North Carolina State University Athletics
ODU Invades ESA
11/22/1999 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Post-season play is nothing new to Old Dominion University. In fact, the Monarchs have made three times as many NCAA Tournament appearances as NC State this decade. And if you include the NIT, ODU has participated in a post-season tournament of some kind in six of the last eight years.
In other words, NC State can't afford to underestimate Coach Jeff Capel's Monarchs when they visit the Entertainment and Sports Arena on Tuesday night.
"Throughout the coaching profession, he (Capel) has earned great respect," said NC State coach Herb Sendek. "Even before he went to Old Dominion, he distinguished himself by what he did at Fayetteville State. He's no stranger to all of us in this area."
The Capel name certainly has a familiar ring to ACC basketball fans. Coach Capel's oldest son Jeff was a steady guard at Duke between 1993-1997. And Jason Capel is a rising star at the University of North Carolina.
Capel's coaching abilities will certainly be tested this season as he tries to replace four starters from a team that posted a school record mark of 25-9 last year.
"Although they lost some people from that squad, they have a starting line-up filled with experience," Sendek said. "They start juniors and seniors. They'll be a very quick, athletic, experienced team that will play an uptempo, aggressive style of basketball."
And they'll likely create some match-up dilemmas for the NC State front court. Andre McCullum and Clifton Jones are relatively mobile forwards who are capable of beating bigger players off the dribble.
"At the four spot, they really play a stereotypical small forward," Sendek said. "That adds to their ability to space you and take you off the dribble. It helps them in their transition game and with their pressure as well."
McCullum will be returning to the place where he started his career. The Whiteville native played one year at NC State before transferring in 1997. According to Sendek, McCullum's decision to leave boiled down to the issue of playing time.
"He just thought he would have a chance to play more minutes at another school. Andre has come back here frequently to visit. Andre is a wonderful young man and is extremely likable. He's done very well for himself."
The 6-6 McCullum had 15 points and eight rebounds in Old Dominion's season opening 77-64 victory over UT Chattanooga on Saturday.
The Wolfpack got its season underway with a rousing, come from behind win over Georgia last Friday night. The Pack survived a 37.5% shooting night by generating 21 points off of 25 Bulldog turnovers. One of those statistics that doesn't show up in the box score is defensive deflections. NC State had a mind-boggling 63 deflections against Georgia.
"For our perimeter pressure and inside pressure to get deflections is going to be the theme of the season," said Wolfpack guard Archie Miller. "It has to be an identity of ours. We're small and you can't compete in the ACC with just 6-8 post guys trying to play behind in the low post. We have to be quick, fast and disruptive."
