NC State – Florida State Notes and Links (with BJD95 Analysis)
The Wolfpack men’s hoops team takes back to the hardwoods tonight to battle Florida State in an ACC contest. Confidence in State is not high right now in the fanbase, which has been conditioned to expect sub-par play (to put it kindly) from the backcourt and certain lack of fire from upperclassmen front-court players. In short, many are starting to question every aspect of this team, from the players to the coaches.
Warchant.com: Leonard Hamilton and Sidney Lowe pre-game presser excerpts
Hamilton: “[W]e have the ability to shut down some passing lanes. We are still a work in progress. I think we will be a very good defensive team as we move on because we are still having some lapses.”
That does not bode well for a Wolfpack team known for lazy passes that turn into fast breaks in the other direction.
Ken Tysiac says the pretty much the same thing in his ACC Now entry ‘Lowe: Packs Wounds Self-Inflicted’
Give N.C. State credit for consistency. Despite having a week of practice to work on breaking Clemson’s press, the Wolfpack committed 18 turnovers again in a 63-51 loss.
“A lot of it has been poor decision making, really,” Lowe said, “not being strong with the ball and not making the simple pass.”
The last person struggling N.C. State point guards Farnold Degand, Julius Mays and Javi Gonzalez needs to see is guard Toney Douglas, who visits the RBC Center on Tuesday night with Florida State.
The Freedom News service notices that the lack of offense from both teams in the first half of their previous games is obviously something they need to work on:
Fixing offenses is a priority for Florida State and North Carolina State as they meet tonight in Atlantic Coast Conference men’s basketball.
N.C. State managed only 17 first-half points Saturday in a loss at Clemson. Florida State held Duke to19 first-half points on the same day, but trailed 19-14 at the break.
Tony Haynes, the Pack’s radio network color announcer writes on GoPack.com that this weeks pair of home games are obviously big ones for NC State:
After dropping back-to-back road games against quality competition, the NC State men’s basketball team will have an opportunity to return home for two ACC games this week. Florida State comes to the RBC Center for a 7 p.m. contest on Tuesday, followed by a visit from Georgia Tech on Saturday.
Both teams are big and quick, and feature the type of athletic personnel that could pose some problems for the Pack. In Saturday’s 63-51 loss at Clemson, NC State( 9-4, 0-1) was reminded of just how much the game changes once ACC play begins.
Most notably, Clemson’s shot-blockers made life miserable for NC State’s post players. Ben McCauley, Brandon Costner and Tracy Smith were a combined 5-of-19 from the field, with most of their misses coming in close.
Game time is 7pm in the RBC Center.
SFN’s Key Questions for the game:
- Will the guards show competence against, or will they succumb once again and make the FSU backcourt look like NBA all-stars?
- Will Costner and McCauley play to their potential?
- Will the fans show up in force to back a team that many Wolfpack fans have clearly lost confidence in?
Your thoughts on tonight’s action?
BJD95 analysis (I was typing this concurrently with Alpha!):
There’s no sugar coating what tonight’s game against the Seminoles means – if NC State wants to get to 6 or possibly even 7 ACC wins, then it absolutely must win tonight. No excuses, no coming close. Just win. The psyche of the team and the fanbase need a victory in the worst way. Win, and the prospect of a 2-1 start is very realistic. Lose, and the weight of the world will be on weak shoulders to avoid an 0-3 ACC mark and an absolute meltdown from fans and alumni.
Georgia Tech is waiting in the on-deck circle – and frankly, they suck. The Pack should handle the Jackets with ease as long it comes into the weekend with some positive momentum and a winning attitude. 2-1 = strong likelihood of an NIT bid. 0-3 = buzzards circling.
Right now, the predominant mood among the fanbase is abject despair. Even the always reliable Section Six blog has yet to post a preview (check back this afternoon). I sense no anticipation for this game. There is a 7:00 pm tip and TV coverage on ESPN-U (available in HD for Wake County cable subscribers), so a late arriving and somewhat sparse crowd is likely. The only thing that can lift this malaise is a win. Sidney Lowe and staff must get this team ready and fired up, without depending on an injection of adrenalin from the home crowd.
What about FSU as an opponent? According to Sagarin, the Noles are ranked #48, below all of the teams that have beaten NC State this season – but well ahead of all the teams the Pack has defeated. A look at FSU’s schedule reveals close home losses to 2 excellent teams (Duke, Pitt), solid neutral site wins against Cincy and Cal, a good home win against Florida, and an embarrassing blowout loss at Northwestern. The Seminoles also survived numerous close calls against weak opponents.
Personnel-wise, FSU is extremely top-heavy, featuring only one player scoring in the double digits (Toney Douglas). If you are wondering which Nole will torch State’s shoddy perimeter defense for 30+ points, there’s your answer. If only we had an adequate perimeter defender, this win would seemingly be in the bag. Instead, Douglas will provide a hefty challenge for Ferguson and possibly Fells (I will scream myself hoarse if any of State’s defensively-challenged PGs matches up with him for more than one possession).
We’ll see what happens tonight.
Must win game maybe even for NIT, much less any other postseason tournament … Ok, maybe not must win for NIT – but if the team really wants to be hopeful about postseason play it needs to show it with a home win tonight
More than anything else, wins tend to build hope and optimism and help quiet the discontent … Wins also help put butts in the seat … I think people will show up more for ACC games (they always have since I’ve held tickets), but the program/school has no one to blame but itself for fan apathy … This is what happens when you demand money and rub the fact in that you don’t really care what one of the best / most loyal fanbases in the nation thinks … Good job, morons … Sh*t on your fans – good strategy … But I digress
Since the game is on espnU, I will provide a game report later tonight for any interested … if any are
“Will the guards show competence against, or will they succumb once again and make the FSU backcourt look like NBA all-stars?”
How we do against Toney Douglas very well may determine the outcome of tonight’s game … They are big, raw and young up front – but getting Douglas off track is the real key (to me)
I’m not just talking about disrupting his scoring either … If we can bottle him up and keep him from penetrating and then rebound the ball against their tall, athletic frontcourt we stand to be in good shape …
Oh, and don’t turn the ball over – Captain Obvious’ primary point
Good overview and thread to the first home ACC contest (always big but this one holds huge ramifications).
I would agree that some folks of the nation would question just about every aspect, be more of us know better. You can emphasis the backcourt execution/competence level and it is fair to look at staff/upperclassmen and critique the leadership qualities to this point.
But, that leaves some improving areas that this team has shown, like defense/defensive rebounding, left in the shadows and that shouldn’t be.
Also, our half court sets have been consistently better then any strecth of games since the ACC’s two springs ago. Missed layups/dunks/bunnies coupled with wide open looks from the perimeter that bricked should not be expected as the norm.
I’ll finish with this. Our team didn’t look mentally focused for a road tilt vs Clemp but everyone knows that FSU is always ready for Duke in their barn. My gut tells me there are going to be a little deflated since the DUke game is suppossed to be their fanbases sole reason to storm the court.
Are guys are going to have a focus about them that is going to keep us in this and if we can make good on some open looks and get to the free throw line I like our chances. Pack 64-62
Must win game to get back in the acc/big ten challange,scary quote from Sid…….”We have to keep doing what we are doing ,only better.”
Heck it would be nice to get a league win,how long has it been?
Is there anyway to watch this game online???
Get lots of minutes for Mays and Williams!
Boy almost a must win deal. I am not a Sid -hater or lover ,but you would like to hear him and the staff take a little bit of the blame instead of placing on the player’s always. Whether right or wrong it is a sign of strong leadership and deflects the blame as well .
The size of FSU’s front court worries me. We didn’t handle Clemson’s frontcourt very well and I think FSU’s will bother our inside players.
I can sort of understand Smith having trouble because he has limited experience in the ACC, but McCauley and Costner have played against players like this before and hopefully should rebound for a better performance tonight.
Hopefully good Costner comes out tonight and hits almost everything he puts up.
Right now, the predominant mood among the fanbase is abject despair.
I posted a preview over at YANCSSB last night, even if it is a bit of a melancholy one:
http://yetanotherncstatesportsblog.blogspot.com/2009/01/look-at-florida-state.html
We just traded Degand and Javier for Teagues.
Great trade. Teagues could get 40 tonite against Douglas.
And for what it’s worth, Ken Pomeroy’s site has us winning this game.
I would like to see the ’07 ACC Tournament Brandon Costner show up with a bad attitude and a determination to shove the ball through the hole no matter what it takes. That and Ben McCauley to be Ben McCauley once again.
Speaking of Jeff Teague…where were Monte Towe’s Indiana connections on him? Did we even recruit Teague at all?
And we also traded Costner, McCauley and Fells for the Lion, the tin man and the scarecrow. That trade is a wash.
I have given up speculating on victories and assume losses now. It’s the second game of the ACC season and I’m assuming defeat. It really tortures me. But I have come to grips with the fact that State is a functional team (an improvement from last year) but not an effective one. Hence, losing will be very possible every time out.
it aint worht much then YANCSSB
That confident, are you?
As I wrote over there, Florida State is just as bad as we are at hanging onto the basketball (they turn it over in nearly 24% of their possessions), especially in the low post. If we can get a few strips, maybe a steal or two out at the perimeter that leads to some easy baskets, we can win this one easily.
FSU is a young team, and young teams get away from their gameplan on the road.
I think State wins this one at home.
^ It’s good to see a little confidence. It is a rare commodity these days.
I’m starting to feel like NC State hoops is like Duke football. If you have ever been to a game over there, they show these ancient black and white films of Duke football glory on their Jumbotron, so rare is current success.
It won’t be long until people who remember State being relevant in basketball from a national standpoint start dying of old age. And I am serious about that.
I was in Colorado last week skiing and had six days without internet access and was on a plane during the Clemson game: an entire week without State basketball.
One of the most emancipating weeks of my life.
And for at least a few more hours we’re ahead of Carolina in the ACC.
Well Alpha, it’s tough to be confident when you have no point guard, or a two-guard, for that matter. But someone’s got to be. Might as well be me.
And damn, bring me down with the “dying of old age” blast, will ya?
I’m not confident enough to put double-digit money on it, but I think we’ll win tonight. We played good D on Saturday and rebounded well and if we can do those things tonight we’ll win. We missed a lot of shots Saturday that even we don’t usually miss.
That ESPN streak for a Million- this is the only time I think I”ll be voting for the Pack to continue a streak this year, unless the UVA game makes it.
Thankfully I don’t have much to lose right now, and 90% of Americans disagree with me.
Alpha, is there any reason I’ve still got a comment awaiting moderation? Is it the link? The self-promotion of my site? The extreme profanity?
^^”a good home win against Miami”
I think they actually beat Florida at home, not Miami. However, they do have a very young, inexperience frontcourt. If we can keep them off the boards, and play steady “D”, we will win this game. Ultimately, we gotta start hitting some shots. Especially close to the basket. We either need to make them foul us or hit the shot. We missed WAY too many easy baskets within 5 feet of the basket on Saturday. I think if Ben and BC find a groove against their young frontcourt, it will be a win for the Pack. I also hope there’s a very good turnout at the RBC! The team really needs fan support to start off the ACC league play at home!
BJD – You’re right, I meant Florida, not Miami. Typo has been fixed. Thanks!
Key to this game isn’t the backcourt–its the front court. Look, we know our guards suck, and it is a given they will be beaten like a rented mule by Toney Douglas, forced into double digit turnovers, etc. Key issue is whether Costner and McCauley (who combined for a woeful 13 points against Clemson) can establish some dominance down low. Because if they let themselves be pushed out of the flow of the game for large stretches like they were vs. Clemson, FSU wins this game by 8-10 points.
I won’t even need to look at the score tomorrow morning, just the stats–If Costner and McCauley combine for less than 20 points, we cannot win–this game or any other in the ACC.
C/O89: This is the very game that Courtney Fells likes to show up and erupt for 25 points. It’s almost too bizarre to NOT happen.
How’s THAT for optimism?
I had forgotten about our ACC losing streak. Does anyone know or have access to a media guide–what is the school record for consecutive ACC losses in ACC play? I’m guessing its around 12-16, and we are getting uncomfortably close to it…
Back with a little research…mens team if they lose tonight are entering a rarefied level of losing we usually associate at State with womens soccer (25 game ACC winless streak dating back to October of 2006) and volleyball (14 straight ACC losses to close out the season after starting 3-1 with their first ACC wins since 2005). No other varsity team has a current double digit ACC losing streak (heck, Tarantini even won an ACC tournament game last fall…).