NC STATE at DUKE PREVIEW

Time: 2:00 pm
TV: CBS
Announcers: Kevin Harlan, Bill Raftery

This isn’t your traditional Duke team, they have a huge offensive punch but lack the shutdown defense that has come to be expected of a Duke team. Plus they lack any height inside, that is where they are vulnerable, if you take advantage of it.

If State can pound the ball inside and somehow avoid foul trouble then I think the Pack can make a game of this. Of course if the “tendencies” are called then the game is already over.

There’s no sugar coating this, the Pack sucks on defense. In fact it’s my biggest problem with Gottfried, none of his players every exhibit basic fundamental defensive principles, just a lot of standing and reaching in while no one ever talks to each other. “The legs feed the wolf” and the defense feeds the offense, it’s that simple and yet we can’t seem to grasp this notion. It’s going to be a long day on defense, at least we won’t have to worry about the Pack’s bad defensive rebounding since Duke won’t miss many shots and even if they do I’m sure a “foul” was committed.

Prediction:

KenPom likes Duke by 14. I think this game will be over in the first 5 minutes but the Pack will find a way to give us just enough hope to keep watching.

Watchability:

Attending a One Direction Concert. Look, this will likely make your eyes bleed. Turn it on and find something else to do while it’s on in the background.

NEWS CLIPS:

Joe Giglio (N&O)
NC State has ‘big’ advantage against Duke

“In previous games, we haven’t been as aggressive as we should be,” Anya said. “We were more aggressive at Wake and I think you’ll see more of that the rest of the year.”

The Wolfpack’s interior success came against Wake’s man defense in the first half, and that’s how the UCLA system is supposed to work, with the offense flowing through the bigs, who have to be aggressive.

Getting his young post players to be assertive has been a challenge for Gottfried, whose first two N.C. State teams were driven by the post production of C.J. Leslie and Richard Howell.

“Our young guys, they’re good,” Gottfried said. “For our team to develop into the best we can become, our big guys need to develop.”

Before the season, Gottfried knew his quarter of inexperienced post options — even Vandenberg, a fifth-year senior, played sparingly before this season — wouldn’t match the production of Leslie and Howell, the two leading scorers from the 2012-13 team. Leslie (15.1 points per game) and Howell (12.7) accounted for 35.9 percent of the Pack’s scoring last season (27.8 of its 77.4 points per game).

Through 17 games, the quartet of Vandenberg-Anya-Washington-Freeman have combined for 16.8 points per game or 23.2 percent of the team’s 72.5 points per game. That’s not enough, not in a system predicated on the production of its forwards.

“Our bigs need to touch the ball more,” Gottfried said. “It’s something that we’ve tried to make a point of emphasis, I thought the first half (at Wake Forest) we did a great job of that.”

Luke DeCock (N&O)
Wolfpack looks for first win against Krzyzewski at Duke since ’88

It has been years – decades – since N.C. State last beat a Duke team coached my Mike Krzyzewski in Cameron Indoor Stadium.

There isn’t a player on either team who was even close to being born. Some weren’t born in 1995, when Krzyzewski stepped aside for Pete Gaudet and N.C. State was one of six ACC teams to beat Duke in Cameron.

1988.

“Wow,” Duke guard Quinn Cook said. “We would definitely like to continue that streak.”

The Wolfpack appears to have two of the ingredients needed to upset Duke this season: A perimeter penetration threat and inside scoring. That formula worked for Notre Dame and it worked for Clemson, although both games were on the road. (Duke’s two other losses, to Kansas and Arizona, were on more even terms.)

For the Irish, that was Michigan State transfer Garrick Sherman (14 points) on the inside and Eric Atkins (19 points, 11 assists) on the outside. For the Tigers, it was K.J. McDaniels (24 points) on the inside and Rod Hall (11 points, four assists) on the outside.

N.C. State’s two best players just happen to be 6-foot-8 forward T.J. Warren, who leads the ACC at 22.2 points per game, and speedy freshman point guard Cat Barber, who excels at blowing past defenders and getting to the rim.

Stephen Schramm (fayobserver.com)
ACC Basketball: Three to know for N.C. State at No. 23 Duke

1. In need of a lift

Duke comes into today’s game looking to nurse some fragile momentum while the Wolfpack just hopes to start some.

On Friday, Duke guard Rasheed Sulaimon called Monday night’s dramatic 69-64 victory against Virginia as a “must-win.”

He has a point. If the Cavaliers had been able to hold on to their slim lead in the final minute, it would have dropped Duke to 1-3 in the ACC and turn the slight unrest created by road losses to Notre Dame and Clemson into a full-on panic.

But down by a point, Sulaimon hit a clutch 3 and Amile Jefferson hit a pair of free throws to give Duke the win.

“After the game, everybody felt good personally and collectively as a team about the team that we beat and the fashion that we beat them in,” Sulaimon said. “It was definitely a confidence boost for us and we know if we play like that, we can continue to string up wins.”

Meanwhile, N.C. State is in dire need of something to feel good about. Starting with a Dec. 28 loss at home to Missouri, N.C. State has just two wins in its last four games, and one of those victories was a shaky one at UNC-Greensboro.

The Wolfpack showed some signs of progress on Wednesday night at Wake Forest, overcoming an early deficit and leading for most of the second half. But a late layup by Codi-Miller McIntyre ended up dealing the Wolfpack a 70-69 loss.

3. Lewis questionable

N.C. State could be thin at point guard as the status of sophomore Tyler Lewis is in doubt.

Lewis played six minutes early but missed the second half against Wake Forest due to illness. He was so uncomfortable that he briefly left the bench.

Stephen Schramm (fayobserver.com)
N.C. State’s big men must step up against Duke

After Thursday’s practice had wrapped up, N.C. State forward Lennard Freeman was surrounded by a cluster of reporters, barely containing his excitement for today’s trip to face No. 23 Duke, saying it’s been something he’s looked forward to.

Meanwhile, fellow freshman BeeJay Anya lurked largely unnoticed just behind the cameras, trying to distract Freeman with a mischievous smile.

In that moment, it was easy to remember that the two are 18 years old and just 17 games into their college careers. But today, if the Wolfpack is to break nearly two decades of frustration at Duke and end its run of recent struggles, Anya, Freeman and the rest of the Wolfpack’s big men will need to play beyond their years.

With four losses in its last six games, N.C. State (11-6 overall, 1-3 ACC) has entered a period of reassessment. It knows that when it opens things up for sophomore forward T.J. Warren, the ACC’s leading scorer, things go well. When it runs into a zone defense, which slows down its high-post offense, limits Warren and exploits the Wolfpack’s suspect outside shooting, things usually don’t.

But Wolfpack coach Mark Gottfried sees a solution.

In Wednesday night’s 70-69 loss to Wake Forest, the Wolfpack’s big men proved to be a reliable source of scoring. Anya, Freeman, fellow freshman Kyle Washington and senior Jordan Vandenberg combined to go 9 of 13 for 22 points. They also had 21 rebounds, helping the Wolfpack to a decisive advantage in points in the paint (36-24) and second-chance points (23-4).

While much of it is young, with five players that are 6-foot-8 or taller, the Wolfpack does have size. And against the Demon Deacons, N.C. State showed how effective it can be when it uses it.

“For our team to develop into the best that we can become, our big guys have got to develop,” Gottfried said. “We’ve got to get them the ball along the way.”

GoPack.com
919 Showdown: NC State at Duke On Saturday

Two of college basketball’s storied programs will take the court Saturday afternoon when NC State travels to No. 23 Duke at 2 p.m. The 238th meeting between the Wolfpack and the Blue Devils will be on CBS.

The two teams split last season, with the home team winning each contest. Wolfpack fans rushed the court after NCSU’s 84-76 win last January at PNC Arena. The victory in Raleigh came when Duke was ranked No. 1 and hadn’t yet lost.

NC State (11-6, 1-3) will go into Cameron Indoor Stadium with the ACC’s leading scorer T.J. Warren, who averages 22.2 points per game. Warren scored 22 in NC State’s last game, a 70-69 loss at Wake Forest that the Wolfpack led for most of the night. NCSU has won three of its last four road contests.

Duke (13-4, 2-2) is coming off a close win over Virginia, a team NC State played last Saturday. The Blue Devils are led by freshman Jabari Parker, who averages 18.8 points and 7.3 rebounds per game.

After playing Duke, NC State has a quick turnaround before it hosts Maryland Monday, Jan. 20 at 9 p.m.

1. SCHEDULING QUIRK
In a scheduling quirk, NC State will be playing its fourth game at Duke in the last five meetings between the two schools. The Wolfpack played at Cameron Indoor in 2011 and in the schools’ only meeting in 2012. The two Triangle schools played a home-and-home last season and now the Wolfpack is back at Duke for Saturday’s contest. Since 2008, six of the 10 meetings between the two schools have been in Durham.

About 1.21 Jigawatts

Class of '98, Mechanical Engineer, State fan since arriving on campus and it's been a painful ride ever since. I live by the Law of NC State Fandom, "For every Elation there is an equal and opposite Frustration."

13-14 Basketball

Home Forums NC STATE at DUKE PREVIEW

Viewing 25 posts - 251 through 275 (of 285 total)
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  • #37621
    Whiteshoes67
    Participant

    Gottfried’s Alabama teams defenses ranked 68, 83, 79, 126, 126, 122, 98 from 2003-2009. This was the SEC. Scoring at least helps your defense get set, and he’s typically been better in that department. But when his teams don’t score, his teams are flat out bad because they simply don’t defend well enough to stay in games. After the Lowe years, I was happy to actually see our players take a few charges. But only a few. IT’s like watching the Red Sea part when the opposing team goes down the lane. Lots of watching in the half court, poor communication, poor fundamentals in general, not to mention lack of consistent effort on that end. Talibeard would’ve averaged 20+ rebounds a game last year if he’d have actually boxed somebody out. Gottfried needs a lot of pieces in place to be moderately successful. Now, he’s facing an improved ACC with the addition of the old Big East schools. I just don’t ever see him being more middle of the conference here, with an occasional outlier of a team that’s horrendously bad or sweet-16ish good.

    #37622
    Wolfman 9806
    Participant

    Time to fire up the basketball coaching candidates posts! Gott may be done. Back to back blowouts and you should be fired!

    #37623
    Wulfpack
    Participant

    You can’t make broad sweeping generalizations following games at Cameron. That is my only insight of the night.

    #37625
    85Designo
    Participant

    It really doesn’t matter who the coach is, the odds are against us until the playing field is leveled, starting with UNC-Cheat getting sent to the wood shed by the other members of the ACC by voting for sanctions in-house because the NCAA won’t act. But, wont happen because they are all Swoffards bitches………. obviously.

    #37627
    vtpackfan
    Participant

    This team should lose a lot of ACC games. Attrition and a complete lack of planing/developmental made this seasons NCAA hopes D.O.A.

    This was not a given, just a high, high probability…

    That Gott would be considered to be candidate for the chopping block after this season or next was and still is highly improbable.

    As a fan I can only throw this solution, albeit rash, and, a bit reckless.

    Terminate Gott at the end of the season (three possible W’s on the schedule and atleast one due to sheer luck).

    Tell him we don’t fire mid season and that committing the whole 2014-15 season after back-to-back seasons of not returning anything compared to what you have is unacceptable.

    Money is tight so elevate Lutz to put in atleast a one year try out at bargain basement pricing. We are already paying a ton as a film guy/defensive strategist (uh, fail…) so it’s not really like we’re are changing the economics of the sitiuation drastically.

    This won’t happen, I know, but it is one example of outside the box thinking that an AD can (and it does/has happened elsewhere) implement to stave of a death spiral.

    #37628
    Wufpacker
    Participant

    We need a dinosaur that can turn into a robot and chop the water like a karate ninja.

    #37630
    eas
    Participant

    The Gott is here for a while. Too much money for us to drop with the current contract.

    Now that being said if someone could find a
    HOT cheerleader to leave in his office we may have a shot….

    #37631
    PackFamily
    Participant

    I understand the frustration with Gott, especially on defense. As for the criticism of our defense, I would just rather see him focus on his offensive strengths. I think he has heard the criticism throughout his career about his defenses and the result has been no improvement there and a weaker offense. There are only a small handful of coaches who are really good at both. We would be better if he just focused on his strengths (hi-tempo, transition) rather than trying to for a square peg.

    #37632
    Wolfanatic
    Participant

    “We need a dinosaur that can turn into a robot and chop the water like a karate ninja.”

    Why would we not?

    #37633
    TheCOWDOG
    Moderator

    Well…it was a panic hire…No?

    And not a bad one, all things considered.

    Wuf’s dinosaur and PackFamily’s handful, are right on the money, Bill’s AAU take goes hand in hand.

    The dinos are on their way out, unfortunately, the handfuls are exactly that…and God help these coaches from this thing they call basketball anymore.

    No wonder State fan is left to cry incessantly about zeebs.

    #37634
    bill.onthebeach
    Participant

    ^^ THIS is a whole lot better than a “karate ninja who turns into a robot and then turns into a dinosaur”…

    which is a position that one often finds concurrent with white hair.

    ————

    RE: BBall Coaching…

    Has Everybody totally forgotten that Dr. Deb was a successful basketball coach before she was a successful AD ???

    ————
    Mr. Dog… I can’t find your email address in my Gmail… send me one… I want to send you something back….

    #NCSU-North Carolina's #1 FOOTBALL school!
    #37635
    eas
    Participant

    35 point loss…sorry but I had to say it out loud one more time just to take it in.

    #37636
    bill.onthebeach
    Participant

    ^… we have lost the last three BBall games by a combined margin of SIXTY SEVEN POINTS !!

    So What ???

    #NCSU-North Carolina's #1 FOOTBALL school!
    #37637
    mak4dpak
    Participant

    They are open all game for 3s, and we don’t even have a perimeter game. Can our guys actually not shoot outside shots, and 3s. Warren, and Lewis both were hitting them last year. We seem to average 1 or 2 a game. And rely on the inside game, while the other team scores 3s, we trade with 2s, and get further behind. And no matter how quick the ‘Cat’ is, he is out of control, and scores little. I say Lewis needs to be put back at the starting point guard. Speed don’t score points. Mentality and control have more success. Something Barber has not shown me, and Warren seems to get into the CJL mode sometimes, instead of giving the ball off to someone else who has a better shot at the basket. We are on a downward spiral.

    #37638
    mak4dpak
    Participant

    4got we need to file a police report also, with all the steals that took place.

    #37640
    Wulfpack
    Participant

    We aren’t very good. What else is there to say? Hope Gott has a trick up his sleeve in year 4 or else it is back to the mothership.

    #37645
    vtpackfan
    Participant

    Nothing suggests a lick is done concerning the betterment of the team from one year to the next other than what trainer Bob Alejo has succeeded in doing.

    Helping Richard and JV to get into shape has been the only improvement and sign or team/player development. BJ Anya coming in transformed and ready to compete physically at a high level is the only “trick” I foresee as imaginable.

    As for this season, and more importantly this point, there is nothing left except starting Lewis on Monday. I personally like the idea of Cat being the guy because he is capable in more areas and the effort/drive is all you could ask of. He has just hit the wall-and at his speed of action the debris is effecting other players, IMO.

    #37646
    13OT
    Participant

    I’m currently reading the new book, Wooden, and didn’t realize that it took 14 seasons at UCLA before John Wooden even won an NCAA tournament game. But during that time, Wooden had a plan, and was laying the groundwork for better things to come. His Pyramid of Success would probably be too much for the typical Wolfpack player of late to comprehend, but the short of it was that Coach Wooden had a plan, and he was determined to get his players, and himself, to perform to the best of their abilities. In other words, Wooden didn’t worry about the opposition, just his own players.

    Right now, NC State basketball is the antithesis of what Coach Wooden built at UCLA. Our program continues to put on national display, thanks mainly to being associated with the ACC, players who look like they just came in off the street, with no fundamental skills whatsoever. They don’t play defense, they don’t carry themselves with confidence, and they don’t seem to care. Occasionally they’ll look good against other teams whose players also just throw it up and run from one end to the other, but when they run into well-coached teams like UVA and Duke, the wheels come off. Today, a national CBS audience saw our program embarrass itself yet again, outdoing the 31-point home debacle vs the Cavaliers just 7 days ago.

    If the coaching staff were to take this coming Monday night off, the result would be no worse than it’s been so far. It might even be better.

    Debbie Yow certainly had good intentions in making this coaching hire, and I’m sure UCLA may have been in the back of her mind, but the mess we’ve got in Raleigh isn’t even remotely connected to the kind of basketball that made the Bruins famous. And I don’t think it’s going to be.

    Wolfpack basketball has used up every plan from Plan A to Plan 9 From Outer Space; none have worked. I suggest that we quit recruiting NBA wannabees and start looking for players who embrace the team concept of college basketball.

    #37647
    mak4dpak
    Participant

    I say we save our time and money, and go watch the women play. They know what to do, and how to do it. We need to pack Reynolds Coliseum. They are winners, and play like it. No home losses either. Only 2 losses by 9 points each, but closer than the final score. But have knocked off every ranked team above them. Most recently blistering a 17th ranked FSU team, by 23. Miami on the road Sunday, and I actually expect another win. Game televised at 2 on Fox South. If you haven’t seen them, take the time. They deserve it. At least they have the concept of team and basketball down.

    #37649
    JohnGalt78
    Participant

    This is getting so old.

    #37650
    patientwuf
    Participant

    There is an awful lot of RAW ABILITY, very little Talent (as defined elsewhere) and minimal BBall IQ in our young kids….
    and it’s going to take a couple of seasons for most of them to be the best they can be regardless of the color of their jerseys.

    bill I agree wholeheartedly with your assessment but I just don’t see things changing. Out team defense/offense hasn’t really changed in 3 years which is cause for concern.

    That being said Gott and company have the opportunity to right the ship and I hope they do.
    I will always be a hopeful wolfpacker.

    #37651
    Adventuroo
    Participant

    Mak4DPak,

    I TOTALLY agree. I have been going to the women’s games this year….even drove over to Carmichael…IT was UGLY (including the facility), but it was NOT as UGLY as UVA and DUK….

    I told my wife that we could probably pick up a flight in the AM and stay over and be home by noon on Saturday for our afternoon workout….She ALMOST took me up on it…

    I STILL have my 4 LTR’s in the Lenovo Champions Club and will be there Monday Night…..but I will also take in MORE Reynolds games….

    Wes Moore is doing a fine job. I think that Coach Gottfried is TRYING….but like Sidney, it seems like all he gets is deeper in the “hole”. He does NOT have the maturity nor the talent (superstars as well as SOLID players) in 2010/11. BUT, some of the efforts of the team look like what I saw in Lowe’s last year….and we had some pretty potent talent in the 2009/10 team…if you don’t believe it….look at Coach G’s contract….it got PUNCHED when he left Columbus and was headed for St. Louis…

    SO, it is what it is….It STILL hurts….but if we feel bad, what about the 18 – 22 year olds that had to play or sit through the embarrassment ….

    Be there yelling (FOR) the guys on Monday….and the Ladies on Thursday night with the BC Eaglettes come swooping in…

    #37657
    JohnGalt78
    Participant

    Season On The Stink

    #37660
    TMD11
    Participant

    Notes from game:
    Bad.
    Continued poor decision making on offense.
    Lost on defense.
    Shot selection and offensive flow just plain weak.
    Barber’s lack of experience truly evident.
    Anya just not ready yet, Vandenburg not talented enough for ACC, same for Turner.
    Most Duke players shoot better than Turner.
    Gott’s high post scheme ineffective due to youth.

    Good.
    K. Washington is making progress. He and Freeman will make a solid team in the paint in the future.
    Warren should stay around all four years. He’s talented but just not NBA caliber ready at all.
    Lee is a hustling machine.

    IMHO, I think team should 3-4 days off, regroup and reflect mentality. Get a fresh start somehow. It’s needed.

    #37664
    mak4dpak
    Participant

    And put Lewis back as the starting pg. He knows how to run the offense, even though he lacks the speed of Barber. Barber just not ready, and can get really out of control. Still learning, so give Tyler more playing time.

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