State wins at (9) Louisville

14-15 Basketball65

State played its way back onto the bubble with a big 74-65 must-win at 9th-ranked Louisville today.

Barber led all scorers with 21, Lacey added 14 and Anya had three blocks.

This was the type of game State had struggled to finish against Notre Dame and Virginia.

State has a week to prepare for Virginia Tech in Raleigh next Saturday (certainly another must-win, as they’ll all probably be from now on).

Box Score (ESPN)

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14-15 Basketball

Home › Forums › State wins at (9) Louisville

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  • 02/14/2015 at 6:54 PM #74387
    StateFans
    Keymaster

    State played its way back onto the bubble with a big 74-65 must-win at 9th-ranked Louisville today. Barber led all scorers with 21, Lacey added 14 and
    [See the full post at: State wins at (9) Louisville]

    02/14/2015 at 7:11 PM #74393
    Khan
    Participant

    Great game by the Wolfpack! A combination of offense and defense. Simply stunning.

    02/14/2015 at 9:11 PM #74434
    Prowling Woofie
    Participant

    The team defense was amazing, against a team that prides itself on team defense…

    Barber was spectacular.

    02/14/2015 at 10:40 PM #74437
    44rules
    Participant

    So somebody who watched the game tell me (I listened on radio app): Did we even try to run the UCLA high-post offense? It didn’t sound like it. Seemed like we drove and dished, ran a bunch of pick and rolls, but from the descriptions it seemed like we gave up on our “signature” offense.

    Methinks that’s a good thing, because it doesn’t play to our strengths – which seem to be Cat and Lacey probing, dishing, trying to break down the D.

    Or do you think that’s just because they pressed so much?

    Communism is not love. Communism is a hammer which we use to crush the enemy. Mao Zedong

    02/14/2015 at 11:04 PM #74439
    burnbarn
    Participant

    Yes we did run the high post. The big guys were passing well and finishing well. Barber is playing like and all ACC PG right now and it has opened things up.
    In these losses of late all we have been missing is a little bit from Turner and Lacey and today we got that.

    02/14/2015 at 11:40 PM #74441
    pakfanistan
    Participant

    So, whatever has happened to Cat…..is amazing. He’s been playing fantastically.

    There’s one stat that’s been sticking out like a sore thumb to me the last couple of games though.

    Caleb with 10 rebounds in 16 minutes this game, 9 in 26 last game, and 8 in 17 against Weak Florist.

    I remember thinking at some point in the first half, holy guacamole, he’s on pace for 25 rebounds/40 min…no way that lasts…

    But I guess it did.

    I’m starting to think he should be our new rebounding coach.

    02/14/2015 at 11:42 PM #74442
    pakfanistan
    Participant

    One other kinda cool thing, we were 55 on Kenpom before the game, and 43 after.

    02/15/2015 at 12:13 AM #74443
    MrPlywood
    Participant

    This game didn’t feel like an “upset” to me. State wasn’t “on fire” shooting out of their minds, they won by playing good D, rebounding and beating their press. I like it.

    re: Cat’s confidence, from the AP – “My confidence keeps getting higher and higher,” Barber said after scoring 21 points, his third 20-point effort in the last four games. “Coaches keep telling me, `Be me. Be Cat and do what Cat does best.’ I think I’ve taken that under consideration.” 🙂

    02/15/2015 at 1:16 AM #74445
    wufpup76
    Keymaster
    pakfanistan wrote:

    I’m starting to think he should be our new rebounding coach.

    Haha, he was outstanding yesterday. His athleticism has a lot to do with it.

    I just re-watched the game – he played a very heady game, and it was good to see him not hesitate and knock down that big 3 in the second half.

    02/15/2015 at 3:08 AM #74446
    ILPackfan
    Participant

    Dear Cat Barber,

    I apologize for what I said two weeks ago. You are now playing like a starting-caliber ACC point guard. Please continue through April. Thanks, and again, I apologize.

    ILPackfan

    02/15/2015 at 5:35 AM #74448
    bill.onthebeach
    Participant
    pakfanistan wrote:

    So, whatever has happened to Cat…..is amazing.

    MrPlywood wrote:

    {quoting Anthony Barber}….”My confidence keeps getting higher and higher,” Barber said after scoring 21 points, his third 20-point effort in the last four games. “Coaches keep telling me, `Be me. Be Cat and do what Cat does best.’ I think I’ve taken that under consideration.”

    This is real fellas…

    After a rollercoaster ride of ups and downs… lasting a season and a half … that high school/ AAU ‘cockiness’ has been replaced with ‘solid fundamentals’ and ‘team concepts’. That plus the acquisition of a dependable three point shot…

    It took a lot of hard work after hours by GOTT & Company and Anthony that nobody saw plus more than a few “prayer meetings” to get to this point…

    Now after three solid games, Anthony has graduated from boot camp and is properly prepared to be a second louie squad leader..

    Three is a magic number in basketball… and in life…

    I told ya’ll last year after we saw Cat 1-13 Against the World in the Dome (arguably the worst game by a Pack point guard against the Holes since 1948, for those who have undergone memory blocking therapy) … Anthony would be 1st Team All ACC if he played for Coach Gott for four years… I’m sticking to that prediction in spite of the last three or four games…

    College basketball is 100% a player development business.
    :>}

    #NCSU-North Carolina's #1 FOOTBALL school!
    02/15/2015 at 5:51 AM #74449
    redcanine
    Participant

    Cat dominated the Louisville backcourt. I’m talking about YOU, Chris Jones! Lol.

    We did sorta abandon the high post most (or all) of the game. Not only did Cat have more space to maneuver, but so did Trevor, Ralston, Twins, etc. And when our bigs did get the ball down low, they weren’t consistently harassed by a mess of trees.

    I need to go back and watch to figure out how we managed to shut down Harrell. Was it Lennard??

    02/15/2015 at 6:09 AM #74450
    bill.onthebeach
    Participant

    ^Red…

    Freeman was talking to the kid from Ta’bura the first half…
    Anya did the heavy lifting in the second…

    Jones was scoring regularly and is definitely a “tough out”…
    but our defense was solid to eight deep… without anyone really standing out..
    We just played Team Defense.

    In the second half… Louisville only scored eight baskets and never scored two in a row without the Pack scoring in between…

    That has to be the best half of defense in many years… and the first half (12 baskets by Louisville) was not much different…

    It wasn’t so much that we ‘abandoned’ the Set Offense… the difference yesterday was that when we broke their press … we stayed aggressive all the way to the hole… we had not done that as consistently and as successfully all season against any other team’s press….

    That said, did anybody else notice that Patino “abandoned” his press around the seven minute mark in the second half and didn’t really put it back on until they went into “foul everytime and put them on the line” mode with two to go…

    Now … if the kids can just keep this up, more or less, for five more games …

    #NCSU-North Carolina's #1 FOOTBALL school!
    02/15/2015 at 6:29 AM #74451
    redcanine
    Participant

    I meant Rozier. My bad. I really gotta go back and watch!

    02/15/2015 at 6:46 AM #74456
    bill.onthebeach
    Participant

    np… same answer…
    Team Defense…

    plus Rozier was a little per-occupied guarding Anthony and Lacey…
    and then he GOTT into foul trouble… and was on the bench the final four or so minutes…
    when he was needed most…

    #NCSU-North Carolina's #1 FOOTBALL school!
    02/15/2015 at 7:28 AM #74459
    Fastback68
    Participant

    I like Barber talking in the third person even though he was really quoting Gott. Cat getting angry. Cat gonna drive for 2 or hit a 3. Cat is going to cut you with a switchblade or an oyster knife. Cat is getting hungry and must feast now.

    02/15/2015 at 7:34 AM #74463
    MP
    Participant

    ^ “Hongry”

    02/15/2015 at 7:37 AM #74464
    Fastback68
    Participant

    I forgot – switchblade and oyster knife TM Cowdog. MP I wasn’t sure about that spelling so I let it be.

    02/15/2015 at 7:47 AM #74465
    Texpack
    Participant

    Abu, Anya, and Freeman do a really good job finding the open space when Cat forces their man to rotate on penetration.

    Due to travel, this is the first game I’ve watched with Cat 2.0. His aggression is helping everyone else on offense and his defense hasn’t suffered. He made a couple of steals on back-to-back possessions late yesterday that were critical to stemming the tide of the Louisville comeback.

    We shall see if the hole that has been dug is too deep. If we play like we did yesterday, it won’t be but the margin for error is gone.

    02/15/2015 at 7:57 AM #74466
    choppack1
    Participant

    The few times I watched Louisville play I wasn’t impressed with their offense. However, they are an incredibly tough team. That we went head to head with them on the road and came out with a “w” is huge.

    Hopefully, this is a season defining win. We can beat every team we play if we play smart and smart.

    And major props to cat. And major props to gott for sticking with him.

    02/15/2015 at 8:00 AM #74467
    Adventuroo
    Participant

    Each of us has our own take on the game….and none of us (I ASSUME) are making the $$’s that Gott makes…..so here goes..

    First….and I will take the heat….but this is fact. I wrote some “folks” on 1/22/15 about the Loss vs. Coach Blue Shirt index….(the stupid white with BLUE check shirt) and also asked WHY Gott did not have a R&W Clothier like ORW. Got the standard line….but one interesting “Who the heck are you?” from inside the “staff”. Actually knew the individual and popped back with a few remarks…

    Coach has NOT….I THINK (have been to each PNC game and noted the color on the Away games) and maybe it is coincidence….been in any Light Blue or combo thereof shirt since then. It is OBVIOUSLY coincidence….as I said. AND we have had some really close and maybe a FUGLY losses. Yesterday, in honor of whatever, he was colorful…in Pink. Very Dapper…. If my shirt index correlation showed that when he was dressed like on of the Light Blue Men and carrying a Light Blue Bongo drum and we were guaranteed a win….HMMM have to think about that.

    BUT, he is wearing RED and WHITE….some of the OTHER coaches (Lutz was in light blue yesterday) did not get my point….OK…enough of that….

    SERIOUSLY…..what a game.

    If you step out of the X & O and look at the team….I wonder what has happened…..for example…and I only took THREE Psychology Courses while trying to “find myself”….I was “LOST” in the 60’s….and some will say….SO What’s your excuse in the 10’s?

    Cat suffered a personal loss of a friend and if my hunch is right….it was very devastating to him personally….perhaps he also reflected on where he is and where his friend was…. He certainly has “matured”. Sometimes tragedies cause you to reflect and make some changes….whatever….just a comment.

    The team also had their “Team ONLY” meeting and the gist of the leaked comment were…Cat…Step UP….Be Yourself. Don’t know WHAT else was said…

    Abu must be playing on pure adrenaline or emotion. His loss, and it was an NCSU loss as well, STILL has to be heavy on his mind. But, yesterday, he seemed to have the confidence of a much more seasoned player. I HOPE that he is able to work his way through this and that he finds peace….as well as his game. His mental state, as well as Cat’s, is obviously more important that our W-L….but it is, nonetheless, critical to the W-L as well.

    Caleb obviously was miffed about Coddy starting….and their sibling competition….which is just that is good. They often come to the Lady’s games and are obviously “Brothers” and sit together as well as joke with the other team members who frequent the 2nd half of the women’s games. YES, he has been our “Rebounder” for several games…

    Trevor….he looked like what we have come to expect. His ball handling was superb yesterday. That one sequence where he did at least 3 (maybe 4) Behind the back dribbles to get the ball down court was a thing of beauty. MAYBE he should have passed…but he DID make his point….

    So, all in all, it was a great game. Someone commented that is did not look like a Blow Out. Can’t argue….but when we have been in the Blow Out mode….we seem to let up. Mikey keeps the dark blue’s in the Blow Out Mode for almost the entire game. That may seem sadistic….but it certainly has produced results. He NEVER lets up….so that the next opponent is wondering if they will have their worst game….and their confidence is shaken…That tactic just feeds on itself in the competition’s mind….as well as the confidence of the Dukies. Do I like it? NO…. But it sure seems to WORK. We somehow got past that and got into the Blow Out mode…but that magic has been “lost” for awhile….

    Bottom line….we shot better and had more FG’s than Louisville. We rebounded better….the rest of the game was about even.

    If you noticed the PF’s, they were below 40 and there was not anything “out of the ordinary”. YES, I and the DW YELLED at the Ref’s….we all do….and we all see the calls in the R&W fan’s perview. But….all-in-all…it seemed officiated OK….in fact, we got the PF advantage….which is usually a 2 – 3 Foul Home Team advantage.

    As the DW said….This afternoon, Cat looked like the MickeyD PG that we expected him to be.

    Great win….

    02/15/2015 at 8:00 AM #74468
    choppack1
    Participant

    TeX – define margin of error. If we go 4-1 we’re in. 3-2, it will come down tournament.

    02/15/2015 at 8:25 AM #74469
    MP
    Participant

    Fastback… “When we Hongry we Eat”!

    02/15/2015 at 9:16 AM #74470
    BJD95
    Keymaster

    It was all about fundamentals. That’s it. Cat’s been playing like this for several games now. Difference is everybody kept to their assignments on defense, blocked out, fought for their position and rebounded with desire.

    Neither Lacey nor BSW was particularly hot shooting the ball, and we won going away on the road at a Top Ten team.

    For the love of God, keep it up with the fundamentals.

    02/15/2015 at 9:58 AM #74471
    BassPacker
    Participant

    Man, we are the lunatic fringe sometimes. After the loss to UVA, we (including me) all were into WTNY mode and at our wits end with this team/coach in general. Now after a win we are all thinking all is well and NCAA again. Its a win after going 2-6 in last 8 games. Don’t get me wrong, I’m as excited as most over yesterdays performance and road win. But still…I’m cautiously optimistic as its only one game and alot of work left to do to even reach bubble statis. I am full of “what if’s” with this team. What if yesterdays team showed up Jan 1. What if Cat had found his confidence sooner. What if we can go 4-1 to close our regular season. And what if we pull another Clemsonist showing with follow up. And “What is” the life of a State Fan.

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