading to Raleigh to wrap up the season, it's not ENTIRELY out of the question for the Pack to end the regular season on a four-game winning streak. Do that, then make some noise in the ACC Tournament and NIT...suddenly, 2010-2011 wouldn't be able to get here fast enough.

View the complete entry of "Red-Hot Pack On Two-Game Winning Streak"

When Is A Wolf Not A Wolf: When It's State's Live Mascot, Apparently

So the State student government voted on and passed legislation supporting the search of a live wolf mascot.

There's just one problem: the mascot they are looking to get is not a wolf at all, actually. It's a dog. A Tamaskan, to be exact.

Sure, it kinda looks like a wolf. And as the student senator who authored the legislation explained on 99.9 FM today, while a wolf would be preferable, there are legal and animal rights hurdles to getting a REAL wolf. So a dog it is.

I say, if you can't do a WOLF, then don't do it at all. It seems like a half-baked idea from the get-go,

View the complete entry of "When Is A Wolf Not A Wolf: When It's State's Live Mascot, Apparently"

Misery Loves Company...

So, how bad is it in Tar Heel land? Check out these portions of the opening post on the FSU game thread:



To "Drummy," first off, good call on reminding everyone right off the bat the Heels won the National Title last year. It's a valiant effort on your part. However, I'm guessing by the tone of the following phrase, "* PROFANITY OF ANY KIND (INCLUDING VEILED PROFANITY) WILL NOT BE TOLERATED AND IS GROUNDS FOR BANNING.
* PLAYER ATTACKS OF ANY KIND WILL NOT BE TOLERATED AND ARE GROUNDS FOR BANNING," conjuring happy thoughts of last season isn't getting the job done at the moment.



Remember...positive posts ONLY. And absolutely [...pause...] no meltdowns. After all, the mods are in a banning mood (judging from the all caps) and are just looking to break their backspace key off in someone.

Not trying to pile on, Heels fans, but it's worth reminding everyone outside of the message board world that yes, even Carolina has message board wackos. Apparently, LOTS of them. And they've been very vocal lately. Very, very vocal.

View the complete entry of "Misery Loves Company..."

Finishing Strong

After a disappointing season, it goes without saying that this stretch run of Miami, BC and Virginia Tech is critical.

There are several reasons why, of course.

One, you need to set a positive tone for next season. Every team wants to close strong, but for Sidney Lowe heading into year five after three disappointing seasons, setting the table for next year will be critical.

Two, the NIT is still in play at this point. Finishing with a 2-1 or 3-0 mark would ensure a winning record regardless of what happens in the ACC Tournament, meaning the Pack would be eligible for an NIT bid. Given where State was during the seven-game losing streak, postseason play is a nice goal for this team to shoot for.

And finally, I believe the team needs it. They've heard for so long now, "Just wait until next year when Harrow and Brown get here." If I'm a guy suiting up, I'm encouraged that there's help on the way, but I want to conclude the season in a way that doesn't feel like the year was wasted, spent biding time until the reinforcements come.

There aren't many preseason goals left that can be accomplished, but if I'm Dennis Horner or Farnold Degand, I want to feel like we still set the table for a dramatic improvement the following year. Winning two or three of these final conference games will likely ensure the Pack finishes out of dead last where the media projected the Pack to finish. That secures a place in the ACC/Big 10 challenge next season, which is a modest goal but one worth striving for.

Earlier this month, I posted a picture of an envelope, stating I felt like the team was just mailing it in. But I was wrong; they're still fighting, and the win against Wake is proof of that.

If the Pack can take down Miami and BC in winnable games, and maybe steal one on the road against Virginia Tech, the tone of the season will take a decided turn toward the positive.

View the complete entry of "Finishing Strong"

So I Head To Atlanta And This Is What Happens? State 68, Wake 54

NCAA Basketball

NCAA Basketball

Maybe I should take off for Atlanta more often. Or maybe State needs to face more ranked conference opponents.

After all, State's three conference wins this season have all come against teams ranked in the top 25 at the time. Perhaps Sid can slip a few greenbacks to the guys in the producer truck next game to slap up a faux number beside our opponent's name. Maybe that'll fire the guys up.

In a game that looked to be unfolding too similar to the Maryland game for anyone's taste (another 10-point lead at the half), State did what it could not do the game prior and closed the deal this time.

C.J. Williams played out of his mind Saturday, pouring in timely threes but also contributing with some key blocks on the defensive end, including a nice stuff against three-inch-taller Al Faruq Aminu.

Farnold Degand chipped in with two monster threes right when Wake was making their push.

Wake had cut it to seven with 6:21 to go on a L.D. Williams free throw but missed the second, and after snagging the miss, Dennis Horner found Degand for a look at the top of the key that Farnold drained. Following the aforementioned block on Aminu, C.J. found Javier Gonzalez for a three to push the lead to 13. Wake scored on the following possession, but Farnold dropped the second dagger in response to score points 55, 56 and 57, all State would need for the night.

It's tough to look past the rebounding numbers and not see all the warts...at one point in the game, the Deacs had more offensive rebounds than State had total.

But maybe Sidney's right...it really is simple when guys actually make their open shots. The Pack hit five of their seven three-point attempts in the second half and shot 52% overall in the back frame when it mattered. This, against a good defensive team in Wake that typically makes it tough on perimeter shooters.

Ironically, Wake Forest didn't hit a single three, just 10 days after State pulled off the same dubious feat against Virginia Tech.

It wasn't all shooting, though. State turned the Deacs over a ton, too. While Wake got back a lot of their misses, they still had a great deal of empty possessions. Wake turned the ball over 15 times in the first half alone, and finished the game with 23 to State's 15.

Another solid win to go along with a fistful of tough losses in a baffling season thus far. The good news? With games against Miami, Boston College and Virginia Tech, State still has a decent chance to make a play for the NIT, which--had you offered it last week--most State fans would've leapt at.

View the complete entry of "So I Head To Atlanta And This Is What Happens? State 68, Wake 54"

LiveBlog in Triplicate!

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Chancellor Randy Meet-n-Greet To Be Broadcast Online Today At 4:30

For those unable to attend the event held today at Reynolds at 4:30, State's website will be broadcasting the event online.

This will be your opportunity to see Chancellor Woodson presumably field some questions from average State alums.

Edit: There are cheerleaders and dance team girls on the stage...this will probably NOT be a standard meet-n-greet.

View the complete entry of "Chancellor Randy Meet-n-Greet To Be Broadcast Online Today At 4:30"

An Open Letter To Pack Fans From Ryan Harrow

This appeared on the PackPride message boards today. I'm still processing how I feel about it--the wisdom of an incoming recruit airing these thoughts publicly. Nevertheless, he wants this put out to the masses for consumption, so might as well share it here, too:

To all my Wolfpack fans, I want to say thank you for all the support and faith that y'all have in Lorenzo and I. We are very excited to be coming to such a highly-regarded school. Lorenzo and I have talked about playing basketball at NC State together and with the rest of the players that will be there for a long time. We are looking to come in and make the team better by the hard work we put in before practice, during practice, and after. We have winner mentalities and hopefully that will rub off on the players that are in a slump this season.

Me personally, I have always been excited about coming to NC State ever since coach Monte Towe and Coach Lowe walked into my high school gym my freshman year. Coach Lowe believed in me when a lot of coaches thought I didn't have what it takes. Sad on those coaches behalf haha. Now I am what I am and I'm sticking beside Coach Lowe because of the loyalty he showed me. I feel if a person treats you with that much respect and has that much faith, then I must show that same courtesy back.

Myself and Lorenzo are on NC State's blogs and forums everyday and we look to see all the support you give us, but now a days we see so much negative and it has become really discomforting to my godbrother and I. The things that are said about the fans giving up and not wanting to show the support like I know y'all can. I was at the Duke game. Our fans can get crazy lol. Those statements matter to me. I came to the school at first solely for Coach Lowe but when I come to see games and people are greeting me, saying " thank you so much for joining us", it made me realize I love the atmosphere too. These fans can get better. I hate going on the forums reading those things.

Also Lorenzo and I see the statements about coach Lowe and it really makes me think, "what am I getting myself into". Coach Lowe works hard and is very passionate about the game. He just needs people and players around him like Lorenzo, Luke, C.J., and me to transpire that fire onto the court. Every bad game we cannot criticize coach Lowe. It comes down to the players performing on the court. I know Coach Lowe is going to help my game and make me the best point guard I can be. But it will come in time.

The 2010 class will be a great one, especially adding to the players that's already at the school. We will get better as the year goes on. But y'all have to remember, even though I think myself and Lorenzo are two of the best guards out there in the nation, we are coming into a new experience so we have to learn a little first. So if we don't get the results y'all want right away, plz don't give up on supporting the team and don't say we need to fire the coach. We are going to be a great team and one of the best teams to come through NC State. It just takes time. I hope Lorenzo and I have not offended anybody and would hope that y'all understand where we are coming from. My family and Lorenzo's family are Wolfpack until we die now, but we need support and comfort. Thank you and Go STATE!

--Ryan Harrow

View the complete entry of "An Open Letter To Pack Fans From Ryan Harrow"

Operation Purge Fowler

First off, I'm not going to bother putting together a Carolina postgame post. It's not worth it. Everything I'd say has already been said 1,000 times before already and I'd just be repeating myself.

This post is a call to arms.

This is to get you, the loyal Wolfpack supporter who cuts a hefty donation check to the Wolfpack Club every year, to do what you can to usher out Lee Fowler from the AD's office. Now is the time it needs to happen.

Today's game convinced me that the infusion of Ryan Harrow and Lorenzo Brown will likely not be enough to save Sidney Lowe's job next season. They can't improve State's atrocious defensive numbers, nor can they turn State into a better rebounding team. Until those issues are resolved -- and I've seen nothing over the last four years to convince me they suddenly will in year five -- simply adding Harrow and Brown won't instantly turn a bottom-feeder into an NCAA-caliber squad.

I so badly want Lowe -- a proud alum who loves this university and understands where this program has been and can be -- to turn things around and get it done. But if, after five years and with a 5-star backcourt, the Pack still misses the NCAA tournament, the only logical choice is to move in another direction. And with the way Lowe's hiring went down in '06, there is NO WAY Lee Fowler should be allowed to conduct it.

(Continues)

Further, State's Board of Trustees cannot be tasked with hiring an AD concurrently with a basketball coach.

Or a football coach. Let's not forget that Tom O'Brien (another Fowler hire) has yet to post a winning football record at State after three seasons, also. There's a chance that, after a disastrous year four, O'Brien could be staring at a justified pink slip, as well.

With that in mind, the time is NOW to replace Fowler with a new AD. A competent one who insists on accountability and results. One who's not intimidated by the Blue Bellies up the road, nor tells his constituents that daring to compete with them is a pipe dream.

So here's your call to action: You need to decrease your giving to the lowest level possible. Donate what you can to keep your WPC accounts active and to maintain your LTRs, but no more. Not one cent more. Most importantly, TELL YOUR WPC REP WHY YOU'RE DECREASING YOUR GIVING. Simply pulling the plug on the cash flow may have an impact, but if you make it clear to the WPC WHY you refuse to give more than the minimum, the impact will be much greater.

Do the same for your academic donations. Cease them, and tell whoever will listen why.

The only thing this leadership of this university seems to respond to is money. The big donors seemingly have have the ears of Fowler, the Chancellor and the Board of Trustees. So hit the admins where it hurts...the coffers. When it's clear that you're taking your money OUT of their hands when you'd rather gladly put it IN their hands, you'll get their attention. A few hundred or few thousand donors -- no matter your giving level -- refusing to give because of displeasure with the AD will make an impact, I promise you.

This is a change that needs to occur now, not next December or February or March. By then it may be too late. By then we may be looking for a new football or basketball coach and faced with the prospect of Lee heading up the search, or a delayed search due to a vacant AD office one year too late. And that's not something this program can suffer through again.

View the complete entry of "Operation Purge Fowler"

It's Carolina/State This Weekend For All The (Leftover) Marbles

The really sucky ones that are chipped that nobody wants.

NCAA Basketball Stats

Yeah, this is the second meeting between State and Carolina this year, and if it's possible, there's even LESS interest in this game than the previous go-round in Raleigh.

In January we knew Carolina was struggling, but State's win over Duke was still fresh enough in everyone's memories to give hope that the Heels could be beaten.

After losing that game--and every conference game since--the wheels have come off and the team that once showed fight and grit and hustle is now taking poor shots, standing around on offense and giving up easy buckets on defense.

So both teams, State and Carolina, enter this game with a "well, let's just get this over with" mentality. Could this be the first time NEITHER teams' fanbases care to attend this game? Could the Dean Dome be half-filled for this one? It's possible, especially given the weather.

If State wins tomorrow, that's great. Anytime you can beat Carolina it's a plus, and it would help pad Sidney's lousy record against the Heels (1 win so far). But just about everybody on both sides of this once-great war have checked out, including seemingly some of the players.

Tip is at 4:00, for those that care.

View the complete entry of "It's Carolina/State This Weekend For All The (Leftover) Marbles"

At This Point, The Pack Is Pretty Much...

...mailing it in.

View the complete entry of "At This Point, The Pack Is Pretty Much..."

Per Rivals, LB Coach Andy McCullom Heading To Ga. Tech

Not hiring Paul Johnson when we had the chance...the gift that keeps on giving.

State's defense sucked out loud last season, but by most accounts, the strength of the defensive coaching staff was McCullom. Not only was a great linebackers coach, he really helped mine the state of Georgia for talent.

Now the Pack must look to replace a talented coach and tremendous recruiter...one who now has an office down 85 in Atlanta, going head-to-head against the Pack on the recruiting trail.

View the complete entry of "Per Rivals, LB Coach Andy McCullom Heading To Ga. Tech"

Georgia Tech LiveBlog!

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Virginia Recap

College Basketball

Stat	Game
Points	47	59
FG Att	48	54
FG Made	18	22
FG Pct	37.5	40.7
FT Att	16	13
FT Made	9	9
FT Pct	56.3	69.2
3pt FG Att	11	16
3pt FG Made	2	6
3pt FG Pct	18.2	37.5
Rebounds	30	40
Off Rebs	9	13
Def Rebs	21	27
Team Rebs	4	6
Assists	6	14
Steals	4	5
Blocks	4	1
Turnovers	7	8
Fouls	17	19

It pains me to say the following, but right now it's how I see it. I've been one of the last hold outs to say so, and I may be someday proven wrong along with everyone else. Still...

Sidney Lowe is losing me as a believer.

It happened tonight in the second half. It's not THAT we lost, but HOW we lost. Disjointed offensive possessions, which led to poor shot selection, which eventually led to a complete offensive breakdown in a game that was entirely within reach. The team looked like a bunch of guys playing ball at the Y. There was ZERO leadership on the court.

Now I'm starting to believe that there's a leadership vacuum on the bench, as well. The team just did not respond to any presumed coaching the staff tried. Then again, State got back on the bus with two more timeouts left, so perhaps Sidney plans to burn those coaching in practice this week when there's not as much distracting activity going on around them. Like, you know, screaming opposing fans or meddling officials.

Worst of all, though: this team QUIT tonight. Without about 6:00 minutes to go, in the midst of another scoring drought that's become a pattern of late, this team rolled over and started playing street ball.

Scott Wood has no confidence in his shot. Javier Gonzalez plays hard about 40% of the time he's on the court. The offense is simply pass it around the perimeter and try to get it into Tracy. There's little motion through the paint, and most of the times the perimeter folks seem unwilling to shoot when the ball gets kicked back out to them. I didn't see anything on the court tonight that made me think, "When Ryan Harrow and Lorenzo Brown get here next year, all these issues will be fixed." I instead thought, "Damn, these five-star guards are going to hate playing in THIS mess."

After two years of using the team chemistry excuse to explain away ineffectiveness, now I have to wonder what's the last refuge Sidney has before all the fingers start pointing his way? After such an inspiring win at home against Duke, this team has completely fallen apart. What should have turned into a bump for a team that was winning good games and losing close ones, the Duke game is a mere memory now of what this team is capable of and a reminder that this team is currently falling far short of that.

There are still eight conference games left. There's time for this team to regain its footing. But this stretch of games (Maryland, UNC and Virginia) may be the one we look back at when we ask ourselves, "Where was the crossroads where it went south for good?"

As it is now, Sidney--for the first time in his tenure--has to win me back into his corner if I'm to believe he can be the answer for State long-term.

View the complete entry of "Virginia Recap"

Talent Usage Rating: Quantifying The Amount Of Talent On The Floor

We often hear folks say, "this team is more talented than ours..."

But just how much more talent? More importantly--how much of this talent is actually making its way onto the hardwood?

A bench full of 5-star talent that never sees the floor ultimately doesn't have any impact the outcome of a game. That makes it mighty tough to use the "more talented" argument.

So, in an effort to help quantify just how much talent each team is bringing to bear each game, I've put together a spreadsheet featuring the "Talent Usage Rating," a formula that is a cumulative of a team's player's minutes divided by 200, multiplied by their average recruiting ranking.

In other words, a team's Talent Usage Rating = (Player A's Avg Rating * (Avg Mins Played/200)) + (Player B's Avg Rating * (Avg Mins Played/200)) + etc.;

Here the spreadsheet (factoring in games as of Monday evening):



A couple of things to note about the numbers:

• The average minutes played for each player is calculated by taking their total minutes played divided by the total number of games played by the team. Doing so eliminates the possibility of a player's average minute stats being inflated by not playing in one or more games.
• The average star rating for every player is determined by averaging the Scout and Rivals rankings. There are more ranking services out there, but these two are the most respected. Though there was some difference in the rating of certain players, for the most part both sites agreed on the star ratings of most players, and there was never more than a one-star difference for any player.
• Players that did not show up on the Scout or Rivals sites or were listed as "NR" were given 1-star ratings.
  

As you can see, a team simply having the highest average star rating doesn't necessarily mean they have more talent on the floor than the next guy. Florid State's TUR is nearly 2% higher than Carolina's, despite the fact that UNC's roster averages a nearly 4% higher star rating per player. In other words, while FSU's overall talent level on the roster may be behind Carolina's, they put more of their higher-rated players out on the floor for more significant minutes. So when the Heels face off against the Noles on February 24th, don't assume that the Heels have a talent advantage on the court.

With the 11th-worst TUR and 10th-worst overall average roster star rating, Virginia is clearly getting the most "bang for their buck." They have talent where they need it (Sylven Landesberg) and are getting great contributions elsewhere from lower-rated players.

On the flip side, the Tar Heels are clearly under-performing relative to their TUR, but that's no new news to the entire college basketball community.

For those that want to see the entire breakdown of each roster that led to the rating calculations, here's the complete spreadsheet:

View the complete entry of "Talent Usage Rating: Quantifying The Amount Of Talent On The Floor"

ACCSports.com Look At State's Recruiting Class

Things haven't been finalized at this point, of course...life in the fast lane can lead to some signing day surprises. However, most of State's recruiting class is in place by now, and the folks at ACCSports.com have given us a pretty good rundown of the class to this point:

N.C. State Recruiting Storylines:

• This should be the first recruiting cycle since 2006 that N.C. State has not signed 25 or more players. In what turned out to be Chuck Amato’s final class at head coach of the Wolfpack back in 2006, they took the same number of prospects (20) that NCSU has taken this year. The Wolfpack had 25 signees in 2007, 26 signees in 2008, and 27 signees in 2009.
  
  
• NCSU enjoyed as much recruiting success in the state of North Carolina as anyone in this year’s cycle, landing three of the top six players in the Rivals.com state rankings - Rob Crisp of Raleigh Athens Drive (No. 2), Anthony Creecy of Southern Durham (No. 5), and David Amerson of Greensboro Dudley (No. 6). In all, the Wolfpack have five prospects in the top 20, Fre’Shad Hunter of Cary (No. 11) and Tyler Brosius of Waynesville Tuscola (No. 20).
  
  
• Georgia was once again a kind place for the Wolfpack this year, as N.C. State landed six players from the Peach State. This marks the third straight recruiting cycle under O’Brien in which the Wolfpack have signed at least four prospects from Georgia. In 2009 N.C. State got a whopping seven prospects out of the Peach State, which means that the Wolfpack have signed a total of 13 players from Georgia in the last two recruiting cycles alone.
  
  
• Offensive tackle Rob Crisp is the first five-star prospect in the Rivals.com rankings to sign with the Wolfpack since DeMario Pressley of Greensboro (N.C.) Dudley back in 2004. The No. 2 prospect in North Carolina and the No. 13 prospect in the Rivals 100, Crisp committed to N.C. State in early April. He pledged to the Wolfpack the same day as his good friend Peter Singer, who also happens to be the son of Crisp’s guardian.

View the complete entry of "ACCSports.com Look At State's Recruiting Class"

Ultra-Late UNC Recap

College Basketball

Well, that could've gone better.

In a game a lot of State fans felt gave the Pack their best chance to knock off a Roy Williams-era Tar Heels team since, well, ever, State fell flat on their face by virtue of a 28-6 UNC run over the majority of the second half.

State's cold shooting was met with an aggressive, hot shooting Heels team when it mattered. The Tar Heels played great defensively, I thought, extending their defense out beyond the perimeter to challenge the passing lanes and take Javier Gonzalez and Farnold Degand out of their comfort zones.

I think this is a key point, because I think it exposed the difference in level our current guards are at versus the rest of the league. A set of quicker, more aggressive guards would burn an extended defense off the dribble to penetrate and create some easy looks on the wing or underneath. As much as Javi has developed as a shooter and Degand has improved his ballhandling skills, they still don't have the ability to create that kind of separation that far from the basket from a defense loaded with McDonald's All Americans.

This is not to throw the loss at the feet of State's guards. If it were not for Javi's hot shooting at the end of the first half, there's a good chance the game is over before the 2nd half even starts. He finished the game as State's second-highest scorer, and at times brought the most fire and emotion of anyone on the team.

But to beat a team as talented as Carolina, even in a down year, he has to play that way wire-to-wire. Consistency is the key. To stay that elevated, emotionally, for 40 minutes, I'm sure is extremely difficult, but it's needed.

State faces a cakewalk in NC Central this Saturday (who mustered all of 30 points against Virginia Tech last week) before the stretch run of the ACC season begins.

View the complete entry of "Ultra-Late UNC Recap"

Jeremy's Keys To Victory: UNC

The Pack needs to get to 3-4 in the ACC (and fighting the middle of the league) or they will likely find themselves fighting to stay out of last place for the remainder of the year. Here's how they do it:

• Get to the line 10 times a half (The Heels are 2-4 when their opponents shoot 30% as many FT's as they do FG's).
• Shoot greater than 45% from the field (More Duke game, less Maryland game, mmkay?).
• Have at least a five-point lead at the 10 minute mark of the first half (Make Carolina doubt themselves early instead of gaining confidence in themselves).

View the complete entry of "Jeremy's Keys To Victory: UNC"

Maryland Recap

College Basketball

Stat	Game		Season Avg		Opp Season Avg
Points	64	88	71	81	65	65
FG Att	66	54	55	61	57	62
FG Made	24	29	25	30	24	23
FG Pct	36.4	53.7	45.7	48.6	41.5	37.3
FT Att	16	33	20	22	19	17
FT Made	10	24	14	15	12	11
FT Pct	62.5	72.7	67.9	70.2	67.1	68.2
3pt FG Att	20	13	17	14	15	21
3pt FG Made	6	6	6	5	4	7
3pt FG Pct	30.0	46.2	35.5	39.0	31.6	33.1
Rebounds	37	39	35	39	35	37
Off Rebs	17	12	11	12	13	14
Def Rebs	20	27	24	27	22	22
Team Rebs	4	4	3	3	3	4
Assists	10	16	14	16	11	11
Steals	2	5	6	8	7	5
Blocks	3	1	5	5	3	3
Turnovers	11	9	12	11	12	16
Fouls	21	16	17	16	18	19

Well. Not sure what to say, really, other than that's what happens when your shots don't fall on the road. It certainly didn't help matters that Maryland was as hot as State was cold from the field.

I thought State had some good looks at the basket, and Tracy Smith did everything he could to keep State in the game. But shooting sub-40% from the floor on the road in the ACC isn't going to cut it.

A couple of gripes: State gave up way too many wide-open looks from three, either on dribble penetration or when State applied full-court pressure--three I can think of off the top of my head. Also, I felt like the scheme didn't allow for enough looks for Scott Wood. Getting him hot could've changed things like it did in Tallahassee, but I doubt--after that performance--he'll get another clean look at the basket anytime soon. Still, I would've liked to have seen some more sets run to free him up on the perimeter.

Credit to Greivis Vasquez for playing a monster 2nd half. That's what he does.

All in all, my rage level is about a 3-out-of-10...A certifiable "meh" if there ever was one. Winning on the road against a good Maryland team was a tough proposition. Tonight will give the coaching staff the coaching points it needs heading into the INCREDIBLY WINNABLE game against the Tar Heels on Tuesday.

A win would've been nice...but I'm not heartbroken, nor pissed.

View the complete entry of "Maryland Recap"

A Look Inside The KenPom.com Numbers Thus Far

So I was looking at the numbers over at KenPom.com today...the site's a tremendous resource for evaluating teams. Here's a look at some of State's "vitals," by section, and what I think they tell us about the team so far (as of Thursday, State was #61 out of 347 Division 1 teams in the Pomeroy Ratings):

Scouting Report
Stats include games through Thursday, January 21 against D-I teams only

Category	Offense	Defense	D-I Avg
Adj. Efficiency:	111.5 [42]	95.8 [96]	100.2
Adj. Tempo:	67.0 [227]		68.2

While I'm sure the tempo number isn't where Sidney would like it, the offensive efficiency number is pretty strong at well over 1.1 points per possession. A 42nd rating puts State in the 12th percentile...not too shabby.

Somewhat surprising is the strength of the defensive rating...or maybe not, if you were one of the ones who bought in early to the idea that better team chemistry would lead to increased effort and therefore improved defensive efficiency; it sure seems to be bearing out that way.

Four Factors
Effective FG%:	52.0 [61]	45.1 [50]	48.7
Turnover %:	19.6 [105]	19.5 [234]	20.8
Off. Reb. %:	33.3 [164]	34.4 [230]	33.0
FTA/FGA:	38.4 [143]	32.0 [75]	37.4

Some more good news in the Four Factors front, defensively. That 45.1 eFG% is pretty stout, meaning the Pack is getting hands in the faces of folks underneath and on the perimeter. Where State's defense sags is in forcing turnovers and in keeping teams off the offensive glass. Opponents are getting up shots on 4 out of every 5 possessions, often getting multiple looks each trip down. If the Pack can turn teams over more and get stronger on the defensive boards while maintaining that sFG%, they could become one of the best defensive teams in the country overnight.

On another positive note, State's turnover % on offense has gotten much better than from a year ago. They've improved 129 spots and 1.9% over the final numbers last season--certainly nothing to sneeze at. I think that shows, again, that this team is benefiting from improved chemistry and coaching targeted at shoring up the deficiencies of last year's team.

Miscellaneous Components
3P%:	35.8 [107]	31.0 [60]	34.1
2P%:	51.2 [61]	44.6 [68]	47.6
FT%:	68.1 [181]	66.6 [90]	68.5
Block%:	10.0 [216]	12.2 [53]	9.2
Steal%:	11.5 [292]	9.6 [182]	9.9

I think the two numbers of note here are the Block % and Steal % numbers on offense (the left column). Struggling here confirms what I find myself screaming at the TV often: Be stronger with the basketball. This team struggles protecting the ball and finishing strong at the rim. The perfect example was the end of the Clemson game when, after rallying from 21 down, State had a chance to go ahead on what could've been either a dunk or an "and-1" from Richard Howell had he gone up with authority. But by going up soft, it gave Jerai Grant the opportunity to make a game-saving block in the closing seconds.

Style Components
3PA/FGA:	31.8 [185]	27.2 [34]	32.5
A/FGM:	59.5 [57]	47.2 [37]	53.5

I like three of the four numbers here. State's nearly dead-even in the rankings in three-point shooting attempt percentage, meaning they aren't relying too heavily on either perimeter shooting nor interior offense for their points, meaning they can score in multiple ways when the situation calls for it.

The assist rankings are strong. The Pack is passing the ball around and limiting teams from doing the same.

The low percentage of threes taken by opponents could be viewed two ways, but it's more likely the negative way is closer to reality: either State is preventing teams from taking threes (eh...) or they're giving up looks underneath (more likely). It seems like teams are able to get past State's perimeter defenders rather easily, leading to attempts close to the basket. To State's credit, however, they're defending this interior shots well as shown by the aforementioned eFG% numbers.

Personnel
Bench Minutes:	33.5% [140]		31.9%
Experience:	1.38 yrs [274]		1.70
Effective Height:	+2.6 [31]		0.0
Average Height:	78.0" [24]		76.5"

A couple of interesting numbers here. One, while State has some elder players on its roster (Smith, Horner, Degand), its Experience rating of 1.38 years means that a good chunk of the production is coming from its younger players. While not a young team on paper, this squad IS relying on its underclassmen more heavily than one might think.

Also, State's Effective Height is one of the best in the country. Meaning, State plays like a taller team than it is. It's a tough concept to explain in a sentence, but Ken explains the concept here. It's interesting to note that the bulk of State's Effective Height rating is coming from the Small Forward position, where Scott Wood has made a tremendous impact.

I hope I haven't bored you to death with this post, but its purpose was to dig a bit deeper into the numbers to see the overall health of this team beyond simple box score totals. KenPom.com is a great resource you should check out frequently.

View the complete entry of "A Look Inside The KenPom.com Numbers Thus Far"

Jeremy's Keys To Victory: Maryland

Jeremy M.
YANCSSB Contributor

After the huge win against Duke, here's what needs to happen Saturday at the Comcast Center for State to keep the ball rolling:

• Turn the ball over less than 17 times. (Terps are undefeated when forcing > 24% turnover rate)
• Javier Gonzalez and Dennis Horner need to combine for more than 20 points. (What a difference their scoring made against Duke!)
• Be within three or ahead at the half. (Maryland plays a great game when they're ahead and shooting FT's)

View the complete entry of "Jeremy's Keys To Victory: Maryland"

ZOMGWEFUGGINGRULE Duke Post

(Courtesy the N&O)

College Basketball

Stat	Game
Points	74	88
FG Att	57	55
FG Made	22	32
FG Pct	38.6	58.2
FT Att	33	26
FT Made	25	19
FT Pct	75.8	73.1
3pt FG Att	13	12
3pt FG Made	5	5
3pt FG Pct	38.5	41.7
Rebounds	40	28
Off Rebs	17	6
Def Rebs	23	22
Team Rebs	2	5
Assists	8	18
Steals	4	5
Blocks	1	5
Turnovers	14	9
Fouls	21	24

Some quick thoughts before I hit the sack:

• You need a Player Of The Game? Pick one. Just about everybody stepped up in a big way. Horner was in the zone despite his bum knee...Farnold Degand made some AMAZING interior passes to Tracy Smith around Duke's big men...and Javier's long-range bomb with one second on the shot clock late in the game to seal the deal was nearly enough to win the award by itself. You LOVE to see these types of complete games from the entire roster.
• Speaking of "complete games," this was the complete game we've been teased with this whole season. We've seen 15, 20 and 30-minute games from the Pack that ended in heartbreaking losses, but this was a (nearly) wire-to-wire domination of the Duke. If State could play this focused game-in and game-out, there's no telling what this team could accomplish.
• So thorough was the pantsing of Duke at one point in the game, Coach K had his men drop into a zone. Surprise, surprise: State ATTACKED it! And did so in such a convincing fashion with the aforementioned interior passing, along with a fantastic three from Scott Wood, K quickly abandoned the idea and went back to his staple man defense the rest of the way. I can't recall the last time State attacked a zone that effectively AND dictated to a team of Duke's caliber the way the game was to be played.
• Sometimes things just go your way. When Javi hit that fallback three from 25 feet on what looked like a wasted possession, you just knew it was going to be State's night.

This was a great win and a KEY one, as I Tweeted during the game: State COULD NOT afford another "moral victory." They HAD to close the deal tonight; there are only so many close losses a team can suffer before a tailspin eventually kicks in. I think closing the deal tonight gets this team back on track as they continue to build confidence.

Finally, let me just say I LOVE watching this team when they're feeling it. A lot of lip service has been paid to "team chemistry" and "addition by subtraction," but there's a very real, palpable cohesion you can sense from this team. It's great. I've enjoyed watching this team more than any I can remember going back to the Julius Hodge days.

View the complete entry of "ZOMGWEFUGGINGRULE Duke Post"

Last Minute Keys To The Duke Game

Jeremy M.
YANCSSB Contributor

The Duke game kinda snuck up on me. Needless to say, we need a monumental effort to pull this one off:

• "Hold" Duke under 35% three-point shooting (Duke can't be hot)
• State shoots more than 50% from the field (State must be hot, but no need to just heave up 3's exclusively against an unathletic devil squad)
• Duke has two or more players foul out (Duke isn't deep, make their key players sit for long periods)

Editor's note: T'was not Jeremy's error in getting this up so late...that's on me. Life be busy, yo'.

View the complete entry of "Last Minute Keys To The Duke Game"

Duke Preview

Chris R.
Special To YANCSSB

It would be an understatement to say the Pack will have its hands full with the Devils’ potent offense when powerhouse Duke comes into the RBC Center Wednesday night. Matchup issues will provide Sidney Lowe his sternest test of the year, leaving him few options should key players falter.

Lowe has made better adjustments the past two games versus FSU and Clemson, but even the savviest game plan may not be enough as Duke looks to continue its dominance. Jon Scheyer, always a steady player but never flashy, is producing ACC Player of the Year-caliber numbers this year. Scheyer is second in the ACC in points per game at 18.9, first in three-point FG per game (2.7) and free throw percentage (90.5%), and is running away in the assist/turnover ratio at 4.1 (the closest contender is Eric Hayes of Maryland with 2.5).

Julius Mays or Javi Gonzalez will have their hands full when defending Scheyer as Duke will employ plenty of high ball screens to get him open from the arc. And when covered, you can expect Scheyer to make smart decisions with the ball to get it in the hands of Duke's other playmakers on the floor.

Perhaps the most surprising player for the Devils this year is Nolan Smith. After sitting out the first two games of the season, he is averaging 18.3 points per game and shooting 50% from three-point range. Farnold Degand and CJ Williams will have to keep Smith in check, as he looks to score whenever he touches the ball.

Senior Lance Thomas starts on the wing for Duke and will be a bigger and taller player than Scott Wood is used to defending. While his stats are not indicative of what you might expect from a senior leader such as Thomas, he will use his big frame attacking the glass as an extra rebounder. Wood will have to account for him every time a shot goes up.

The biggest matchup issue of the night? Kyle Singler. A quick and athletic 6’8” forward, Singler loves to spot up for three as much as taking it to the basket. Singler is averaging 18.3 points per game and has made as many three-point shots as guard Nolan Smith. His speed and agility will pose problems for whomever State decides to put on him. Lowe would probably like to assign the more athletic Dennis Horner to him than Richard Howell, but Horner has been slowed recently by a knee injury sustained earlier in the year and his play has suffered accordingly. Regardless of who draws the defensive assignment, expect Singler to have a very good game versus the Pack.

In the middle, Tracy Smith will give up some height to Sophomore Miles Plumlee. Also quick and athletic, Plumlee has registered 17 blocks and 21 dunks this season for the Devils. Smith will need to have a strong game on both sides of the ball for State to have a chance in this game.

Keys to the Game:

• State will have to limit its turnovers as to keep the number of Duke possessions to a minimum. Duke leads the conference in scoring and will torch the Pack if given the opportunity.
• Knock on Wood: Scott Wood will need to spark the Pack from the outside to keep Duke from packing the lane and shutting down Howell and Smith in the middle.
• State’s best bet will be to play man-to-man and try their best to keep Scheyer, Singler and Smith in front of them.
• A possible scenario may be to assign Wood to guard Singler, leaving Howell to account for Thomas. Wood has shown an ability to guard bigger players and is a threat to block a shot or two. However, the officials’ tendency to call games tight against Duke could result in Wood getting into foul trouble early, forcing Lowe to pull him off the floor and to replace him with offensively challenged CJ Williams.
• A game of runs: In Duke’s last two outings against BC and Wake, they have used second-half scoring runs to put the game out of reach. State will have to keep Duke off balance and keep what is sure to be a strong Duke contingent quiet to have a chance.

Prediction: Duke 78 State 64

View the complete entry of "Duke Preview"

A Look Back At Clemson

Jeremy M.
YANCSSB

A look at the predicted keys:

• Hold the Tigers under 70 possessions (Actual Value: 68. Well done.)
• Outrebound the opposition (Pack wins here 30-25. Even "weller" done!)
• Turn it over only five times less than Clemson (Both teams with 11. And in a razor close game, one turnover could have made a difference)

What I didn't see coming:

• Clemson shooting 60% in the first half. It's not like these were all layups either. What can you do?
• The discovery of the lineup that Coach Lowe has been looking for. If Mays/Degand/Wood/Howell/Smith don't start against Duke, I'm rushing the court.

So we've seen this team go 1-1 against top 25 ACC teams this week. Is this a team that can beat the middle of the league?

View the complete entry of "A Look Back At Clemson"

Clemson Recap

Stat	Game
Points	73	70
FG Att	53	54
FG Made	26	21
FG Pct	49.1	38.9
FT Att	23	30
FT Made	17	24
FT Pct	73.9	80.0
3pt FG Att	17	21
3pt FG Made	4	4
3pt FG Pct	23.5	19.0
Rebounds	28	39
Off Rebs	8	15
Def Rebs	20	24
Team Rebs	3	9
Assists	11	9
Steals	7	5
Blocks	9	3
Turnovers	11	11
Fouls	20	20

College Basketball

It was a valiant effort to make a game of it after falling down as many as 21 at one point and down 18 early in the second half, but State's rally fell one possession short. Richard Howell, having another great game recording his first collegiate double-double, had a close-range shot stuffed by Clemson's Jerai Grant to kill off State's final opportunity to take the lead in the final seconds. State had two looks to tie at the end but missed both and Oliver Purnell's Tigers escaped Raleigh with a win.

Laudations go out to State's backcourt duo of Julius Mays and Farnold Degand. Two players who've looked completely lost at times in their careers here at State, they handled Clemson's press extremely well. State finished with only 11 turnovers; compared to the 26 the Tigers forced against the Tar Heels earlier in the week, that's an impressive number.

The Pack rebounded well in the second half and finished with 11 more boards than the Tigers (39-28). Howell was a big part of that effort, snagging 12 himself.

Still, this team takes too much time to find itself offensively. The Pack had but 15 points with only 5 minutes left in the first half. State converted 11 free throws to close out the period to keep the half from being a total disaster, but the lack of production from the floor to start the game ultimately doomed them.

There's enough good to be taken from this game to feel good moving forward...but there's still enough bad to be left scratching your head. Sadly, that seems par for the course these days.

View the complete entry of "Clemson Recap"

Keys To Victory Versus Clemson

Jeremy M.

YANCSSB Contributor

NC State will beat Clemson if they....

• Hold the Tigers under 70 possessions (successful teams against Clemson have slowed the game down)
• Outrebound their opposition (tall, tall order, but the guys in Orange have been outrebounded in all their losses)
• Turn it over five times fewer than Clemson (face it, NCSU will get rattled by their stout pressure, but can they take some right back?)

View the complete entry of "Keys To Victory Versus Clemson"

Looking back at FSU

Jeremy M.
YANCSSB Contributor

Yesterday I posted the keys I thought necessary for the Pack to win:

NC State will win against FSU if...

• They have 13 or more assists (Actual Value: 11. Brought down by foulapalooza in the final 5 min)
• They make 14 or more free throws (Actual Value: 29!!. Brought up by foulapalooza in the final 5 min)
• And force 15 or more turnovers (Actual Value: 14. State did what they needed to here)

What I didn't see coming for a Pack win...

• NC State out-rebounded FSU by a large margin 32-25
• Scott Wood becoming the new local hero (10-15 fg, 7-11 3p, 7 reb, and one game-changing block)

Things State won in spite of...

• Eighteen turnovers, six by frequent savior Javi. He just hasn't seemed right since the game he sat for the hamstring.
• 5-17 shooting from our top three scorers. Scott Wood can't carry this crew forever!

Give the boys in red a win, but I'm 0-1 for predicting the key needed stats. I was close, but I'll keep taking L's here forever if this is how they'll come.

I'll take a stab at the Clemson game tomorrow or Friday.

-Jeremy M.

View the complete entry of "Looking back at FSU"

Florida State Recap

College Basketball

NCAA Basketball

Just a few notes here:

• I don't think we'll know how big this win was until we get further removed from it, but at the moment it feels like a HUGE one. FSU was #25 at the time, playing well, and State did all the things it needed to to steal one on the road.
• Scott Wood: Welcome to the world of getting assigned a team's best lock-down perimeter defender. No way another team lets you get a good look from here on out after that performance. It's on you to adjust hence forth.
• I suspect the rest of the ACC season will play out like the last two weeks have...up and down. The good news? The rest of the league--sans Duke--looks beatable. The bad news? The rest of the league can beat State just as easily. We'll probably see a stretch similar to this, where State drops a winnable one only to shock a team the next time out. The ACC's basketball slogan should be, "Parity: It's Not Just A Football THANG!"

View the complete entry of "Florida State Recap"