ACCT Gameday & State-Maryland pre-game Entry (Updated Noon)
For those people that want to interact and ‘converse’ more during the day – why don’t you give our chat function a try? Today appeears to be a good day for it. You can access it at the very top of the page at the link for “StateFansNation Chat”
BJD Comments
Well, it’s finally here. The ACC tournament (see our preview here). 12 teams in search of glory, redemption, or both – no matter how much Ol’ Roy pretends it doesn’t really matter, it does. 8 start today, kicking off with a pitched battle between desperate Miami and even more desperate Virginia Tech. Man, is the winner ever going to be disappointed (if not surprised) to see Ty Lawson in the starting lineup.
Good news for those you who have to pretend to work today – Raycom will stream the games live for those who live within its geographical territory.
Speaking of redemption, this morning’s N&O looks at the Wolfpack’s need for it after a sorry effort against the Terps a few weeks ago. Keep your fingers crossed, because it sounds like maybe that even got Courtney Fells’ attention. Friend of the blog J.P. Giglio also has his ACCT edition of Foul Shots out, complete with a shout out to Billy Packer. It’s nice to know someone will miss him this March other than me. The old crumudgeon probably isn’t even watching.
To get mentally prepared for a weekend of despair, my wife and I went to the Morrissey concert last night at the Durham Performing Arts Center. Great venue for a concert, and easily the best live performance I’ve ever seen. Highly recommended for any fans who live near one of the other stops on this brief American tour. I hope SFN commenter Girlfriend in a Coma made it there. If Morrissey lived here and gave a damn about college sports, he would definitely be a State fan.
Jeff’s Comments
- We discussed earlier in the week that State’s battle with Maryland helps commemorate the 35th anniversary of the greatest college basketball game ever played (Link for entry and video).
- And, nobody will forget that Sidney Lowe’s previous ACC Tournament appearance in Atlanta in 1983 resulted in a Championship.
- But, today’s opening round game against the Terps also helps commemorate the 20th anniversary of one of the league’s biggest upsets when Bob Wade’s 8th seeded Terrapins defeated the ACC’s regular season champion, NC State – also in a game played in Atlanta. (Ouch) The Wolfpack’s loss marked the first time that a #1 seed lost to an 8th seed on the first day of the ACC Tournament.
- I know it is a pipe dream, but the potential path that lies in front of NC State in Atlanta this weekend couldn’t be more ‘tradition-filled’. IF State were to run the table, the Wolfpack would probably battle the program’s four most prominent conference rivals in actual order of ‘prominence’ – (4) Maryland; (3) Wake Forest; (2) Duke; (1) UNC-CH. How memorable of a run would that be? Just an interesting observation.
- Pack Pride has posted the Sports Information Department’s “NoteBook” (bullet points) here.
Media Items
(1) Caulton Tudor picks the Wolfpack in the two and a half minute preview video below:
(2) WRAL’s focus on the Greivis Vasquez angle of today’s game:
(3) WRAL focuses on State’s search for a better ACC Tournament than last year’s miserable experience.
History
Our comments section included the following historical comments that deserved elevation:
1973: NC State beats Maryland in the ACCT finals. NC State completes the season 27-0, but stays home due to bullshit probation. Maryland goes to the NCAAs, representing the ACC.
1974: Really, nothing needs to said here. Greatest game in college basketball history.
1975: Maryland wins the Regular Season title, but NC State takes down the Terps in the ACCT semis.
1978: I think its still the only triple OT game in ACCT history. Maryland beats NC State 109-108.
1982: One of the ugliest ACCT games ever. NC State beats MD 40-28.
1984: Maryland beats NC State in in the first round on route to Lefty’s only ACC Tournament title.
1989: Hard to type this – NC State wins the ACC regular season, loses badly to a 1-13 Maryland team, 71-43. IMO, Jimmy V’s worst game as NC State coach.
1993: NC State’s first appearance in what would be labeled the “Les Robinson Invitational” – Maryland #8 beats #9 NC State.
1997: Herb’s magical run to the ACCT title game, NC State beats MD in the semi-finals.
2002: NC State beats #1 seed Maryland in the ACC semis. It would be MD’s last loss of the season, and they go on to win the National Title.
2004: Another hard one to type. NC State is crushing MD in the semis by 18 at the half and by as many as 21 in the game. A bizarre technical called by Larry Rose on the NC State towel boy who is wiping sweat off the floor in the backcourt while the ball is in play at the other end of the floor. Gilchrist goes crazy and MD comes back to beat State, and then beat Duke for the ACCT title. (Just as they did in 1984).
- One week later Sendek’s Wolfpack went on to collapse in a similarly unprecedented manner in the second round of the NCAA Tournament against Vanderbilt. The loss was so egregious that it made this list of the Top 10 comebacks in NCAA Tournament history. (Link)
- For more on Rose you can click through this entry.
Oh my …
For some reason Terrel Owens is at the Clemson-GT game – and it is really him
Dan Bonner blurted out “WHAT is he doing HERE???”
Hilarity. I love Dan Bonner.
Oliver Purnell is about to explode as GT is outplaying Clemson – he’s had some hilarious facial expressions during this game.
“Vasquez is of my favorite players in the conference. I dont think hes being a jerk. If I was a player, I would be saying the same things he has said. Hes a baller and a fighter, you gotta respect that.”
Really??? one of your fav players???
A trash talking, smart mouthed show off with an attitude problem and a lack of respect for other players and fans??? You liked how he called Cameron Indoor his court and he owned it and then got blasted by 40??? You liked how he slashed his throat to the NC State student section?? You like how he openly disrespects other programs in the best confrence in the nation??? You like how he plays gary willims like a fiddle and knows his coach is so scared he will get fired that he has no control on what his pg says in the media???
not me…….
1968 ACC Tourney. State vs Duke, semifinals. Duke led at the half, 4-2. State wins a thriller, 12-10.
If there was a game I could go and see, this would be one of them. Sure there are plenty of thrilling 90-88 games, won on last second shots, but there’ll never again be a game so incredibly low scoring.
Just watching NCSU dribble the ball for as long as humanly possible will not be duplicated again.
Too bad it was before my time.
I see those guys with all the tats and I have the same thought as when I see clips of Japanese television….”Why? Why? For what possible reason??”
“Oliver Purnell is about to explode as GT is outplaying Clemson – he’s had some hilarious facial expressions during this game.”
One of the funniest things I have ever seen in a sports game was his expression after Oglesby tried to dunk and missed it.
met an 88 year old NCSU graduate today that went to State on the GI Bill after serving in WWII. Remebers we were the Red Terrors till 1947 or somewhere there abouts. Rooted for NCSU years ago in a new Reynolds. Joe said the Terrors/Wolfpack wins today!!!!
wow gt might pull it out!
“wow gt might pull it out!”
I once told a gi… never mind.
Good game by GT and another first round bomb-out by CU.
way to go georgia teach, i always love upsets!
and a 12 seed wins again in this tourny
glad CU is a lock, b/c that was a lackluster performance
Probably bumps the Tiggers down to a 6 seed – which is actually better if they want to make an Elite Eight run.
I attended the finals of the 1968 Tournament the night after we beat Duke something like 12-10.
I went to the 1982 Tournament as a student. I think we were ahead of UMd 19-17 at the half and there was massive booing as the teams left the floor. That was exactly the score in the second half of the UVa / UNC-CH final two days later.
Out of all the upsets possible today I thought Clemson wouldn’t falter to the jackets… Damn. Glad I didn’t put a wager on them. Overall though, it’s damn good for us that Miami/Clemson lost as those are 2 teams that would be difficult for us to top, while VT/GT seem to be a bit on the easier side.
Alpha, I can assure you my “Peace” wife, ain’t no saint!! I corrupted her long ago!
Greywolf, it wasn’t only the “slide rule on the hip”, it was the slide rule on the hip in the Army uniform headed to the armory to check out her weapon for drill!!
I found a site into the library a few weeks ago and looked at a ton of old pictures. If you remember 63-65 era, our head cheerleader(female) wore her military uniform on drill days!!
I thought I’d “died and gone to heaven” when I came back to finish after the Army and dated a coed one night who took me back to her dorm room in Sullivan for a “visit”!!
jimmy dikes. that sucks
There are several us on the chat
X
X
That chat sucks
Since its now tied up, maybe we’ll play like it’s the still the 1st half – oh wait, we blew that lead. Maybe we’ll play like the first 10 minutes for a full twenty.
Mays got a lot to learn, but I think he’s 10x better than Farnold.
Where the hell was the foul on Horner there at the end??? Officials need to get their thumbs out of their asses.
Disappointing to be tied, we had control of this game. Started to figure out how to penetrate that zone late in the half, otherwise Maryland was about to run out to a lead at the break.
Costner may as well play for the opposition. Worthless.
sad end to the 1st half. this is on sid. He needs to find adjustments to the 3-2 zone. We look like crap out there throwing it around until 10 sec on the shot clock and then turn it over or throw up a prayer. ridiculous. Sid needs to make adjustments and figure this crap out.
Once again, long droughts of scoreless ball. Ridiculous.
Also, is it real hard to draw up a play to inbound the ball. Have we ever heard of setting a screen. This McCauley “post up in bounds play” is killing me.
AAAARRRRRRGGGGGHHHHHH!!
We should be killing this freakin team.
Sidney Lowe is getting his ass kicked by Gary Williams again.
We come out stomping that team as we should given the advantages and poof … it’s gone.
Confidence eroded.
Sh*t.