Game Thread: State Opens Against New Orleans In Hoops

08-09 Basketball Alums135

Here’s a free audio link of the UNO play-by-play, and the game is on Pack Pass as well.

FINAL SCORE: NCSU 65 New Orleans 59

Note: be sure to scroll to the bottom to see ESPN’s scoreboard.  HT: MillerHighLife on PackPride.

0:14.1 64-59 Gonzalez to the line for two.  First shot: good.  Second shot: no good.

0:29.3 Costner — First shot: good.  63-57.  Second shot: good 64-57

0:29.3 left, 62-57 State to the line for two.  These could ice it.  TO UNO

0:44 62-57

1:10 60-55, State ball.  McCauley fouled on the shot. First shot, swish. Second shot, good.  62-55 60 ticks left.

1:46 State ball, State timeout, 60-55.

2:07 McCauley to the line, makes the first, then misses the second, but State keeps the ball.  60 – 55.

2:26 State 59 – UNO 55.

3:02 59 – 53 State, UNO ball after a turnover.

4:00 57 – 51 Pack.

7:57 Still 48-40 State.  State’s D is forcing UNO to take contested shots and the Pack is still outrebounding the Privateers.  The UNO network is really griping about the refereeing, but that seems to be the way it is on every radio network.  At least their play by play guy tells the score and time, something Gary Hahn ought to learn how to do.

9:16 State 48 – UNO 40 – State takes a :30 TO, UNO to line for 1 and 1.

10:22 State 48 – UNO 38

PACK IS IN THE BONUS the rest of the way.

11:49 NCSU 44 – UNO 38 — State is letting these guys hang around, but UNO has five team fouls and isn’t hitting everything they see anymore.

15:49 NCSU 35- UNO 33 — UNO is coming back to Earth a little, but NCSU is missing their share.

18:30 NCSU 33 – UNO 31

Fells is having a crappy game, IMO.  19:30 he’s called for palming after State has a chance to take the lead.  Then Trevor Ferguson backs it up with a foul.

HALFTIME NCSU 31- UNO 31

1:14 UNO 31 – NCSU 29

State is 9-23 and Costner has 13.

It’s wierd hearing the game being played on Corchiani Court, and UNO’s announcers are talking about it being a “special night.”

2:30 UNO 29 – NCSU 26

5:00 UNO 22 NCSU 20

7:28 UNO 19 NCSU 15

12:55 first half: UNO 9 – NC State 5 in a sloppy game where UNO is getting all the breaks…so far.

Miller High Life posted this on Pack Pride:

espnsuckszl4.jpg

Gotta love ESPN.

08-09 Basketball Alums

135 Responses to Game Thread: State Opens Against New Orleans In Hoops

  1. pakfanistan 11/17/2008 at 4:38 PM #

    redfred,

    I think, “I do expect to see a team that comes into games ready to play, with energy and passion from the very first whistle” is subconcious code for, “I want a team that wins.”

    Think about it, what would a well prepared, hustling team look like if the offense was stalled by poor guard play? I don’t know for sure, but I think it might seem ‘flat’ and ‘unprepared’. Could you imagine cutting all over the court, posting up, battling for position, all while the pg is 30 ft from the basket dribbling around cones?

    I think flat an unprepared can more often be determined by play on defense than on offense. Is the other team shooting uncontested shots? Are they driving by flat footed defenders? Are people playing help defense? Are they in a position to rebound?

    Of course, rebounding is a whole other issue in itself. Harris can grab as many or more boards than Coster and McCauley in seven minutes of playing time. Heck, last year, McCauley averaged 3.7 rebounds a game and Javi averaged 3. So, the tallest guy on our team averaged .7 rebounds more than the shortest guy on our team…and it’s not like he doesn’t know how to rebound, he just doesn’t for some reason. I watched him stand flat footed on the ground while rebounds whizzed over his head during the Ft. Valley State exhibition. I’m 10000% sure Lowe would considered drawing a pentacle in kitten blood in the lane and putting a lock of McCauley’s hair and his sneakers in it if it would help him rebound, because I’m 100000% sure Lowe has tried every other way possible to get him to rebound.

    Ok, that was all over the map. Sorry.

  2. redfred2 11/17/2008 at 5:30 PM #

    pakfanistan,

    Um, I can’t really tell whether you’re trying to disagree with me or not, but either way, you pretty much made all of my points for me.

    First off, have I even mentioned the word “offense” on this thread?

    Plus, have you ever read anything that I’ve ever typed that says I’m all about winning, or that I believe it is the most important thing? Sure, I love to win, everybody does, but I can, and I have, enjoyed the hell out of watching players and teams develop and improve over many years watching of NC State sports without them necessarily winning ballgames.

    I refered to rebounding at the top of the thread as a for instance of what ANY coach ANYWHERE might say in an interview. But since you called me out on it, you tell me why these players can’t do something as simple as blocking out for rebounding position? And, if you can’t explain, and as you say Coach Sidney Lowe can’t explain either, then please give me your explanation of why they are allowed to log so many minutes of PT when they do not do one of the most BASIC and FUNDAMENTAL things that any basketball player is supposed to know how to do. Maybe some kid at Catawba might not know how to block out, but as a 6’9″ or 6’10”, D1 prospect, who is recruited to play BB in the ACC, they damn sure should know how to block out, and they damn sure should be doing it while they have on a Wolfpack uniform.

    As far as the flat footed stuff you mentioned on D, I don’t think I need to add to that.

    My whole point is, if you have ‘individuals’ who are talented enough, and who seem willing to work hard enough to shake their defender in order to get an open shot, then those same ‘individuals’ can also work hard to do some of the basic, fundamental, dirty work, that is required to help their TEAM.

    Hate to say it, but if those types of things are not REQUIRED every time out, then it doesn’t matter, a Sidney Lowe coached team with 15 McDonald’s All-Americans on the roster is only going to go so far. I say STOP RIGHT NOW, no matter how bad the play becomes, absorb the losses if that is what it takes, but only allow players on the court who are going put real effort into everything that they do.

  3. wufpup76 11/17/2008 at 8:18 PM #

    “Yeah URI got screwed. THat explains their 100+ wins vs 4 losses to non ranked opponenets at home”

    Ok, ok … Duke played really good, tight D late in the 2nd half which was the primary reason for their win

    I just hate giving them credit and enjoy whining about them greatly, so please pardon … There was indeed too high a disparity in the total number of free throws, however – particularly in the first half when that was the only way Duke stayed w/in 12 points … Also, URI’s last defensive possession did result in a clean strip of Singler, but a foul was called – I was not exaggerating on that one

    But I’ll continue to whine about Duke b/c I derive too much enjoyment from it 🙂

  4. pakfanistan 11/17/2008 at 9:27 PM #

    Red,

    I’m not trying to disagree with you per se, rather, I’m saying I don’t think you can take these loses at face value. I do think that last year there were some motivation/discipline problems that stopped us from reaching our potential. Realistically though, you’re probably only talking about a 4 – 5 game swing.

    This year, we’re dealing with problems that coaching can’t fix and that’s guards with limited talent and big men that just don’t have it. I think there is a clear line between players like Hickson, Smith, Gonzalez, and Williams vs. Costner, McCauley, and Fells.

    One group has us saying, “Wow, he’s going to be good,” or, “Wow, he plays hard,” while the other group has us saying, “Where is his head?” or “He seems like he’s pouting,” or, “He doesn’t seem to care.”

    There just aren’t enough people on a basketball team to NOT play those guys.

    Anyway, there is a group of players that plays hard, and looks well prepared. And there is a group that does not. My point in my earlier post was, you’re getting what you want just not from the whole team, and I don’t think you’ll ever get it from some of them, no matter who the coach is. Things are looking good for the future, so sit back, relax and enjoy the new guys and a couple of them incumbents who are doing the best they can. If we still have the same problems at the end of next year, then I think we’ll have some legitimate reasons to complain.

  5. choppack1 11/17/2008 at 10:21 PM #

    Regarding the guard play – that’s a fair point. Here’s my only problem w/ what – if there’s a position that should be easy to recruit, it’s the 2 guard.

    I’m more than a little concerned that in his 3rd recruiting class, Sidney is finally bringing his first shooting guards.

    I’m not writing off CJ or Thomas, but these guys strike me more as 3s who can play the 2 in the pinch. This team could really use a Anthony Grundy/CC Harrison type – a quick, athletic 2Guard, who can play the 1 spot in a crunch and who can create his own shot. It sounds like we may have that next year and we also get a pure shooter.

    Like others, I’m just looking for effort and execution this year. I didn’t see the game, but it didn’t sound like we were too bad in either area Saturday.

  6. JeremyH 11/18/2008 at 12:11 AM #

    Lakista McCuller was a pure shooter…

  7. Rick 11/18/2008 at 8:22 AM #

    After rereading my post I should have been clear.
    URI did get screwed by the refs and I beleive the refs have had a hand in that great home recrod they have. That was the point I was trying to make but did not.

  8. wufpup76 11/18/2008 at 8:30 PM #

    ^No worries, Rick 😉

    I know for a fact that I tend to exaggerate – just a bit (wink, wink) – when it comes to Duke getting some favorable calls from the refs

    I think we’re all in agreement about teams outplaying Duke but still losing … It would be wonderful to watch or play a game knowing that everything would be consistent and even coming from the refs – but they are human (I think … unless they’re all evil Kerkooskie creations)

  9. redfred2 11/18/2008 at 8:39 PM #

    pakfanistan, I think we’re closer to agreeing than maybe either of us thought earlier. Your point is that we just have to wait until Lowe has a chance with the type of players that he wants in HIS program. I totally agree with that. My point is, and I said it last season, but I’ll also admit that Lowe probably would have much better served by doing what I’m suggesting back then rather than now, but the Head Coach needs to draw a line in the sand and then simply sit those players who do not measure up. I’m not talking about any of the point guards either, they do try, I’m talking about the players that can, but won’t.

    Those players I’m talking about are older, they are the supposed veteran leadership, and all of the other kids naturally look up to them to set THE tone. Last year, and possibly right now, that tone stunk of half-hearted and lack luster in every respect. Lowe did sit down one player last season, and that did take me by surprise, but I believe he should have also shown another player a seat on the bench right beside McCauley.

    Like I said before, there should be a stopping point where Lowe no longer puts up with the crappy effort that is devoted to fulfilling that player’s position, and the basic skills that his position requires. It is only putting a bad face on the program and openning the door for Lowe’s own recruits to repeat it later on.

    Chop, sorry to beat a dead horse, but this IS NOT Lowe’s third recruiting class, it may be his 2.25 or 2.30 year recruiting class, that is if you are strictly using time as the measuring stick. But it sure ain’t his third. Taking into consideration all of the unbelievable circumstances that surrounded that first, and partial, recruiting season, I’d almost be willing to to say that it handicapped the coach so bad and so far into the future, that I wouldn’t even consider that Lowe has even seen a second full recruiting class thus far.

  10. redfred2 11/18/2008 at 9:57 PM #

    Davidson looks almost as bad as UK does, but they’re still within striking distance.

    Curry HITS!

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