Preview: NC State vs Virginia Tech

09-10 Basketball ACC ACC & Other College Basketball61

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When NC State takes the court tonight against Virginia Tech, it will be exactly three weeks since the Wolfpack got its last conference win, an 88-74 triumph over Duke Jan. 20. If there was ever a time when the Wolfpack need a win, it would be now. State (14-10, 2-7) has dropped four straight ACC games since the win over the Blue Devils, scoring just more than 61 points a game and losing by an average of 10 points a contest.

For the Pack to pick up a win over the Hokies (18-4, 5-3), who have become a viable contender in the league recently, the trends from the last four games — scoring droughts, defensive lapses, poor shooting nights —  have to stop.

A potential key for tonight’s game will be the health of guard Farnold Degand. Degand did not play against Georgia Tech Saturday due to a deep thigh bruise and is listed as questionable for tonight’s game.

For thoughts on the game from the Virginia Tech side of the equation, check out Gobbler Country.

Game Notes

NC State Hosts Virginia Tech: After two straight ACC road games, NC State returns to
home action when the Pack plays host to Virginia Tech Wednesday at 9:00 p.m. NC State
head coach Sidney Lowe is 4-1 all-time against the Hokies. The Pack has won six of the eight
games against Virginia Tech since they joined the ACC in the 2004-05 season, including all
three games held in Raleigh.
The two teams have met once each of the last two seasons. NC State won in Raleigh in
2008, 73-63, while Virginia Tech won at home in overtime last season, 91-87.
The game will be broadcasted on ESPNU with Carter Blackburn and LaPhonso Ellis.
The Series Versus Virginia Tech: Wednesday’s contest between NC State and Virginia Tech
will be the 46th meeting between the two schools, as the series dates back to 1914-15.
NC State currently holds a 34-11 advantage in the series. The Pack is 23-6 at home versus
the Hokies, 6-4 in games in Blacksburg, and 5-1 at neutral sites. NC State has not lost to Vir-
ginia Tech at home since the 1940-41 season, and has won all three games since the Hokies
joined the ACC in 2004-05.
The Pack has won six of the eight meetings since the Hokies joined the ACC for the 2004-
05 season, and 17 of the last 20 matchups overall.
Last Season Versus Virginia Tech: Virginia Tech overcame an 18-point deficit in the final 14 min-
utes of regulation, and defeated NC State in overtime, 91-87, in Blacksburg, Va., on February 8. NC
State held its biggest lead of the game, 61-43 at the 14:14 mark, but the Pack would turn the ball over
12 times in the final 13 minutes and were outscored 33-15 in that span. A.D. Vassallo tied the game with

NC State Hosts Virginia Tech

After two straight ACC road games, NC State returns to home action when the Pack plays host to Virginia Tech Wednesday at 9:00 p.m. NC State head coach Sidney Lowe is 4-1 all-time against the Hokies. The Pack has won six of the eight games against Virginia Tech since they joined the ACC in the 2004-05 season, including all three games held in Raleigh. The two teams have met once each of the last two seasons. NC State won in Raleigh in 2008, 73-63, while Virginia Tech won at home in overtime last season, 91-87. The game will be broadcasted on ESPNU with Carter Blackburn and LaPhonso Ellis.

The Series Versus Virginia Tech

Wednesday’s contest between NC State and Virginia Tech will be the 46th meeting between the two schools, as the series dates back to 1914-15. NC State currently holds a 34-11 advantage in the series. The Pack is 23-6 at home versus the Hokies, 6-4 in games in Blacksburg, and 5-1 at neutral sites. NC State has not lost to Virginia Tech at home since the 1940-41 season, and has won all three games since the Hokies joined the ACC in 2004-05. The Pack has won six of the eight meetings since the Hokies joined the ACC for the 2004-05 season, and 17 of the last 20 matchups overall.

Last Season Versus Virginia Tech

Virginia Tech overcame an 18-point deficit in the final 14 minutes of regulation, and defeated NC State in overtime, 91-87, in Blacksburg, Va., on February 8. NC State held its biggest lead of the game, 61-43 at the 14:14 mark, but the Pack would turn the ball over 12 times in the final 13 minutes and were outscored 33-15 in that span. A.D. Vassallo tied the game with 17.9 seconds left, and NC State’s last shot attempt was blocked. Virginia Tech outscored the Pack 15-11 in the extra five minutes, hitting all five of its free throws in the final minute. Ben McCauley finished with game-highs of 25 points and 15 rebounds, and Courtney Fells added 17 points.

Last Time Out for NC State
Julius Mays’ three-pointer as time expired fell short, as No. 21 Georgia Tech held on for a 73-71 win Saturday in Atlanta. The Yellow Jackets held a 69-55 lead with 4:07 before the Pack made the game close. NC State would put together a 14-1 run and cut the lead to 70-69 with 2:07 left. Georgia Tech would then hit three free throws and go up 73-69 with 35 seconds left. Dennis Horner hit a pair of free throws with 19 seconds left, and NC State forced a tie-up and got the ball back with 15 seconds. Javier Gonzalez missed a jumper, and Mays final heave fell short. Farnold Degand missed the game with a thigh injury, while freshmen Josh Davis and Richard Howell each made their first career starts.
 
Degand Misses Time
After being inserted into the starting lineup the previous seven games, senior Farnold Degand missed the Georgia Tech game with a deep thigh bruise. The injury occured in practice prior to the Pack’s trip to Atlanta, and Degand is listed as questionable for the Virginia Tech game. At Georgia Tech, NC State moved Scott Wood over to shooting guard and started Josh Davis at small forward.
 
Changing the Starters
At Georgia Tech this past weekend, NC State took the floor with a new look to open the game. The Pack started three freshmen and two juniors, with two of those players making their first career starts. Freshmen Josh Davis and Richard Howell were each inserted into the starting lineup for the first time this season. Howell’s role has increased as the season has gone on, and he replaced senior Dennis Horner who had started the first 23 games at power forward. Davis got the starting nod at small forward, where he came off the bench and played each of the first 23 games. Classmate Scott Wood is the only Pack player to start all 24 games this season, the first 23 at small forward before starting at shooting guard at Georgia Tech. Juniors Javier Gonzalez and Tracy Smith have been staples in the starting lineup all season, as the two have combined to start 44 of their 46 games played this season.
 
There will be a live blog Wednesday night from the RBC Center. Check back around 8:45 p.m. or so for that.
09-10 Basketball ACC ACC & Other College Basketball

61 Responses to Preview: NC State vs Virginia Tech

  1. wolfpackattack89 02/10/2010 at 6:38 PM #

    Recruiting is only half of it. I’d actually say recruiting is 40 percent of it. Coaching and developing the recruits is 60 percent. If we were an athletic program of any relevance, Sidney Lowe would be gone at the end of this year.

  2. bradleyb123 02/10/2010 at 6:45 PM #

    Can you not see that we have had highly rated kids coming in before?

    Not like this, no.

    And especially not with a 5-star point guard coming in. We haven’t had such a highly-rated PG in years, and that’s a big part of what’s been missing.

  3. 61Packer 02/10/2010 at 7:01 PM #

    With all due respect to your good points, bradley, The BIGGEST part of what’s been missing in NCSU basketball is a good coaching staff.

    We need a 3 or 4-star coaching staff a lot worse than we need a 5-star PG.

  4. NJpack 02/10/2010 at 7:27 PM #

    Knowing that there is a 99.9% chance Lowe will be back next year, I would like to see Monty Towe get replaced. We need an X’s and O’s geek, just like we had when Larry Hunter was here. Someone posted previously that Monty Towe looks like he is nursing a massive hangover when he sits there blankly during our games, that one made me laugh out loud.

  5. VaWolf82 02/10/2010 at 7:49 PM #

    UNC fans thought that they would have plenty of talent this year as well. But of course, things will work out just fine for State….they always do.

  6. Wolfy__79 02/10/2010 at 8:08 PM #

    njpack, i said something very similar earlier. i would love to see that starting lineup. i’m all for going big!! i like davis in the lineup too, i’m for him and painter 50/50 at #3. if degand is healthy, i’m for him at 2 or 1. javi can come off the bench and “rescue” us if its not working. he’s a natural bench warmer, so is hornuts. hell yeah, put that big kid in there, he needs playing time! i’d also like to insert thomas in, alongside davis.. both very active players… there are several different lineups i’d like to see. … .. ..

  7. Wolfy__79 02/10/2010 at 8:15 PM #

    unc has plenty of talent! roy doesn’t effectively coach a halfcourt offense, hence there struggles since he’s been there. he got bailed out in hansbra’s tenure, that kid did alot for that team.

  8. Wolfy__79 02/10/2010 at 8:17 PM #

    i’m all for letting towe move on, a shake up on the coaching staff would be a definite upgrade. i don’t see the point of having towe on the bench if sid is the hc, one of them should go.. its clear that together it isn’t working.

  9. JeremyH 02/10/2010 at 10:26 PM #

    VaWolf- count as more exceptional than that of HWSNBN’s best recruiting class.

  10. blpack 02/10/2010 at 10:28 PM #

    Having better guards will help, but the same crew will be on the sideline. One more year.

  11. bradleyb123 02/11/2010 at 6:02 PM #

    We need a 3 or 4-star coaching staff a lot worse than we need a 5-star PG.

    I’ve stopped arguing against this. I agree. I was making a separate point, that we actually DO have one of the highest-rated point guards we’ve had in a LONG time coming in. Sid DOES deserve some credit for that.

    But I’m not using that to try to prove we need to keep Sidney. I’ve stopped thinking like that. If we lose a recruit or two, so be it. Sid needs to go. But only if we’re going to bring in someone PROVEN, and if Fowler is NO LONGER HERE when we do. If we’re going to bring in another “experiment”, I’d rather experiment with Sidney and his 5-star recruits next year.

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