N.C. State vs. La. Tech – 7pm

N.C. State Wolfpack (9-3) vs. La. Tech Bulldogs (8-3) – 7pm @ PNC Arena; Tv: Espn3 only

Louisiana Tech team page ; GoPack game preview with links to game notes and stats

The Wolfpack will look to get back in to the win column tonight at home against Louisiana Tech … After losing the “basketball game” against West Virginia on Saturday night in Madison Square Garden, the Pack return home to face another tough opponent in the Bulldogs. N.C. State struck out in their only road/neutral games in the non-conference portion of the schedule, so protecting home court now becomes that much more important.

La. Tech enters this contest having faced one common opponent with N.C. State – a 65-52 win over Jackson St. Two of their three losses have come against decent opponents, coming close but falling short at both Temple and Syracuse; the Bulldogs also lost at UL Lafayette. La. Tech doesn’t have any signature victories to speak of this season. Given the Bulldogs’ schedule, any hope of competing for an at-large NCAA berth may already be by the wayside – unless they basically run the table.

That’s not to suggest that La. Tech isn’t a pretty good team. The Bulldogs returned the majority of the team nucleus that won 29 games a season ago.  The ’13-’14 edition of La. Tech finished in a four-way tie for first in C-USA, garnering the 1 seed in the C-USA Tournament before falling short to Tulsa in the title game. Even with the high number of victories, La. Tech’s overall schedule strength relegated them to the NIT.

This season, La. Tech was the consensus pick to win C-USA. The Bulldogs’ main challengers look to be Old Dominion and UTEP; Tulsa has moved on to the AAC. Part of the reason La. Tech was generally picked to win the conference was due to their retention of head coach Michael White. White, in his 4th season at La. Tech, flirted with the openings at both Missouri and Tennessee after the close of last season. White is on pace to record his third 20+ win season at La. Tech in four seasons and will likely be a rumored name for any potential power conference job opening after the season. Local tie: White is the son of Duke AD Kevin White.

As for style of play – guess what? They press. After handling Tennessee’s pressure fairly well, the Pack melted down in the first half against the physical, unrelenting pressure of West Virginia before looking mostly competent in the 2nd half. So, for the Wolfpack, another test – and opportunity – to get better and beat pressure.

Let’s see what happens! Hopefully the Wolfpack can put together a good game and enjoy the Christmas break from a basketball point of view. The Pack won’t be in action again until a week from tonight on December 30th. Please share your thoughts, enjoy the game, and Go Pack!

About wufpup76

'99 grad. Abundant reservoir of useless knowledge and even more useless skills. Vehement believer in the individual voice and also that it will indeed all be over by Friday.

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Home Forums N.C. State vs. La. Tech – 7pm

Viewing 23 posts - 251 through 273 (of 273 total)
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  • #66615
    Texpack
    Participant

    WulfPack – I’d say that’s a reasonable take. We are so perimeter oriented that we will be very hot and cold. We do play enough defense to keep us in some games and weather some dry spells, but the dance is a real reach for this year. I’m very disappointed in the offense from the bigs. That’s what we lack to be a dangerous team, but we are 13 games in and I just don’t see it. Maybe the light goes on for somebody, but I doubt it at this point.

    #66616
    pakfanistan
    Participant

    In the cold, harsh light of morning, I’m still bothered by our inability to handle pressure.

    Saw Gott’s postgame comments about them breaking our press, and thought, maybe we should go back and watch that part of the tape for pointers.

    Will someone who knows more about this than me break down what it takes to beat a pressure defense?

    #66617
    Fastback68
    Participant

    Just read the thread. It’s like walking up on the aftermath of a rave. Lots of bodies lying about but you can tell just about everyone had a good time.

    Bill, at just the right angle, all of those crows could be eliminated with just one shot. 10 gauge, I tell you.

    #66618
    bill.onthebeach
    Participant

    ^F68… go for it.. take that shot.

    where’s wufpup this morning?

    paky… nothing to break down…

    the best way (only high percentage way) to beat a press… is too pass the ball over the press and stay the F out of the corners and traps..

    ball should never touch the floor until you’re 2/3 -3/4 down the floor…
    PASS and CATCH to SPOTS

    #NCSU-North Carolina's #1 FOOTBALL school!
    #66619
    pakfanistan
    Participant

    Honestly, that’s pretty much what I thought.

    We just don’t do it and struggle so much I figured there must be some nuance I’m missing.

    #66620
    Rick
    Keymaster

    Bill hit the nail on the head.
    Pass and attack.
    Being passive is death.

    #66621
    bill.onthebeach
    Participant

    thanks for the vote of confidence Rick…

    we’re not missing anything except a little improvement and some success…

    The difference in the second half v. WVa was KW was the middleman (the wheel and key to success )

    Here’s how it should work…
    1. Big#1 takes the ball out..
    2. Big#1 passes over everybody to Big#2 – the wheel…
    3. Big#2 turns and faces his basket – the ball never drops below his head
    4. Cat is MOVING ONTO one spot, Lacey in MOVING ONTO the other spot – both across half court on opposite sides…
    5. Big#2 passes over everybody to the Open Cat or Lacey…
    OR
    6. Big#2 is patient and sees if either Cat or Lacey open up
    OR
    7. Big#2 passes to either his Other guy (Safety valve) who’s open moving cross court on his side of half court …
    who then passes to Cat or Lacey OR .. or to Big#1 who should be across the court and near halfcourt by now… who doesn’t dribble but passes forward to somebody… or back to Big#2…
    OR
    8. Big#2 takes the foul…

    Now… the man taking the ball – Big#1 – is heavily defended…
    the middle guy- Big#2 is getting double teamed…
    So … somebody is open somewhere… ’cause there’s only two of their guys covering three of ours…
    especially when Big#1 is quicker down the court than his defender…

    And… as a bonus… all this works TEN TIMES better when Big#1 is under the basket and takes the ball out and passes back in in less than TWO seconds…

    Math / Numbers are your friends.

    There is no doubt in my mind…. these kids have drilled this over and over…
    But the guys they are running against during the game ain’t the same guys they practice against…

    So what do we need to improve…
    Big#1… doing this last thing… and everybody else being in the right SPOT… and we are a tad bit ‘slow’ all the way around the court… during the game…

    #NCSU-North Carolina's #1 FOOTBALL school!
    #66622
    wufpup76
    Keymaster

    ^Check that…

    wufpup… what’s your email address?

    Hello! Sorry – just being lazy this morning. You can e-mail me at wufpack76 @ hotmail .com

    #66623
    redcanine
    Participant

    We know UNC (Roy) is known for scoring quickly after an opponent’s made basket. Getting the ball in VERY quickly helps prevent the defense from setting up the trap and fortifying the time line. Meeks is great at that. He sorta backpedals to the inbounds line while keeping his eyes down court. IMO,it begins there. Plus, IMO, we need to give the inbound passer some space (like 20 feet or so) so that he can make a pass with a little steam behind it.

    Pressing teams are athletic teams. Play your most athletic players and you have a chance.

    Edit: Didn’t see Bill’s post at first. Good stuff.

    #66630
    Rick
    Keymaster

    . There is no doubt in my mind…. these kids have drilled this over and over…

    I do doubt as i see no principles as you discussed.

    The only tweak to what you wrote is changing based on the type of press changes where to attack

    #66631
    Gowolves
    Participant

    Rick I mean this in all seriousness. What do you think they do during practice? If they don’t practice freethrows, defense, full press execution, inbound passes, etc, do they just sit around and sing hymns? I bet hipster has a great voice.

    #66633
    bill.onthebeach
    Participant

    ^… and when we win … it’s all due to “Amazing Grace”
    and when we lose it’s “Come Sunday”… and “Lord, Help Us Please”…

    #NCSU-North Carolina's #1 FOOTBALL school!
    #66638
    Rick
    Keymaster

    Rick I mean this in all seriousness. What do you think they do during practice? If they don’t practice freethrows, defense, full press execution, inbound passes, etc, do they just sit around and sing hymns? I bet hipster has a great voice.

    Nice ad hominem, however I questioned whether they practiced breaking a press as bill described it above.

    Since we have struggled mightily against any team that had pressed us, we either do not practice how to properly break a press or the players cannot pick it up.

    I have seen the same problems year to year. Bad defense, losing leads, sub par rebng etc.

    #66639
    Rick
    Keymaster

    ^… and when we win … it’s all due to “Amazing Grace”
    and when we lose it’s “Come Sunday”… and “Lord, Help Us Please”…

    You should be better than this bill. Why do some of you get so upset at a differing point of view?

    #66640
    tjfoose1
    Participant

    Why do some of you get so upset at a differing point of view?

    That’s funny.

    It’s not a differing point of view. It’s the same old same old, over and over and over. Regardless of win or lose, sport, or coach.

    I doubt any regular visitor doubts what they’re about to read when they see your username.

    Surprise us once and pass on the bashing. Add a nugget of insight. Just once.

    #66642
    Rick
    Keymaster

    Why do some of you get so upset at a differing point of view?

    That’s funny.

    It’s not a differing point of view. It’s the same old same old, over and over and over. Regardless of win or lose, sport, or coach.

    I doubt any regular visitor doubts what they’re about to read when they see your username.

    Surprise us once and pass on the bashing. Add a nugget of insight. Just once.

    Maybe it’s the same point of view because before the current coaches we have had three basketball and two football coaches with varying degrees of suck.

    #66643
    pakfanistan
    Participant

    You must realize that most people do not agree that Gott and Doeren suck.

    I think Gott, in year four, is still rebuilding. I know all of his own players blah blah, but…

    His first team was all Lowe players and I really think they just rolled the ball out for practice under Lowe.
    Second team was admittedly a little bit of a disappointment, but it was 1/4 head cases.
    Third team was freshmen and TJ, and they sort of over achieved, considering we lost 75% of our scoring and rebounding from the previous season.

    Now here we are with his fourth team, kids are playing hard, if not always intelligently. And, arguably, this year our second best player is a freshman. They’ll get better as time goes on.

    #66644
    Gowolves
    Participant

    I was at the TN game and I thought they handled the press just fine. Now it wasn’t as good as WVU’s press but they got the ball to the center and didn’t dribble as much.

    The game against WVU was obviously played in a special place with the big lights on. Put those in the mix with the press and it was a perfect plan to screw up. I don’t count count this team out just yet.

    #66649
    Rick
    Keymaster

    I have never said Doreen sucks.
    Neither have I said Gott ‘sucks’. He is a pretty good coach with consistent flaws. He needs superior Tashkent to win but his recruiting is dropping off.

    #66651
    bill.onthebeach
    Participant

    Merry Christmas, ricky…

    Hope you and your family have a great day!

    #NCSU-North Carolina's #1 FOOTBALL school!
    #66653
    Rick
    Keymaster

    Same to you Bill.

    #66657
    pakfanistan
    Participant

    I have never said Doreen sucks.<br>
    Neither have I said Gott ‘sucks’. He is a pretty good coach with consistent flaws. He needs superior Tashkent to win but his recruiting is dropping off.

    You’re right, I misread.

    Merry Christmas Rick.

    #66661
    Rick
    Keymaster

    I have never said Doreen sucks.<br>
    Neither have I said Gott ‘sucks’. He is a pretty good coach with consistent flaws. He needs superior Tashkent to win but his recruiting is dropping off.

    You’re right, I misread.

    Merry Christmas Rick.

    No problem. I have my concerns about Gott but he is the best we have had in a while.

    Merry Christmas to you as well. Let’s all good for an even better year never year.

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