State comeback falls just short in 73-70 loss to Clemson

09-10 Basketball51

Watching the Pack come all the way back from a 21-point first half deficit to get within one point of the Tigers was a lot of fun and showed me a lot about the character of this year’s group, but it still stings to lose another close game, especially at home.

Here’s the box score. The most glaring thing from the box is the performance, or lack thereof, from Javi Gonzalez and Dennis Horner. Two points, two assists and four turnovers, combined. Thanks for showing up guys. Sheeessshh.

Here’s some other things I noticed from today’s action. Some of this stuff has me more positive while some of it has me raising my eyebrows.

Julius Mays and Farnold Degand are no longer liabilities.

I must admit, I didn’t see this coming whatsoever. At the beginning of the year I thought both Mays and Degand would see limited action backing Javi Gonzalez up and sparing CJ Williams here and there. In the last few weeks the exact opposite situation has unfolded. Degand and Mays have played consistently again and again and have earned the minutes they’ve gotten recently. They are both still good for a bonehead play here and there, but who on this team isn’t? It is NC State, right?

Something is up with Javi Gonzalez.

Gonzalez hasn’t played very well for a couple of weeks now and didn’t again today. Actually, let me rephrase that. He played awful and what’s even worse is that he didn’t looked like he cared all that much. In his post-game interview Sidney Lowe hinted that something has been going on but said he didn’t know what it was. He also said he didn’t feel comfortable having Gonzalez or Dennis Horner on the court during NC State’s run in the second half. Javi needs to play better because State needs all the depth it can possibly have, especially at the point guard position.

Richard Howell is turning into a player, quick.

He’s not quite there yet, but he’s getting closer every game. His double double performance today — 13 points and 12 boards – was an impressive thing to watch and his defensive effort against Trevor Booker (who is most certainly a first-team All-ACC player) was commendable. Once Howell gets a bit stronger with the ball and more confident on the offensive end, he has a chance to be special.

There is the potential for quite a bit of fallout from today’s game with regard to the starting lineup. Lowe changed things up with the insertion of Farnold Degand last week and more changes could be on the way. I would not be shocked if Mays and Howell start Wednesday night against Duke. In reality, why shouldn’t they? IMO, they deserve to.

09-10 Basketball

51 Responses to State comeback falls just short in 73-70 loss to Clemson

  1. Rick 01/17/2010 at 9:33 AM #

    I am sure JG will turn it around and play well again. That seems to happen with all our guards. They look awful and then turn around and look great again. I cannot figure out why.

    We need to play a whole game. This is a consistent pattern. It has to change.

    We do not have “bad luck”. We are simply not that good and to blame it on luck is a fools game.

    I do have some hope for next year.

  2. Rochester 01/17/2010 at 10:35 AM #

    Within a span of 1:36 in the first half Javi took an ill-advised Archie Miller layup that was blocked by Tanner Smith, missed a three pointer, turnover, foul, foul, turnover, benched. All in barely over a minute and a half. Wow. That’s an entire game worth of sucking for some people.

    There was a play about two minutes into the second half where Javi turned the ball over and Clemson made an easy layup with zero effort from us to get back and stop them. Lowe called a timeout and I’m pretty sure when we took the floor again Javi and Horner were on the bench, replaced by Mays and Howell.

    In recent years we didn’t have anyone to go to, which is why certain players stayed on the floor even when they weren’t getting it done. We finally have someone who can step in and replace the starters if necessary, and that’s how you come back when down 20 instead of mailing it in. Of course, if we start the game with the right five, maybe we won’t need the furious comebacks.

    If Mays and Howell start the next game that is 3 of 5 starters replaced from the start of the season (Degand for CJ Williams being the other). Mays, Degand, Wood, Howell and Smith gives us five potential scorers on the floor at the same time and some nice rebounding ability with Smith and Howell. I hope we give that lineup a chance.

  3. GAWolf 01/17/2010 at 10:53 AM #

    Glad to hear the crowd acknowledged the amazing effort in the second half. Those boys need a pat on the back…. both figuratively and literally.

    I just pray they can see the value in what they did as opposed to harp on the negative that they lost.

  4. Wisc-Wolf 01/17/2010 at 10:57 AM #

    I was at the game. The first minute and a half of the second half Javi seemed like he wanted to see how bad he could play before Lowe takes him out. At the timeout around the 18 minute mark he stood behind the huddle and did not participate. Of course he did not get back into the game but did cheer the team on.

  5. Bigzone 01/17/2010 at 11:50 AM #

    I,m glad to see Mays & Howell stepping up. I think the point guard spot will stay with Mays because Javi just dosen’t take care of the ball ,and now that Wood is hitting his stride Mays seems to remember that old high school chemistry ,and in my opion that is the difference in the point guard position being that the two are pretty close in there abilities. I like the fight in this team this year ,and like some of the other posters I think next year is going to be fun.

  6. UpstateSCWolfpack 01/17/2010 at 12:48 PM #

    I was impressed with the second half intensity and team work. I am buying into Lowe and his system, and I believe that with the players coming in next season, that this is a team on the brink of being really good. No way are we the last place team this year in the ACC. We are going to lose some close ones this year, but we are also going to win some big games. I have no prediction for the post-season, but I feel positive about the direction this team is headed.

  7. NJpack 01/17/2010 at 1:03 PM #

    Let me rephrase my previous post about us having back luck – it is very unfortunate that our key injuries during Lowe’s tenure (Atsur, Degand, hell even Javi’s thumb his Freshman year), have come at the PG position where we have zero margin for error. I still consider Degand a PG this year even if we want to call him a 2 guard. I definitely agree with another post that another plus with Mays is that he and Wood should click together given that were high school teammates.

  8. whope90 01/17/2010 at 1:27 PM #

    I think our best line-up as previous stated is: Howell, T.Smith, S.Wood F Degand and Javi G with Mayes off the bench with big V then Horner. Why Horner was made to play power forward over howell is a big mistake!

    I commend the fans who gave these fine young players a standing ovation thank you!! T.Smith,Howell, Wood, Mayes and Big V are fine good young fundamental sound players(from good high school coaching)that can turn this team and program around. If there are issues with Javi G, then the kid needs to grow up fast because he is wasting his opportunity while playing in the ACC. All he needs to do is work hard, keep at it and leave it all on the court. But i love the Howell kid along with T.Smith. Both are fine first level ACC power forwards along with S. Wood gives us a young good front line.

    And if you notice in Chapel Hill,the “Real Roy Williams”cannot coach unless he has the best talent in the nation” How that team is 12-6 is beyond me loll!!! Even Les Robinson could win with that group(ouch!)

    But everyone is right, The ACC is having a down year again and the Pack and Lowe better be at least 8-8 and make some real progress this year or 2010-2011 will be worse. Imagine having Ryan H, L brown S wood, RHowell and T smith and being 5-11? It could happen.

    But great effort SAT by the Young Guns! Go Pack!

  9. whope90 01/17/2010 at 1:38 PM #

    P.S. I like this team,especially after a loss, it seems to come back and play harder depsite the bad coaching. I would really be surprised if Weds at Duke that the game is nøt close or we pull out a win. Duke is extremely overrated and Jon S is not the ACC Player of the year! The Wisconsin game showed that Duke is not a very athletic team and the pack could surprise them. State has played them close lately,and these young guns play better on the road then at the RBC. I really wish the AD would consider going back to Reynolds and miss the “olde announcer” Man, that would be great and we would have a home court advantage again rather than playing in that Hockey Dome!

    Really, is it too much to ask to renovate Reynolds and have the Men’s team play there with the on-campus atmosphere and feel? Or maybe we could put a wall up on the upper decks of the RBC and move everyone down
    and keep it loud? loll

    Man, if State could beat Duke and have two wins over ranked teams in a week that would help the “young guns” turn the program around.
    Besides, isn’t BC the worst team in the ACC, because the team that played Sat was far from that!!!

  10. 61Packer 01/17/2010 at 3:01 PM #

    I’m not sure BC is the worst team in the league. It might be Miami.

  11. Rochester 01/17/2010 at 4:41 PM #

    ^They both lost point guards who pretty much carried them last year, so it’s no surprise to see them near the bottom of the league.

  12. ryebread 01/17/2010 at 5:25 PM #

    Before the year, I thought the bottom three were Wake, Miami and BC (in that order). I didn’t see how those teams would survive their attrition. Wake has really surprised me — especially the win @ Gonzaga. Miami loaded up on cupcakes, but has lost in their real games. BC is exactly what I thought they’d be.

    MD is the team in the ACC that has underperformed against what I expected so far. I didn’t see Vasquez starting out in such a slump. I had them picked for 2nd in the league behind Duke.

  13. wayofthemaster 01/17/2010 at 5:39 PM #

    GAWolf and Clarksa, agree with you completely on the Corchiani and UNC parallels. I was having a conversation with a UNC alumnus during the Tech game Saturday and told him, “Welcome to my world.”

    I said the same thing, State hasn’t had a top-flight point guard since Corch and 18 years is a long time to go without an NBA or near NBA quality player at the most important position on the floor.

    Can’t imagine what Roy was thinking not bringing in a point guard this year. He had to know Lawson was going to bolt. He must have thought Drew was going to step up his game. What a miscalculation.

    I’ll be very disappointed if the Pack doesn’t split with the Heels this year.

  14. wolfmanmat 01/17/2010 at 5:49 PM #

    Yea, UNC is not good right now. But, gotta disagree on Duke. Duke has the best team in the conference by a long distance. They are the only team in the conference(sans Clemson vs. UNC I suppose) that can really beat the crap out of someone. That DUke/Zaga game showed everyone that. And they are very athletic. There’s no team with 7 McDonalds AAs that is not. We will need to play much better versus Duke in the first half, because they don’t let opponents claw back in a game after 20 point leads…unlike Clemson(see Fighting Illini).

  15. WolftownVA81 01/17/2010 at 6:19 PM #

    Congrats to the team for a great second half. This is what I’ve been waiting to see. Lets keep up the effort and show the conference they had better not count us out.

  16. Wulfpack 01/17/2010 at 6:22 PM #

    It shouldn’t surprise anyone that Wake is having a good season. Ish Smith is a very good point guard and then you have Aminu, a first round pick. I put the Deacs and Clemson right behind Duke. GT has impressed in conference play and should contend for an NCAA bid.

  17. Wolfy__79 01/17/2010 at 9:13 PM #

    the main thing i see with javi is his attitude problem. i’m not sure why he can’t concentrate all the time. his mental lapses during the games really become painful. he has certainly suprised me this year with his progress.. i hoped to see the progress specifically as a pg.. but he really has alot to go on that front.

    last year i had high hopes at first for degand to be the pg and mays being the shooting guard. after a while my hopes changed towards a possible fulltime move for mays to pg. it’s taken a year, but may’s appears to be doing just that. he was actually running the offense saturday. earlier this year he would hold his hand up dribbling as if he didn’t know what to do or where to go with the ball. to cap off his good game, it was also nice to see him step up and fire the last shots. of course, even nicer if he would have sank one of them. we played with confidence that i haven’t seen since the late 80’s in the second half.. and sustained it to the end.

    i’m definetly giving the coaching staff all the credit here. someone mentioned earlier that the players did a good job despite bad coaching? how is that even possible. if it were up to the players horner and javi would have been out there missing layups and throwing the ball away, oh yeah,.. and the occasional missed free throw. give sid some cred here, he’s doing alright

  18. Wolfy__79 01/17/2010 at 9:20 PM #

    the top half of the conference is led by duke, clemson, va tech, md, gt and possibly unc-ch? i think unc-ch will continue to have problems with some of the better backcourts in the conf. duke is hands down the best team in the conf thus far. but they are duke, they tend to play soft at times. to me, clemson is the no.2 team thus far, they are good inside and out with great play from their upperclassmen. those two really stand out, it seems like there will be a dogfight b/t the rest of the guys.

    the matchup against duke will tell us alot about what we can expect from the guys the rest of the year. we didn’t do ourselves any favors scheduling fsu, clemson, duke, md, unc…. but it should weather us a little bit for a late run. i think each of our next few is winnable, md being one of the tougher matchups.

  19. travelwolf 01/18/2010 at 2:00 AM #

    I’ll bet that both Horner and Javi are dealing with injuries. Last year Fells had several games where he “didn’t show up” or “didn’t seem to care”. Then I found out from interviews in the summer that he had a sprained ankle during that time. My guess is that a few weeks from now, they’ll both be playing much better.

    I thoroughly enjoy watching this team play – as opposed to the last 3 years (not to mention the last 12 years). Let’s hope things keep improving. Don’t forget how young we are and that we lost 3 senior starters. Despite losing, I’m still positive.

  20. Rochester 01/18/2010 at 4:05 AM #

    Don’t forget how young we are and that we lost 3 senior starters. Despite losing, I’m still positive.

    Even our upperclassmen are relatively inexperienced. We have no one on the roster who has started for a full season. Tracy didn’t get into the lineup regularly until midway through last year. Javi and Degand were in and out of the lineup the past two years. Horner only had a handful of starts. Next year, even with a young backcourt, we’ll have starting experience from Wood, Tracy and hopefully Howell for half a season (please start him, Sid).

    By the way, for Clemson’s sake, I hope Stitt’s injury isn’t serious. They are much stronger with him on the floor and it would be nice to see them shake things up at the top of the conference.

  21. coach13 01/18/2010 at 11:03 AM #

    Although I think we have some pleasant surprises to look foward to (and I’m sure some surprising disappointments) this year, I look at what we will lose after this season (Horner, Degand) and gain next year, and it really looks like it will work out nicely for us provided the new guys (Harrow, Brown) pan out to their billing and nobody has significant setbacks.

  22. bradleyb123 01/18/2010 at 11:53 AM #

    Tough loss for the Pack. Wish we hadn’t started the game so slowly. We thoroughly outplayed Clemson in the second half.

    Not that this is why we lost, but am I the only one that thinks Mays was fouled on his desperation three point attempt at the end of the first half? To me, it looked like the defender clearly raked his arms across Mays’ arms, preventing even an attempted shot. It looked like the easiest call in the world to make, and no whistle. And the announcers didn’t even mention it, either.

    Something else I noticed was CJ Leslie sitting in the crowd behind our bench. Did anyone else see him? If it wasn’t Leslie, it had to have been his twin that was separated at birth.

  23. packof81 01/18/2010 at 12:54 PM #

    Clarksa said, “Coach Lowe worked the refs the whole game…he just doesn’t scream and cuss at them like K or Roy.”

    You got that right. I watched the Duke-WF game last night and paid attention to K. Screaming and cussing at the refs ought to rate a technical. That has been tolerated way too long. For that matter, the NCAA ought to put the quietus on “working the refs”.

  24. Wolfy__79 01/18/2010 at 8:52 PM #

    good point on the talky to the officials. hell, look what roy has done preceeding their matchups this week… saying something to the notion that the game is too physical.. ha ha. sid is working on them a little but not overkill. there would be some that would condemn him for not being like those two. aside from javi, i don’t see many of the kids really getn out of sorts after a bad call??.. seems like the team composure is much improved.

    ..agreed on stitt, he’s a huge part of their team. he’ll be back. it may cost clemson a spot or two if he’s out for longer than a week, but he’ll be back in plenty of time for clemson’s run.

    i don’t recall the mays “foul?” not that i doubt it. clemson/NCSU has turned out to be one of our more physical matchups in the conf.. not suprised on missed foul calls.

  25. Wolfy__79 01/18/2010 at 8:55 PM #

    oh yeah, maybe not worth mentioning but my favorite play of the game was the degand-smith “alley oop.” been so long since i’ve seen one i can’t even remember how to spell it. that and throwing the ball down with authority… we need those bad! great play young men!

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