It’s a game no one expects the Pack to win, at Cameron Indoor Stadium against the No. 3 team in the nation, the Duke Green1 Devils.
The facts of the matter are, however, that it’s a rivalry game and it’s the ACC, so all bets are off. To win, the Pack will need superb PG play, toughness in the paint, a scrappy defense, few mistakes and many good plays. Plus a little luck can’t hurt.
Fellow SFN authors: Feel free to add to this as necessary. I couldn’t wait any longer to begin the discussion of tonight’s game, but I’m more of a big-picture analyst than a nitty-gritty, X’s and O’s type.
Note
1. Why do I keep referring to them as the Green Devils? Well, that’s what they will be tonight, as the school tries to prove its fealty to Mother Gaia.
Weren’t they the ones that were watering the artificial field hockey turf?
Where were you in 1988? That’s the last time State beat Duke in Cameron.
In 1988 I was in first grade.
Back then I was still happy about my first car, a total POS, and looking forward to the first Wolfpack championship bumper sticker, which would be soon given the recent recruiting coups of JTV coupled with his well-established tournament coaching ability.
Speaking of, I will express my appreciation for Coach K for being such a dear friend to Coach V in his last years. Here’s hoping tonight’s results reminds him of Sid’s old coach.
It would be really interesting to me to know the coaches strategy as far as preperation for this game. What I mean is that you’ve had from Sun. until yesterday’s practice. Do you spend all of that time preparing for Duke? Or, knowing that you’ve got a really short turnaround for both the WF and VT games, and that both of those are pretty much musts, do you go ahead and chalk up tonight in the loss column and spend some of the time preparing for the other guys?
Now I’m not suggesting you run up the white flag and just totally surrender tonight. And you’ve got issues like team morale, confidence, selection committee viewpoints, etc. But could this be a case where you make the smart gambler’s choice and instead of trying to beat the house (steal a win at Cameron) you instead go with the better percentages?
I predict that State’s bigs will have a HUGE game, especially McCauley, and as the Devils try to double down the post, Fells, Costner (yes Costner), Javi, and even Grant will be left wide open (all they have to do is hit their shots).
If our admittedly young PG duo can handle the pressure, the possibilities will be endless. However if players (Horner) are sloppy with the ball and make stupid pass attempts….uh oh.
Javi showed his speed and ability to cross over whoever is guarding him in the last couple of games, as well as his growing confidence in his shot, so look for him to come up big in key situations. MJ will have to do more east-west driving instead of north-south dribbling to be effective and get opposing players to have to help, as well as get to the FT line.
Hickson…well…he just has to be Hickson and swat anything that comes down the paint all the way to Lizard Lick. (Yup, I just felt the need, nay, a compusion to mention that town.)
All in all, I think the ‘Pack will be more than ready to play this game, and perhaps, just perhaps, the Dookies will take us too lightly for their own good. Look for shots of crying soccer moms..errr…Dook girls at the end of this one.
GO WOLFPACK!
I was at that 1988 game. I’m 2-1 on my Cameron visits.
tooyoungtoremember
Jan 31st, 2008 at 4:41 pm
In 1988 I was in first grade.
Now I feel old….in 1988…I was…graduating high school.
thanks for that.
Actually, the last time NC State beat Duke @ Cameron Indoor was the 1994-1995 season.
Cameron Crazies will wear green shirts emblazoned with the slogan, “BLEED BLUE, LIVE GREEN,” the university announced. Duke will purchase carbon offsets equivalent to the electricity, steam and transportation consumed by the game
bawahahahaha…. oh boy, that’s rich
“do you go ahead and chalk up tonight in the loss column and spend some of the time preparing for the other guys?”
I SERIOUSLY don’t think that will be the case, but if the ‘Pack goes in woth a nothing to lose, everything to gain attitude, play may be a bit looser, and the result may shock the ACC.
This is correct; the Pack won 77-60 that year.
^^ That one isn’t really counted officially because that was the “Dark year” for Duke when K was sidelined for health reasons.
Reminiscing on a thread from earlier this week and as the players get ready for tonight’s game, I feel the need to highlight one of Julius Hodge’s greatest quotes, (link)
When asked whether Duke’s Cameron Crazies got to him:
“There’s no way I could let a guy with a 4.5 GPA, acne and bad breath decide the way I’m going to play on the court. Everywhere I go I get that, so that didn’t make a difference.”
Hodge had 18 points in the 78-74 home win that night. (2004)
Pack gets the 9PM slot!
will BC/UNX go overtime?
my prediction:
NCSU turnovers are at least
double the made foul shots.
I think that was the game when Hodge proclaimed after the victory, “We were hungry tonight, and when we are hungry, we eat.”
Here’s some good memories I have from this series at Cameron Indoor:
1) Googs being called for an offensive foul as he tries to remove Phil Henderon’s hand check by swiping at his arm w/ the other hand.
2) Hodge getting blown for T by slapping the backboard on a dunk early in Cameron. (Clearly a warning by the officials that they and the Devils would control this game.)
3) The phantom foul called on a good Thorton steal late in the game.
4) Sendek calling a TO as Marshall Williams (right player?) was leading a break down the court in a tie game w/ 10+ seconds left.
Here’s why I know my blood pressure will be dangerously high tonight:
1) Paulus and the other Blue Devils will hand check the hell out of our guys and it won’t be called.
2) Our guys will be called for ticky-tack fouls and phantom “swipes” leading to easy 3 point plays for the Devils.
3) Our guys will throw those lazy passes around the perimeter.
This is one game where if I was coach and I thought the officiating had played a role in changing early momentum and the game was decided. I would pull my team off the floor in protest. I think this kind of action is necessary to bring attention to what I believe is one of the more unfair things in sports - not the atmosphere of Cameron, but the officiating in it.
Let’s hope the Wolves are starving tonight!
Duke is slightly bigger version of FSU, only they won’t let us back in the game if they get an early lead. The key to this game is that we start quick for a change. McCauley can make some plays, but Grant and Hickson should be able to take advantage of mismatches. If Fells stays hot, we can keep it close. The way the game is called could benefit us if they are calling it tight on the perimeter. If this game is officiated like the GT game we have little chance.
I’m afraid this will happen, and Javi and MJ get shaken by constant hand-checking and a loosely called game. Result 20 plus TOs. If our guys show some heart, it can be a valuable lesson. I don’t see the Devils having an off night, so if we beat them it will be a serious improvement that gets it done.
I think Sendek called the TO while Curtis Marsall was leading a fast break.
Very rarely do I believe in “moral victories”, but if we can stay within 10 points I believe I would be able to sleep well tonight.
Hopefully the game plan tonight will be simple. Our guards need to be very aggressive on offense - not shooting necessarily but penetrating and getting the ball inside where we have an advantage. Once inside, I fully expect major floppage from Duke’s interior players. The last couple of times over at Cameron I think the officiating has actually been good. If that trend continues I don’t see why we can’t score the majority of our points in the paint. Defensively is where I think we will get hurt badly. If Duke gets hot they may drain 15 threes and it will be a long night.
Sorry, Marshall
I don’t like talk of moral victories. The only qualifications I like to see on the term “victory” would be “great,” “awesome,” “stunning,” “unquestioned,” even “come-from-behind,” etc.
Sweet Jumper - I think it was Marshall Williams - that 6-5 Parade All-American who played half a year for us then transferred. Curtis Marshall was here for 4 or 5 - but it seemed like 10.
I think officials are coming close to losing control of one of these games (not ours mind you, we don’t scrap enough). There’s a good chance that things will get ugly one night w/ UNC and/or Duke on the floor.
“4) Sendek calling a TO as Marshall Williams (right player?) was leading a break down the court in a tie game w/ 10+ seconds left.”
It was Justin Gainey
^^^”Do you spend all of that time preparing for Duke? Or, knowing that you’ve got a really short turnaround for both the WF and VT games, and that both of those are pretty much musts, do you go ahead and chalk up tonight in the loss column and spend some of the time preparing for the other guys?”
While I’m not a Coach, I would say you NEVER chalk one up in the loss column. TOTALLY prepare for THIS game. a win here would propel us to bigger things vs. WF and VT, and we’d go into those games with momentum. Chalking this one up, and not giving a 110% would be disaster in my opinion. Again, this is a RIVALRY. I would have the RED jacket on if I were Sid. This is an IMPORTANT game, and we better be ready to play. Again, I’m not a Coach….but I did stay in a Holiday Inn last night!
i’m hoping this goes the other way starting tonight, but up to this point, this nc state team has not shown the ability to play enough defense, rebound the ball well enough, or protect the ball (not turn it over) to beat a team like duke …
to beat a team like duke, you’ve got to have a stout defense, limit them to one shot per posession by rebounding the ball, and most importantly deny transition points by not turning the ball over and taking GOOD shots - not crappy stupid shots which lead to run-outs and three point plays on phantom duke calls
our point guards have done fairly well handling and passing the ball since the chapel hill game (knock on wood), but our wings and big guys have been extremely weak with the ball still … fells and horner in particular have made some really weak passes out top against pressure, and both costner and mccauley have had their issues handling the ball …
if we could just get into our offensive sets and take GOOD shots and knock some down that could open up the inside for mccauley and hickson … we were very effective against duke in the tourney win with costner hitting outside shots and mccauley working inside - if fells and costner could hit some early shots we could hopefully get into an offensive rhythm … also, hickson needs to be strong with the ball and whip it out quick when doubled … like someone said above, if we handle the ball with confidence we’ll have some nice opportunities against this team offensively … attack mentality and be aggressive - especially on defense (and hope and pray the refs don’t take you out of the game)
go wolfpack
I posted this on the other thread: anyone go to the Word of God vs. Ravenscroft game last night? alot of coaches there last night - K, Dawkins, Hewitt, Baylor, Ole Miss, and yes, Coach Lowe. Three top D-1 prospects playing, C.J. Leslie (State commit), John Wall, and Ryan Kelly. I think they all play on the same AAU team. It would be nice to see them all in Wolfpack red in a few years. Sorry for the hijack….just wondering if anyone else went.
Now, give 110% tonight and let’s whoop some Dookie #@$!
“if we could just get into our offensive sets and take GOOD shots”
That is very true…the turnovers, etc. have killed us in that i think we are by far last in the ACC in field goal attempts. if you ain’t shooting it, you ain’t making it. you’ve got to shoot the ball, they’ll eventually start dropping, and our confidence will continue to build.
No such thing as a moral victory. When it’s all said and done, if we lose the players wont care if we lose by 1 or by 50.
The facts on paper say one thing, but we all know they dont play on paper. They play on your TV set. Gosh, I sure miss Kenny Mayne on Sportscenter……… Point is, we have a chance in this game. No one thought we could beat them last year in the tourney either. Yes, they play scrappy D, but maybe our guys can throw over the top of their 5 guards at 6′3″.
Thats why they play the games (on TV of course) and thats why they play for 40 minutes. Hopefully we will play for 40 and surprise some people. It is a cliche, but take them one at a time. If you ask the players, the only thing they are focusing on is Duck. Probably dont even know when we play VT or Wake. GO PACK! WIN ONE FOR THE GIPPER.
Hey RabidWolf… in early spring/winter 1988… i was about 6 months old…
I have a bad feeling we are going to get whipped tonight — which sucks because this will be my first ACC game in Cameron. I HATE going to any kind of away game and watch the ‘Pack lose.
Duke’s strengths are match up well with our weaknesses. The only way we win is if Courtney drops at least 25 on them and JJ/Big Ben combine for >30 as well.
My prediction is that Duke won’t get called for hand checks and Courtney and JJ will have 2 fouls with 15min left in the first half. We’ll be down by <15 at the half, but with 17 minutes left in the game it will be over.
This is one of the first times in a while where the final Dook vs. UNX game could be #1 vs #2 and the those in the ACC office (from Swoff’ to Clock’) will do everything they can to make sure that it happens….
(I should really re-read my posts before I submit them — that grammar is terrible!)
sorry this is off topic but this really pissed me off when i saw it at school today the way sports illustrated on campus covered the krispy kreme challange which is held by state to raise money for a good cause and a unc student won this year but how si did it just pissed me off and just shows more media biased to the cry baby bitches in baby blue
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/sioncampus/01/30/campus.clicks0130/index.html
^^re: No such thing as a moral victory. When it’s all said and done, if we lose the players wont care if we lose by 1 or by 50.
I disagree. Check out the NY Giants. They lost a tough, close one to the Pats in the last regular season game, then won each playoff game as an underdog and now they have a shot at the SB. The Pats game was a valuable confidence booster. If the Pack can play to their abilities and keep it close, yeah, I think that would have a different effect than getting blown out.
On a related topic (RPI, records, NCAA bids) I see that Herb is already campaigning for a tourney bid (Andy Katz - ESPN Insider), trying to account for ASU’s 3-game – soon to be 4 game as of tonight – losing streak and low RPI (#88) because of playing in yet ANOTHER conference that is “tough top to bottom”. Just sayin’
Hey Spanky….bite me.
My optimistic prediction:
Duke 94
NC State 63
You don’t want to hear my pessimistic prediction.
However - don’t forget that tonight’s game is one of four Raycom regular season games being broadcast in HD. At least I have Packer and HD to look forward to.
Yes, I am the only person in America who likes Billy Packer.
Damn…..I just LOVE all the positive vibes flowing through the site tonight. Good thing the game isn’t played here!
^^^ I love Billy Packer.
First time poster here, long time reader.
Rabid> how can we be positive after the UNC game? Yeah, this team has shown SOME guts by winning a few since then, but until they show me they can at least hang w/ top level talent, I can’t be optimistic.
Who knows, this could be the night! Go pack!!! (whoever had the optimistic 93-64 guess seems about right).
In 1988, I was a junior at NC State and I remember fooling around with a girl from Meredith on the sofa in my dorm room during that game. Can’t say I watched it all, but I do recall the win
In 1988 I was in my mother’s womb. However, I though we won at Cameron when K was “disabled”
As a chemist, I could really go off on the whole “carbon offsets” deal… but I shan’t– this isn’t the forum.
As for the game, it will take a herculean effort on our part. No turnovers, excellent post play… Fells will need to keep them honest. And most importantly, we will need to for once learn how to move off a ball screen. If we leave wide open treys for them all night, it’ll be the worst beatdown since GT-Cumberland college.
I get the 9:00 double whammy… State/Duke on one channel, Indiana/Wisconsin on another… Needless to say I will be flipping like mad. Or I may move a TV into the living room.
We did beat Duke twice in the glorious Gaudet year (I was a JR or SR at State), but naturally they beat us in the LRI game. Nobody familiar with the Les Robinson era was the least bit surprised.
Hopefully Obama at least beats Hillary tonight (in the other good vs. evil matchup).
Without bothering to look it up, I thought when K was “diasbled” Collins lit us up at Cameron. That would be Chris “back of the limo with Rodman” Collins. (Heard that one from a recruiter… same recruiter I had dinner with and watched Tony Moore get lit up before a state game– 6 pitchers– and saw him sitting on the bench the next day out with “the flu”).
BJD- good vs. evil? I thought it was evil vs. more evil… Enough of that.
Guess I should have looked up the 95 Duke results; my collins and tony moore stories though stand as called.
“It was Justin Gainey.”
Nope - that was the timeout that followed. Gainey either fell down or was about to fall down and we used a TO we didn’t have - Technical foul.
I’m talking about the play leading up to that. Tie game, Marshall Williams has the ball w/ like a 3 on 3 break. He was a bit out of control, but he made the layup - problem: Sendek called TO.
About Duke - I actually like Coach K. His coaching has totally revolutionized the game…His guys absolutely sell out every minute on the floor on D. I hate how they handcheck, grab and hold - but you know what, I wish our team did the same. It’s amazing he gets McD AAs to play like that.
I listened to Taylor Zarzours big tail gait show tonight. They were broadcasting from a restaraunt in DurHam owned by a former Dook player named Marty something. Taylor had Marty co-hosting. Boy did Marty throw Sid under the bus. He basically said Sid was showing no leadership. He said the players don’t know what to do because Sid is not telling them what they need to do. Taylor had the callers predicting who would win. Lots of State homers called in predicting victory for the Pack, but a few had more realistic predictions. The Dook homers were precious. According to them there is a better chance Brittany Spears regains custody of her children before she O.D.’s than State winning tonight. My prediction is the same as it was for the Carolina game, State wins a close one or they get blown out by 30 plus.
BC is getting their door blown off at UNC … 63-36
BC really sucks. The wheels look to be falling off.
My favorite Cameron moment was Jan. 21, 2004, when Danny Ainge was interviewed in the crowd about his first trip to Cameron.
They said something like: Are you totally amazed by your first trip here to Cameron??
Ainge: Not really.
Them: What do you think it’s like for the players playing in this intense environment. Wouldn’t it be super hard???
Ainge: Probably affects the refs more than anything.
That was awesome.
The game was against Wake Forest BTW.
^^^I loved the combo of Packer and Thacker. A lot of good memories there. I sure hope that ESPN covers this game on the West Coast. In VA, it’s on regional coverage. At least I have high speed internet in the hotel verses the slow dial up at home. So even if it’s not on, hopefully I can keep up with the game here (please post frequently.) I’m not optimistic but you never know …….. it could happen.
Just noticed how empty the D Dome is tonight. Looks bad for TV.
Go Pack.
Pack 88
G Devils 61
1988? Wow, that was almost a third of a lifetime ago!
Fooling around on a coach with a girl in your dorm room? When I came back to State in 1970, I was totally surprised to see as many coeds and it was even more fun to go to “one of their rooms”!!
1964-65 was when the first female dorm(at least during the modern era) was opened and I honestly believe everyone of them was in ROTC!
Who cares about John Edwards. He’s not even a has been …he’s a never was.
Edwards is great! They love him! Especially in his hometown of Robbins… Oh, wait– he couldn’t even carry that county 4 years ago…
holy crap that green looks terrible. It’s gonna be painful to watch this just because of that.
Wasn’t this supposed to be one of the games Raycom was going to air in HD?
Johnson, 3 TOs in 3 minutes. So much for good PG play.
well beo, we won’t get shut out at least…
Hope Javi is ready for a 37 minute game.
power comes back on just in time for me to watch freaking overtime in south bend. awesome.
Hurry up and loose Providence. Can’t get the State game until that one is over.
Well, Wolftown, at least you missed Fells’ bricked dunk.
Sloppy play, getting out hustled, yet we’re only down by 4 at the 12:00 mark. Gotta look for the positive
i missed the first 6 minutes because of notre game OT, where is Bubba Gump??
true to form, whistles, whistles & more whistles for dook. I don’t know if I can watch.
Packer, Thacker & Bones were the best team every. Every game was a history lesson on the teams and the conference. PLUS those awesome “Sail with the Pilot” ads.
BC’s three a good sign, Javi is attacking - very good.
My wife said only a school as pompus as dook would pull this eco-friendly stunt. Why don’t they shut their yaps, that would save a lot of warming.
They ain’t the only one’s pulling the eco-friendly stunt, their queer brothers down the street at UNX did the same thing tonight. They just decided that all green tshirts was too much so they made their NC green instead.
I’m gonna wake up any minute now……
Holy crap where have these guys been all year! This is not the same team we’ve seen.
This isn’t the same Duke team either.
State by 9 WOW
FINALLY!!! The local abc station switched over to HD, at the 5:25 mark in the first half. Morons.
seeing some really nice things, but the refs are going to make sure dook stays in this game.
got to say, I like elmore.
Yeah some real BS calls lately.
Refs doing their best to get Dook back into this game. What a BS call on Javi.
take that punk paulis and beat the living freaking tar out of that sumxitch.
omg
Costner better keep his cool. They’ll eject him in a minute. They had to know we’d get the short end of the fouls called. Take the 2 shots and move on …. no intentional fouls here.
Someone needs to “foul” paulus….hard
How the f*** do you get a 5 second call when a man is driving past a defender to the basket. 6 straight cheap ass fouls to go along with it.