Halftime Update: Wake 31 State 24
* Simple reason why NC State is not winning this game – SHOOTING. It’s not just that State only hit 2 of 11 three pointers (both by Courtney Fells. It is that State missed/bricked multiple WIDE OPEN threes – at least three of which were from the top of the key where it doesn’t get any easier. If the offense creates wide open threes then the guys have GOT to hit them.
* Horribly inconsistent officiating. It sure would be nice for our big guys to be able to shoot without getting fouled…or at least for them to get to the free throw line when they are fouled. Could you imagine if Tyler Hansbrough or anyone from Duke got fouled as much as JJ Hickson when he shoots? Am I the only person in the league who remembers Antawn Jamison’s three years of shooting free throws because he literally would jump horiztonally to create contact that was called 99% of the time?
* Javi Gonzalez continues to bring more energy to the court than Marques Johnson.
* Brandon Costner continues to struggle.
Pregame
Chip Alexander pens a solid article in this morning’s N&O. The cloudy outlook going forward is summarized at the end:
As for today, against Wake Forest, will the Pack bring the same energy and enthusiasm it had in a home win over Miami? Or will it lose another at home like the Georgia Tech game?
For the umpteenth time this season, Grant was asked after the Duke game if the Pack — picked third in the ACC in preseason — has any team chemistry issues.
“We get along fine,” Grant said tersely.
So what’s the problem?
“I don’t know,” Grant said.
That doesn’t exactly fill one with confidence that a solution is just around the corner, does it?
Naturally, Section Six breaks Wake down with some statistics. Apparently, Wake plays poorly when the pace is fast. Unfortunately, so do we. It will be interesting to see how things shake out at noon. Remember, it is a freakish noon tipoff on a Sunday, so head to an early service, play hooky, or set your DVR.
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February 3rd, 2008 at 10:37 am
My minister growing up (70’s)was a Duke grad and a huge ACC basketball fan so he made sure that church was over by 11:50 on Super Sunday for the State vs. UMd games.
I really think we are going to be ok. Gonzales is figuring out how to create more open shots for his team with dribble penetration. Had we gotten something out of Fells on Thursday, we could have at least kept the game closer.
While I would agree that we are not at our best in a race horse paced game, we have to take the opportunity break when it presents itself. We don’t rebound well enough to run with most people.
February 3rd, 2008 at 11:04 am
with the hour difference, I’ll be lucky if my minister is a 1/3 of the way through his sermon at tip time! and we are Episcopal! We are suppose to be out of there and to coffee with in a hour. Man, newbies.
I’ll be sending out the good brain waves.
From my perspective, that was a crushing loss to dook coming as it did. Again, this is a true test for the Coach – which team is going to show up today? Mentally, can they concentrate on what they did right and build on that? Lets all hope so.
Go Pack
February 3rd, 2008 at 11:07 am
We’re in for a bit of a test today I think. We haven’t encountered a TANDEM of guards this year with the speed Wake’s have (yes, this includes Seton Hall and Cincy). As was evidenced by the Duke game, it is absolutely imperative that Javi stays out of foul trouble; Johnson will have trouble with the opposing speed unless he magically learns how to use that 6′5″ frame of his in, oh, the next 53 minutes.
February 3rd, 2008 at 11:14 am
It will be a battle, but Wake is weak on the road. State by 8. Gavin continues his tradition of beating the Deacs like a drum.
February 3rd, 2008 at 11:16 am
Luckily, I’m not a churchgoer, so I don’t have to worry about sermons and church functions keeping me from watching the game. Unfortunately, I am a faithful Pack fan, which as many of you have experienced, sometimes makes me NOT want to watch the game; not because I’m not loyal, but because it hurts sometimes. I have seen us play good one time this year, and it was the first half vs Duke. Now we shot 58%, and Gavin didn’t miss…so I realize that may have been a dream, which I thought it was, which is why I kept pinching myself. Javi did a good job with dribble penetration, BUT has to show that he can finish arouned the basket. I remember him jumping in the air, and LUCKILY finding Gavin for an open three. If he could get a more consistent jumper, and show that he can finish around the basket some, he’d be a much better PG. Marques on the other hand, looks a few steps slower than everyone, doesn’t really throw crisp passes, can’t shoot a three, and looks like a small forward. I think he tries hard, but I’m not sure that PG is his position, which is odd, because why would Coach Lowe put someone who shouldn’t be a PG at PG? Who knows. The only other thing that bothers me is our fundamentals. I feel like we play “NBA style” ball. NBA style = lackadaisical defense, not boxing out, and not diving for loose balls (BEN). I love Ben, terrific passer, but I feel like when I’ve watched him, the rebounds or loose balls that he should get, he doesn’t get. Brandon is another story in itself. Coach Lowe has to realize that Brandon is a mismatch for most SF’s. I’m not sure Coach is drawing up some plays for Brandon, which is why he doesn’t know his “role”. He looks like he a doof out there because everything has to go inside to JJ, which isn’t a bad thing, but we need to work on JJ passing out of the double like Ben can. Man if JJ could pass like Ben…man! I think we’ve got talent, but it’s just not meshing. Oh yeah, Dennis, don’t be scared to shoot son. You can shoot the three ball, so don’t be so scared every time. If we had a couple, just a COUPLE guys that could hit an open three pretty consistently, that zone wouldn’t sag on JJ, Ben and Brandon, and we could get to the line EVEN more. Ok, I’ll shut up now…I just want to see my PACK win, and I think we can with this team. Final thought (and I hope the guys are reading this): BEND YOUR KNEES ON DEFENSE, HANDS UP (like they taught in bball summer camp when you were younger), USE YOUR ASS TO BOX OUT, AND HELP ON DEFENSE!!! We’d have two or three more wins already if we just did that.
February 3rd, 2008 at 11:28 am
Must win. Or we’re done.
February 3rd, 2008 at 11:30 am
“USE YOUR ASS TO BOX OUT”
I can’t resist…. this is a softball. Um, Costner should be freaking AWESOME at boxing out!
February 3rd, 2008 at 11:54 am
Personally, I think Duke always brings out the best in low-intensity Wolfpack teams. Generally, they come back on us in the 2nd half but they are good for lighting a fire.
Question is, can we keep that fire going? If we play with intensity, we should win. Javi is getting better each game and Wake isn’t the test that Duke is. Set it up, run the O for JJ and Courtney early and play with some fire. If BC shows up, all the better. Lastly, this may be a game where Sid inverts the offense a bit to get MJ going. On D, try and keep JJ home to combat Ish Smith’s crazy penetration skills.
This game is as big as FSU (weird to say). At 2-4, we have to win to stay tight with the vulnerable middle of this conference.
February 3rd, 2008 at 12:04 pm
I totally agree with aPACKadeez regarding fundamentals. We haven’t seen any all year long. Why not? Are they not being taught or are our guys just not getting it? Either answer is disturbing. If they are not being taught, then our coaching staff deserves a quick kick in the rear. If our guys are not getting it, then what will they get? Are they just not coachable on how to play solid defense, box out and rebound, pass with authority, screen, pick and roll and to many other fundamentals to list here. What in the world is our real problem?
February 3rd, 2008 at 12:04 pm
Well, it’s 12:00, I’ve got my lucky boxers on, I’m on my lucky laptop which is currently undefeated when I watch the game on this tv while posting from the laptop… Which includes Duke, but in the 2nd half of Duke I turned it off, and that’s when the game went south, so I’m gonna be posting the entire game this time.
Attendance looks pretty slim at the moment, but then again, this is the bible belt. I bet after church lets out it’ll be full.
February 3rd, 2008 at 12:10 pm
Anyone knows of an online radio broadcast?
February 3rd, 2008 at 12:11 pm
We look like dogshit so far.
February 3rd, 2008 at 12:11 pm
oohhh WF on fire
February 3rd, 2008 at 12:13 pm
BJD- that is insulting to dog excrement worldwide…
February 3rd, 2008 at 12:15 pm
Costner’s first touch. Immediate turnover
February 3rd, 2008 at 12:16 pm
Just missed two wide open threes. Gonalez from the top of the key and Costner from the wing. Must hit WIDE OPEN threes. WIDE OPEN from the top of the key. One of the easiest shots in basketball. MUST be able to make them.
February 3rd, 2008 at 12:17 pm
This is the worst we’ve looked all year.
SFN: We lost to East Carolina and barely beat Prebyterian and Western Carolina. We got outscored by almost 30 points in two difference halves against two different teams. We don’t look good…but, this isn’t the worst that we have looked.
February 3rd, 2008 at 12:18 pm
Horner clobbered on a jump shot. He should have fallen down like a Duke player so that he could get the call. Costner misses another three from top of the key.
That is three wide open threes.
February 3rd, 2008 at 12:20 pm
SFN- I emailed you; let me know if you don’t get it.
Good gravy we look like garbage right now…
SFN: Will do. It will be a few days.
February 3rd, 2008 at 12:22 pm
We have no concept of what to do on offense. We don’t force any TOs or grab loose balls – and that’s 100 percent due to lack of effort. Sickening.
February 3rd, 2008 at 12:22 pm
I must be wasted… Costner looks like he gives a crap about rebounding.
February 3rd, 2008 at 12:24 pm
I’m not sure Wake is that much better than ECU. They look like shit, too. We are just playing even worse.
February 3rd, 2008 at 12:25 pm
Holy crap….ALL of those fouls while our guys are shooting and nothing is called. Then the call an away from the ball foul against Costner followed by a touch foul McCauley.
McCauley hurt.
Then they almost don’t call an obvious goal tend.
Then Wake executes by actually making a straight on three…Grant misses an indentical three from the top of the key.
FINALLY a foul called while one of our big men is attempting a shot. ESPECIALLY in light of how poorly we are shooting from the three point line we must be extra-efficient from the free throw line.
February 3rd, 2008 at 12:28 pm
Sidney’s got some pretty fly white shoes on.
SFN: Coaches wearing basketball shoes this weekend for a cause
February 3rd, 2008 at 12:30 pm
The refs didn’t call a blatant moving screen on Costner, either. Just your typical, blatantly inconsistent ACC reffing.