ACC Basketball Opener – On the Road at daU

Welp folks, the preliminaries are finished.  It’s time for the main event.

The Pack got thru a weak OOC schedule relatively unscathed, managing to only stub its toe once.

Well, twice if you consider how badly Creighton beat our asses….but the loss to Creighton itself isn’t shameful.

But Illinois?  Even on the road.  We shoulda gotten that one.  We folded like a cheap suit that night.

But that’s in the rear view at this point, time to look ahead.  Have you noticed that since that WTF loss to Illinois, and two very nailbiter types to lesser programs (4 pt win over Boston U and an overtime Heritage game with TennState) the Pack has actually started looking the part of the team with a bit of a killer instinct?  I mean I realize the competition was not ACC caliber….but….

But for four straight games now, the Pack has managed to not play down to the competition.  Foot on the throat….killer instinct.

Will it continue?  Dunno.  But I hope so.

There are reasons to be concerned, as usual of late.  There will be many questions which will need to be answered.  Expectations should be tempered, to be sure.

As far as personnel, the team is at full strength and healthy for the first time all year.  It’s a young team.  There will still be growing pains.

But we’re 11-2.  Currently, our RPI sits at #32.  Which freaking amazes me, quite frankly.

If we gel and exceed expectations even slightly, we should dance.  Don’t you think?

Miami Hurricanes

How good are they?  What are their strengths and weaknesses?  Who the heck knows at this point?

They were predicted to be upper echelon.  Like top four double bye level.  But they’ve looked weak so far if I’m being honest.  Their competition level has been worse than ours, and they’ve fared no better.  Of course we know that means little at this point.

But currently they’re 10-2 and have looked more meh than we have, against lesser competition.

So, I’m not even going to try to analyze them at this point any further than that.  I don’t get paid enough for that kind of dedication.

 

Dennis. Smith. Junior.

DSJslam

In case you hadn’t noticed, this guy’s been getting some attention lately.

WATCH: N.C. State freshman Dennis Smith Jr. flashes NBA tangibles with vicious one-handed slam (CBSSports.com)

Number four, with a bullet….just saying….

4. Dennis Smith (NC State)

Smith suffered a torn ACL in high school but hasn’t shown any lingering issues since arriving at NC State. The only obvious concern with the athletic point guard is his inability to consistently make jumpers.

Or maybe number six????  Meh, still pretty good….

6. Dennis Smith, Jr., NC State

Last week: No. 7

18.9 PPG, 5.5 APG, 3.7 RPG, 1.8 steals, 48.6 2-pt%, 38.5 3-pt%, 114.3 ORtg

Smith had 23 points, six assists, four rebounds, three steals and two blocks in NC State’s 89-57 win over McNeese State last week. I’ve been saying it for a few weeks now: Smith is having the best season that nobody’s paying attention to. With ACC games on tap, that is sure to change in the next two weeks. Right now, he’s right on Josh Jackson’s heels for top-five status. Smith is a two-way player; if he can get his turnover rate down from 2.8 per game to about 2.0, the Wolfpack will become even more well-rounded.

I have a feeling DSJ is only just now beginning to emerge.  Expect some bumpy adjustments as he hits the ACC Schedule.  But by March, this dude is going to be sick good I think.

And he’s got company.  We’ve got talent on this team.  Like seriously, on paper, I really like this team.

As usual with NC State, the question is can we maximize it?

This is going to be a bumpy season, I’m quite certain.  But I am hopeful that by March, we might have figured out a way to do some damage.

I think we can.

I hope we will.

Basketball, dammit.

At this point I will turn it over to Kurtis Blow….

OK Dudes.  Time to get this thing going…..

Go Pack!!!!!

About Wufpacker

A 2nd generation alumnus and raised since birth to be irrationally dedicated to all things NC State. Class of '88 and '92.

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Home Forums ACC Basketball Opener – On the Road at daU

Viewing 25 posts - 126 through 150 (of 179 total)
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  • #113389
    BJD95
    Keymaster

    Re “running the offense” – playing a crap schedule has reinforced lots of bad habits in late December. We get lots of “showtime” moments, but weren’t getting tested.

    Glad I watched on DVR delay during halftime and commercial breaks of the Bama game, so I could fast forward a bit when I got too pissed off.

    #113390
    Fastback68
    Participant

    I’d like to know if Yurt has ever mishandled that many passes in his career ever.

    #113391
    1.21 Jigawatts
    Keymaster

    Unless you are a micro-manager of an in game coach (see Sidney Lowe) then 95% of coaching is done prior to games. We can see who did a better job coaching prior to this game.

    EXACTLY. I always used to grade coaches on three prongs/roles: as recruiter/salesman, as in-game coach/strategist, and as team preparation/motivator.

    And don’t give me that shit “they shouldn’t NEED to be motivated by anybody else.” First, it IS WHAT IT IS. NOT WHAT IT SHOULD BE. Second, if you don’t think a teenage male is the kind of person who needs his energies and emotions properly directed…well, shit. I don’t even know where to start.

    I’ll be the first to admit that I personally suck at motivating kids. I just can’t do it. My analytical brain just doesn’t function that way. It comes off forced and kids see right through it. That’s why I have an assistant coach who is great at pumping my teams up. I’m a student of the game and spend my time studying, managing, teaching, and preparing teams before the season and games; but when I need them to take the court or get them fired up at any point I turn it over to him because I recognize my strengths and more importantly my weaknesses.

    #113392
    BJD95
    Keymaster

    ^ Self-awareness and the ability to properly delegate is a fantastic trait. Remember when VERY EARLY STAGE Amato had it??

    Because it is very rare to have someone like V who is really good at all three facets.

    #113393
    bill.onthebeach
    Participant

    Stat/Trivia guys just phoned in…

    NEVER, in the history of ACC — that’s 1954 for you pups — has the Big Four ALL lost their opening day basketball games…

    In fact, there’s only one other time when ALL four of the Tobacco Road teams lost on the same day…

    Jan. 11, 2014
    North Carolina lost by 12 at Syracuse
    Wake Forest fell by 15 points at Pittsburgh
    Duke lost at Clemson
    N.C. State lost to Virginia.

    #NCSU-North Carolina's #1 FOOTBALL school!
    #113394
    choppack1
    Participant

    Coach Rat absolutely hung his kids out today…
    In fact, he does this annually around this time of year…

    Today he blamed it all on Grayson…
    which is a whole other conversation…

    Remember that Dook game in the PNC, I think two years ago, when we blew their doors off? Rat sat with his arms crossed the whole second half. Game didn’t matter. He was prepping his kids for the Dance.

    True. But I think that’s silly to compare Gott to Coach K. I guarantee you K demands more from his kids the second they set foot on the court for their first workout.

    Let’s put it this way – Gott is in his 16th season coaching big-time basketball. In his 16th season, Coach K had won 2 natty’s, had 2 NCAA runner ups, and 2 final 4s.

    Let’s just say that Gott ain’t no Coach K, he ain’t no Roy. If we’re lucky in terms of wins and losses he is a Gene Keady.

    #113395
    bill.onthebeach
    Participant

    Chop… I’m not comparing… frankly… that would be stupid…

    I’m just illustrating my point as to the validity of the ‘let ’em figure it out for themselves, so they’ll listen better’ play…

    that said..
    If you want to be the best… play with and against the best…
    second choice is… learn from the best…

    #NCSU-North Carolina's #1 FOOTBALL school!
    #113396
    Fastback68
    Participant

    Read this decades ago. Duke had a talented freshman and k called him up. How many fouls does #10 have? “I don’t know”. Go sit on the bench. K works on a 100 of the finer points that G doesn’t even know about. How many opposing bench 3 point shooters have come in for an inbounds play and drilled a 3 this season alone? I don’t think the coaches scout any opponents.

    #113397
    choppack1
    Participant

    Fastback – that’s a great story and probably true.

    And that’s my problem with Gott. I just don’t see evidence that excellence is demanded and attention to detail is demanded.

    I think he’s a good coach and I think he has patience with his pets. And I don’t think we will win a championship here. I hope I am wrong.

    His teams absolutely improve as the year goes on, but I think a little improvement earlier would go a long way to get us in a better position to win those championships.

    #113398
    BJD95
    Keymaster

    We miss ALL detail. Not the finer details, that separate the good from champions, but the basic details like noted above – this is the spot-up shooter, this is how you keep him uncomfortable. You can’t treat it like a random pickup game on the outdoor courts by the intramural fields (God, I hope those are still there).

    #113399
    bill.onthebeach
    Participant

    ^Not disagreeing at all…

    Doesn’t matter where you find ’em… on or off the field/court, in the classroom or the workplace, today’s kids for the most part just don’t get it when it comes to “Details”…

    Correcting them without hurting their feelings is almost an impossibility…
    Then, even tho they’ve been told and practiced the same, they blame the Coach for what they don’t know and can’t do…

    Fact is… Coaches everywhere probably ought to be more praised for their patience and restraint.. surely not less….

    #NCSU-North Carolina's #1 FOOTBALL school!
    #113401
    WolftownVA81
    Participant

    Very unimpressed with the effort tonight. I can get past the balls not going in (though our shot selection did suck), but its all the standing around on offense and getting out hustled on defense. Miami was clearly more prepared and motivated to play. We looked like we were playing a street game. I’m not sure that this makes the tournament – seen this show before.

    #113402
    choppack1
    Participant

    Yes bill but some are better at it than others. Gott is not one of the top 25 at his position. There is a reason he has coached in major conferences for 16 years and has 1 elite 8, and 3 or 4 sweet 16s, but nothing more.

    He has a pretty consistent book of work. If we don’t get where we want to after this year, it certainly won’t be his fault if we don’t do any longer in his tenure. He has been given a great toolset. If he can’t build it this year…

    #113422
    Rick
    Keymaster

    Gott’s not even in the top 75% of coaches in the ACC. We are going backwards.
    But it doesn’t matter. He isn’t going anywhere until after Yow is gone and we will miss on Archie (when this happens I will probably be done with ncsu). By then players will see his inability to develop and we will not get top players. Empty cubbard will leave the next coach in a hole.

    #113425
    McCallum
    Participant

    Gott is the Chevy S-10 of the ACC but with nice rims.

    McCallum

    *billotb sniffs glue.

    #113426
    Wulfpack
    Participant

    Tough first outing. Gott’s teams do improve as we move on, but if this is the starting point, we have quite a ways to go. I currently see this team as being lucky to finish above .500 in league play.

    #113429
    McCallum
    Participant

    5-11 sounds right.

    McCallum

    #113431
    rthomas44
    Participant

    One league game and the world is ending. You guys aren’t BB coaches,just wantabees or worse. At least the coach’s last name isn’t….(starts with an S)

    #113433
    TheAliasTroll
    Participant

    BC almost hit the century mark whilst destroying Boeheim’s squad. I think people tend to forget how hard winning on the road is in conference play.

    #113435
    Rick
    Keymaster

    One league game and the world is ending. You guys aren’t BB coaches,just wantabees or worse. At least the coach’s last name isn’t….(starts with an S)

    Hyperbole much?
    There is a six year trend. But if it makes you feel better to think everyone is overreacting to one game then have at it.
    Same issues. No defense. Bad rebounding. No continuity on offense. Lack of preparation.

    #113438
    McCallum
    Participant

    The world can’t end if it never started.

    Maybe Yow will quit on Monday since I typed that.

    McCallum

    #113439
    BJD95
    Keymaster

    problem is…MG hasn’t earned benefit of the doubt. He needs to “win against type/trends” to change his narrative, not just have a plausible explanation as to why this instant in time isn’t the end of the world.

    #113441
    BJD95
    Keymaster

    The world can’t end if it never started.

    Maybe Yow will quit on Monday since I typed that.

    McCallum

    Lack of accountability/objective review from on high is the biggest problem. That we would allow both revenue sports to basically hum along in limbo for 2-3 seasons whilst we allow the AD to pick and choose her retirement date is just baffling.

    #113444
    McCallum
    Participant

    Boston College will clean their clocks.

    Of course since you typed what you typed the thomas dude probably thinks Yow will quit on Monday.

    Same pattern here as at Maryland.

    McCallum

    #113447
    bill.onthebeach
    Participant

    ^Does this mean we’re changing Conferences?

    #NCSU-North Carolina's #1 FOOTBALL school!
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