N.C. State @ Wake Forest – 8pm

N.C. State Wolfpack (14-9, 5-5) @ Wake Forest Demon Deacons (10-12, 2-7) | 8pm @ Lawrence Joel Coliseum | TV: ACC Network (WRAL locally)

GoPack preview | Wake team page

Ok, we all know what’s at stake. A win keeps the Pack treading water and trending slightly upward with consecutive road victories. A loss won’t sink the ship, but it would leave her listing badly.

Wake is having a tough season with respect to the W/L column, but the Deacons have shown that they are capable of playing quality basketball in spurts. They have no doubt improved since State played them last, and most likely view tonight’s game as a good opportunity to pick up a win.  Wake Forest has been mostly close and competitive against quality competition since facing the Wolfpack in late December.

Hopefully, the Wolfpack will come out with the focus and discipline necessary to pick up a key victory. As always, Barber, Turner, and Lacey have to be big – but getting the post guys involved early and keeping them involved throughout the game would be a great sign. A better rebounding effort would be good, as well 🙂 .

Ordinarily I’d link the ACC standings showing the respective RPI ratings, however today I’ll steer everyone towards this fantastic ACC mid-season review. If you haven’t checked it out yet, do yourself a favor and get over there … The review has all the information you need to prime yourself  for what State and other ACC teams need to accomplish over the second half of the ACC season in order to get where they want to go.

After tonight, the Pack do not play again until next Wednesday evening – at home against Virginia. After that, there’s plenty of road games as we draw in on some must win games. There are so many ‘at’s left on State’s schedule that I think of the AT-ATs from Star Wars. Hopefully we won’t get slaughtered in those road games like the rebels did in that AT-AT battle. Enjoy the game everyone.

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 @ Wake Forest – 8pm

Viewing 25 posts - 301 through 325 (of 351 total)
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  • #73276
    Wufpacker
    Participant

    Told ya.

    #73277
    wufpup76
    Keymaster

    VT gonna blow it.

    Yep, damn … faint hopes stay alive for Syracuse.

    Do you think it’s ok to say that Syracuse still has hope? Or is that too positive, even if factual?

    #73278
    WolfWiz11
    Participant

    I think it’s safe to say the fellas have given up on this season. The scary thing is, they may have also given up on Coach Gott. The lack of response/effort/decision-making is glaring. 15 points TOTAL from Washington, Abu, Anya, and Freeman??? And only Freeman had 8 rebounds? Turner, 3 for 13, after all the horrible games he’s had lately?

    Sigh. At least I haven’t been watching the games, not since ND. I feel like a quitter, but it’s less stressful this way.

    #73279
    mak4dpak
    Participant

    Can’t we just all get along? It is hard to do after a loss, especially an ugly one.

    #73282
    Wufpacker
    Participant

    Re: ‘Cuse, the phrase “skin of their teeth” comes to mind. Sneaking past VT by 2 in the Carrier Dome should not be taken as a good sign.

    Re: the Pack and the team quitting on Gott, it is a possibility I’m afraid. Time will tell.

    #73284
    MISTA WOLF
    Participant

    I attended the game for some freaking reason or another. Playing in Winston Salem is our personal purgatory, whether it be football or basketball. I had the upmost pleasure to sit 10 rows behind the bench and heard a lot of things that are not good for a team at this point in the season. Guys were bickering and calling each other out and arguing with the coach. During the very first media timeout (15:00 minute mark), Gott broke a clipboard in half, threw an expo marker and challenged the guys to help and recover on defense.
    Needless to say we know how that worked the rest of the half letting me know that:
    a) he has no control
    b) you cant execute what your not taught
    c) what the coach is selling the kids aren’t buying OR
    d) all of the above
    I’m personally leaning towards answer d.
    It also blows my mind how easy it is for our opponents to score while for us to score it takes a miracle. With the speed we have at point I dont understand why we don’t run 5 out motion with simple principles built into it. Leave the paint open to penetrate and pitch or to penetrate and finish. In my 31 years of being a Wolfpack fan, this has to be the most embarrassed I’ve ever felt to don the red and white in public.

    #73285
    wufpup76
    Keymaster

    Can’t we just all get along? It is hard to do after a loss, especially an ugly one.

    If that were only the case.

    Everyone’s entitled to their opinion, and to post it here. If somebody spews crap though they’re gonna get some push back. That goes for everyone here, “keymasters” included.

    #73286
    Wufpacker
    Participant

    We seem to be the basketball version of Cormac McCarthy’s The Road.

    Ha!!! Nice…that made me loller.

    #73287
    choppack1
    Participant

    Ok – can we all agree that this is what we should expect in our current situation? What has occurred in the last 3 years and gott’s coaching career that would lead us to expect otherwise?

    I mean – we see times when we’re very good and fun to watch – and others where we are awful. I don’t expect anything other than us falling on the wrong side of the bubble eventually because that’s what happened at Alabama.

    #73309
    Adventuroo
    Participant

    OK….I’m back. Botb nailed it. I decided to go this afternoon and found some great seats at a real bargain. It was NOT pretty from where I sat. Gott had his coat off in less than 3 minutes. My white shirt correlation did NOT work for this game. The whites seemed to be surrender flags…but, HEY, I’m still up….finishing a Double Black Ruskie….which I needed to calm down.

    First….the Facility….for those of you that were NOT there. Think Reynolds with a 1950’s face lift. The rails on the balcony are works of welded art. Hand made….hand assembled. Did anybody THINK of getting prefabbed stuff.

    I honestly thought during the pregame that we were watching a 1980’s or so “Game Film”. OPPS…that is LIVE TV. Their JumboTron is about 10 ft wide and 6 ft high. It has the clarity and color of my 1996 Sony big screen Bravia Rear Projection TV…when the bulb is so old that it will barely light the screen and needs 10 minutes to warm up.

    Next….come that FUGLY Demon Deacon that does not even know HOW to start that Chopper or ride it. He pushes it around with his legs and revs’ the engine. BUT, he does have enough sense to point the exhaust pipes at our bench. If I had had a CO2 meter, I could have shut down the place as a health hazard. It was really that bad….but bad CAN get worse.

    Mista Wolf was obviously closer to the action that I was….I was at Mid Court on the front row of the upper level. I watched the macro…he saw the micro. SO, here is my take…

    GOTT KNEW we were in deep doodoo from the outset. He was pacing and barking and doing his “Mad Mikey” imitation. I did not see the actual acts of violence….but it does NOT surprise me. My DW, an astute observer, noted that GOTT said he could “tell or predict” how we would play….based on the level of the practices. That level was about -5 on a scale from 0 – 10. He was IMMEDIATELY “in their face”. I personally have watched him for 3+ seasons. Whether he just got the “papers” from Elizabeth or whether someone “close” to him just kicked him out of their co-habitation bed….I do NOT know. BUT, it was obvious that he was NOT a happy camper. If you think that ORW and Malovent Mikey can go ballistic….then Gott has been working on that gig.

    As to the team. We looked great….for about 2 minutes. Cat seemed in control Lacey was cooking. And THEN the bottom fell out. If you looked at the stats in the last few minutes….as they would flash them up. We were shooting about 10 – 12% LESS. BUT, we had exactly the SAME FG and 3Pt’s. The difference….the FT’s. They went to the Line a LOT MORE…and they hit.

    What struck us was TOO THINGS….and folks have commented. The total point production from our “BIGS” was dismal….and that is being nice. If we had been more aggressive or assertive, then, as the Food Lion says, “Victory will be ours”. NOW, couple that with Turner’s continuing drought.

    Had any ONE big stepped up….had Turner HIT just a few….then Danny Manning would be asking…”what happened….”.

    Turner was just a little “OFF” tonight. He shots looked GREAT….until they went DOWN in the cylinder and Skip Prosser’s ghost kicked them back out. They were really pretty good looking shots….just would NOT stay in.

    BJ looks like he is going to be fined big $$’s for a foul. He has “turned down the volume….too MUCH”. Needs to be more aggressive. Freeman actually started the second half….it was THAT bad. Abu now is the Foul or Whistle Magnet. Don’t know why…but he is.

    The Martin clan was NOT cooking. When the “fight” broke out…Cody was frustrated….and rightly so.

    Officiating was not the worst….but not good….and THAT is the norm. Lots of blown calls and “opps, here’s a make-up”

    We have GOTT to be more consistent. We have GOTT to come out and play with confidence….

    That is NOT an X & O thing…but a concept…

    Good thing….we have 8 days off. Tony Bennett has a tough job….how to convince his super stars that we CAN be for real…and worse…trying to prepare for the many faces that our team can bring to the floor.

    At least it is at HOME….

    Being an Ex Environmental Director, I have to see “stuff” wasted….and all the bandwith about DY pulling the pin on GOTT is a waste. It is NOT gonna happen. We do NOT have the UNC infrastructure where the “boosters” will bail her out. If she DOES pull the pin, then that $2,250K will come from INCREASES in ticket prices….NOT Wendell’s petty cash.

    That is fact….blog on if it makes you feel better and the dog is at less risk of emergency treatment….but it is NOT gonna happen….unless there are pictures that surface of GOTT NOT wearing RED whatever’s.

    We GOTT him for a while. I DO agree…he was frustrated. Out of control….maybe. Why…haven’t a clue. Time will tell. He usually proves the critics wrong during this stretch….has for 3 years….will he pull the proverbial rabbit out….

    THAT is why I am staying tuned…..this team has more side and back stories than the Black List ever thought of….

    #73312
    BJD95
    Keymaster

    Well at least Manchester United won today.

    You say that like it’s a GOOD thing.

    No Wolfpack this weekend, but I still have the Merseyside Derby to fill my misery quotient. At least Everton no longer look like relegation fodder. FOR NOW.

    #73313
    BJD95
    Keymaster

    MG clearly gets next season to try to fix this, I have no idea after that. And yes, the facts that (i) the AD likes him; and (ii) he works for (relatively) cheap work in his favor.

    Hey, you guys wanted to stay in the ACC and say no to the SEC money, right? This is what you get.

    #73314
    Wulfpack
    Participant

    Quotes and nuggets:

    “Even within the game, we can be great or we can be bad,” Gottfried said. “We’re everywhere right now.”

    “I don’t know the answer. You coach long enough, you see kind of everything,” Gottfried said.

    Youth is part of the equation but not an excuse, Gottfried said.

    It was the fifth time in six ACC games the Wolfpack either had a double-digit lead or trailed by at least 20 points in the first half.

    http://www.newsobserver.com/2015/02/03/4528420/hot-first-half-shooting-sends.html#storylink=cpy

    #73317
    bill.onthebeach
    Participant

    ‘Roo && Mista …

    It could be worse… I suppose.

    They could be like GOTT’s first team… where the were no high fives during the introductions and once the game started they all except Deshawn sat quietly on the bench, and did not “interact” with each other except in whispers – one guy to the guy sitting next to him… when the tall skinny enigmatic kid who started came out, he went silently to end of the bench past the trainers, crossed his legs, slouched and wouldn’t look at the floor or the Coach…

    That was the most emotionless group of guys wearing the same color jerseys I ever saw anywhere…

    At least these guys GOTT some “heat” – albeit misplaced…

    I dunno guys… starting back in September… we all thought this was going to be the year WITHOUT Head Cases… we all agreed that this TEAM really appeared to like playing with each other…

    Now I understand “Yelling”… can be, at times and when used correctly, a valuable “management” tool… but it looks like in addition to plenty of other thing more fundamental to basketball — these kids have GOTT to learn how and “when” “yell” at each other and how to “listen” and understand Coach when his face is redder than their jersey and his words NSFW.

    SMH

    #NCSU-North Carolina's #1 FOOTBALL school!
    #73322
    Rick
    Keymaster

    It seems every Gott team has had some type of internal issues.

    IMO the death spiral has begun. It is just a matter of time.

    #73325
    eas
    Participant

    Well it sounds like we don’t have any options (financially) other than wait another year and see. What will probably happen is we have a decent showing next year followed by two more egg laying years.

    It’s just hard to think someone making that kind of money has such a bullet proof contract/options. I sure as heck wish my job worked like that!!!!

    There is something very very wrong internally right now. You can’t continue to be that dang awful against weak competition if somethings not a miss.

    Any way we can hire an offense consultant? My gosh it’s terrible.

    #73329
    Texpack
    Participant

    The really bad thing about this team is that we haven’t improved as the season has progressed. That is one thing that I thinks Gott’s teams have consistently done each season, until now. I was fortunate enough to get to sit through a Citizens Advisory Council meeting last night instead of being able to watch. This season is lost, gone, kaput. The bigs, who I thought would be our cornerstone this season, have been a boat anchor. I’ll be surprised if we can go 8-10 in the league. Sad, just sad.

    #73336
    Fastback68
    Participant

    There is something very very wrong internally right now.

    I would pay a lot for a tell all book outlining the truth concerning all internal and external forces surrounding our basketball program going all the way back to Valvano’s hiring. I watched State make the WF center lurch look like an overall #1 NBA draft pick for a day back in the late 80’s. I also watched $25,000 in gambling funds flow in and out of a frat house per week back in the day. Hell, there was a considerable amount of money floating around Bragaw in 1984. There has always seemed to be bad blood between our players from Sendek to Lowe to Gott’s first two years. What is behind all that? How many times over the past decades has the team taken the floor and let the opposition build a 10-20 point lead and then play even the rest of the game? There is a lot more to this decades old story.

    #73340
    backthebackagain
    Participant

    <div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>eas wrote:</div>
    There is something very very wrong internally right now.

    I would pay a lot for a tell all book outlining the truth concerning all internal and external forces surrounding our basketball program going all the way back to Valvano’s hiring. I watched State make the WF center lurch look like an overall #1 NBA draft pick for a day back in the late 80’s. I also watched $25,000 in gambling funds flow in and out of a frat house per week back in the day. Hell, there was a considerable amount of money floating around Bragaw in 1984. There has always seemed to be bad blood between our players from Sendek to Lowe to Gott’s first two years. What is behind all that? How many times over the past decades has the team taken the floor and let the opposition build a 10-20 point lead and then play even the rest of the game? There is a lot more to this decades old story.

    I have said for years that its systematic. I think Chuck broke the trend but he pissed off a lot of donors in the process (murphy, Ramesy, etc) but at least he tore down the barrier and now we are seeing some dividends in football. With basketball its deep rooted. Not sure exactly why but the culture is not there for top notch program or even a program being run with an ounce of effectiveness. When Yow starts hiring her long time friend, that share the same agent, who was run off mid season from his last job and was not even coaching at the time, you know something is off within the Athletic Dept or even university wide. Woodson should have never gone against the committee to hire Yow and someone sure as hell should have vetoed her on hiring Gott. My god didnt any one do any due diligence or vet gott?

    #73341
    jljones
    Participant

    Don’t know what our problems are but there doesn’t seem to be any team effort–just one on one offense and NO defense. I have not been a CAT fan but I now am convinced he has the all the talent to be top notch. Maybe all he needed was a don’t give a crap attitude or maybe the coach kept pushing him to be more aggressive. Either way, I was wrong about Cat—he can get it done in a big way. He just needs some talent around him or better coached or smarter players.

    #73345
    BJD95
    Keymaster

    Apparently they had a “players only” meeting and his TEAMMATES asked Cat to be more aggressive. Apparently so they could all take the rest of the season off (other than Lacey).

    #73348
    redisgood
    Participant

    Apparently they had a “players only” meeting and his TEAMMATES asked Cat to be more aggressive. Apparently so they could all take the rest of the season off (other than Lacey).

    Haha. I was thinking the exact same thing. Hopefully Cat is giving them a “WTF guys?”

    #73349
    WolfWiz11
    Participant

    Didn’t watch the game, but why don’t Washington and Freeman attack the rim more? That’s what they’re built for, get it on the wing, drive it in, make the shot, get fouled, or dish it down low. Let Abu or Anya handle the post-ups. Every now and then Kyle can take a midrange jumper or a three. What are they afraid of, handling the ball? In particular, Freeman seems like a nice, shy kid, but this is basketball, son. He needs to get ferocious about attacking the rim; none of that humble Rich Howell stuff unless you actually PLAY like Howell.

    But seriously, 2 points Kyle Washington? We need more from he and Anya as sophomores, they were totally absent last night. Barring a major streak the rest of the season and through the ACCT, we are not making the NCAAT. These boys need to play for pride now.

    #73350
    redisgood
    Participant

    In the last two games Cat has 51 points, 11 assists, 4 steals, and 1 turnover. I’d say he’s stepped up his game a bit. If anyone had told me he would put up those numbers against GT and Wake and we would only come away with a split, I would say they were smoking crack.

    Those 11 assists also came while his teammates were shooting around 25%. Probably could have had twice as many.

    #73351
    WolfWiz11
    Participant

    Really pleasantly surprised with Cat’s recent surge. I hope he keeps it up and proves all the doubters wrong (including me). That just goes to prove we were slightly right, though; we weren’t getting the best version of him before. It seems like his emergence has coincided with the rest of the team’s retreat. I hope there are no jealousy issues in that locker room, I can’t imagine why there would be. The rest of the guys have to understand that Cat has the ability to make all of them better IF they play smart and play together.

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