Wolfpack Set to Take On The Green Wave
12/20/1999 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Wednesday - Dec. 22, 1999 o 9:00 p.m. (EST)
New Orleans Arena (17,832)
NC STATE VS. TULANE: NC State and Tulane have met on the hardwood seven times previously with the Wolfpack holding a 6-1 lead in the series. NC State lost to Tulane, 41-24, in the first meeting on Feb. 28, 1925 in Atlanta, Ga., but have won six straight games in the series. Last season NC State earned a 74-60 win in Raleigh, led by 18 points from center Ron Kelley.
ABOUT THE WOLFPACK: NC State enters the game with a 7-0 mark, the best start by a Wolfpack team since 1981-82. NC State is holding opponents to 56.6 ppg, forcing an average of 23.6 turnovers per game. Opponents are shooting just 36.7 percent from the field against the Pack. Sophomore guard Anthony Grundy leads the Wolfpack in scoring at 13.4 ppg.
FAST START: NC State's 7-0 start is the best by a Wolfpack team since 1981-82 when the Pack got off to a 9-0 start in Jim Valvano's second season. NC State finished that season 22-10 overall, falling to UT-Chattanooga in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. NC State began the 1974-75 and 1975-76 seasons 8-0 and went 27-0 in 1972-73.
PACK BACK IN TOP 25: After its 7-0 start NC State was ranked No. 25 in the latest AP poll, its first appearance in the top 25 since Jan. 16, 1990. The Wolfpack was the only newcomer to the poll, receiving 111 points. The Wolfpack fell out of the top 25 following a 91-81 home loss to No. 19 North Carolina on Jan. 20, 1990. It had been 293 games since NC State was ranked in the top 25. The Wolfpack received 30 points (29th) in the latest ESPN/Coaches Top 25 poll, trailing No. 25 Gonzaga by 65 points. Incidentally, NC State is ranked No. 15 in CBS Sportsline's Super 64 poll and is No. 24 in The Sporting News' Power Poll.
AHEAD OF THE PACK: As of December 19th, there were a total of 10 men's college basketball teams still unbeaten. On the women's side, eight schools had unblemished records. But of those 18 schools, only NC State can boast that both its men's and women's programs are still undefeated. The Wolfpack men and women are a combined 16-0 this season. The NC State women, who opened the season as the nation's 20th ranked team, have made a monumental jump up to 4th in the AP Poll after ripping off nine consecutive victories. If coach Kay Yow's club defeats New Hampshire in its next game, it will equal the best start in the program's history. NC State opened the 1990-91 campaign with 10 straight victories, and then repeated that feat in 1997-98.
ABOUT THE GREEN WAVE: Tulane is off to a 7-1 start, having won six straight games. The Green Wave is coming off a 64-60 overtime win vs. Texas A&M and have had an 11-day layoff due to final exams. Tulane's only loss this season came at No. 23 Maryland, 78-70. Tulane held a 17-point first half lead against the Terps. Tulane is led by senior Sterling Davis, a 6-7 forward from Duncanville, Texas, who is averaging a team-best 15.4 ppg. Sophomore point going Waitari Marsh leads Conference USA in assists as 6.0 per game. Projected Tulane starters:
No. Player Pos. Ht. Wt. Cl. Hometown PPG RPG APG 32 Sterling Davis F 6-7 240 Sr. Duncanville, Texas 15.4 3.9 1.1 15 Trello Galloway F 6-7 220 Fr. Myrtle Beach, S.C. 2.9 2.4 0.6 44 Morris Jordan C 6-10 235 Sr. New Orleans, La. 10.5 6.9 0.4 3 Waitari Marsh G 6-2 195 So. Chicago, Ill. 8.1 3.8 6.0 25 Dylan Osean G 6-4 195 Sr. Bedford, Texas 10.4 3.3 1.5 * blocked shots
DOING IT DEFENSIVELY: Defense has been the catalyst to NC State's seven victories this season. The Wolfpack has struggled shooting the ball (43.5 FG percentage, 29.1 3PT percentage), but has shut down opponents and created scoring opportunities for itself. NC State opponents are shooting just 36.7 percent from the field (143-of-390), while scoring an average of 56.6 ppg. In addition, NC State has forced opponents into an average of 23.6 turnovers per game, outscoring its foes 150-103 in points off TOs. Five of NC State's seven opponents have committed at least 20 TOs, led by Liberty's 31 turnovers, the most by a Wolfpack opponent since Florida Atlantic had 35 turnovers on Nov. 22, 1996. Purdue had 26 turnovers against the Pack on Dec. 1, while Georgia committed 25 TOs in the season opener on Nov. 19. NC State ranks first among all ACC teams in TO margin (+7.6) and scoring defense (56.6). Through games of Dec. 15, NC State ranked No. 18 nationally in scoring defense. San Jose State leads the nation in scoring defense, holding opponents to 49.8 ppg.
STEALS, BLOCKS AND DEFLECTIONS: Wolfpack coach Herb Sendek charts deflections as a barometer for defensive play and the Wolfpack has averaged 58.4 deflections per contest this season. According to Sendek, 60 deflections in a game is an outstanding defensive effort, and the Wolfpack has surpassed that total in two games this season. Last year, NC State averaged 40 deflections per game. Included in the deflection total are steals and blocks, stats the Wolfpack has excelled in this season. The Wolfpack has averaged 12.6 steals (first in ACC) and 5.4 blocks per game. NC State has had 12 or more steals in 6-of-7 games this season, including a season-high 19 steals vs. Liberty, matching the second-best total in school history. The Pack also had 19 steals against Florida Atlantic in Sendek's first season as the Pack's head coach (11/22/96). Sophomore Anthony Grundy leads the Pack with 21 steals in seven games. He had seven steals vs. UGa and five against Providence. Justin Gainey had five steals vs. Liberty.
SHOOTING WOES: NC State has had to rely on its defense in its seven wins this season due to poor shooting. The Pack has made just 43.5 percent (178-409) of its field-goal attempts this season, including 29.1 percent (41-141) from three-point range. The Pack has shot above 50 percent from the field just once this season (50.8 percent vs. Stetson) and was below 40 percent in wins over Georgia (37.5 percent) and Purdue (37.9 percent). In addition, NC State is shooting 59.7 percent (113-of-191) from the free-throw line.
INGE RETURNS FROM KNEE INJURY: NC State junior forward Kenny Inge returned to the Wolfpack lineup against Liberty, just 22 days after suffering a partial tear of the medial collateral ligament in his left knee against Old Dominion on Nov. 23. Though the injury did not require surgery, Inge was expected to miss 4-6 weeks, returning in early January. He recorded 12 points and six rebounds against the Flames, adding three assists, three steals and three blocks in 19 minutes of action. NC State has suffered a series of injuries throughout coach Herb Sendek's tenure. In 1997-98, NC State had seven different players miss a combined 69 games due to injury. Last season, the Wolfpack lost guard Archie Miller for the season due to a back injury. NC State forward Tim Wells played his first game of the season vs. Liberty after being sidelined with tendinitis in knees throughout the preseason, then dislocating his left shoulder shortly after returning to practice.
INGE ON THE LINE AND THE RIM: Inge can usually be found dunking or shooting free throws during Wolfpack games. The 6-8 forward has recorded 34.7 percent of his career points from the charity stripe. He has averaged 5.6 free throws per game during his career and has made 67.7 percent (254-of-375) of his career free-throw attempts. Entering the season, Inge led all current ACC players in career free throw attempts with 375 FTA. UNC's Ed Cota ranked second with 317 free-throw attempts. Inge has also been an impressive dunker over the past two seasons. This year, three of Inge's eight field goals were on dunks, while last season 47 of his 112 made field goals (42 percent) were dunks. He had seven slams en route to a career-best 28 points vs. Georgia Tech last season. Leaders Among Active ACC Players In Career Free Throw Attempts
No. Player, School Year 375 Kenny Inge, NCS jr. 373 Alvin Jones, GT jr. 341 Ed Cota, NC sr. 328 Robert O'Kelley, WF jr. 328 Chris Carrawell, D sr.
Chart courtesy of Barry Jacobs' ACC Fan's Guide
PICKING UP THE SLACK: While Inge was out of the lineup, NC State has used a collective effort to pick up the slack. Junior center Ron Kelley moved into the starting lineup and averaged 10.5 ppg in Inge's absence. He went a perfect 5-of-5 from the field against Stetson, recording 13 points. Against Purdue, he had 17 points (15 in the second half) and eight rebounds. Freshman Damien Wilkins has averaged 8.6 rebounds in Inge's absence.
FIGHTING START: NC State has proved extremely resilient while getting off to a 7-0 start this season. The Wolfpack overcame double-digit deficits in wins over Georgia and at No. 19 Purdue, then held off a late rally by Providence. Against UGa, NC State fell behind 14-2 less than five minutes into the game, but battled back to pull within four points before the halftime break. The Bulldogs kept the lead more than half of the second period as well before NC State pulled ahead 55-53 with 8:15 left. Archie Miller's three-pointer with 58 seconds remaining put the Pack in front for good. Against Purdue, the Wolfpack trailed 14-3 at the 13:38 mark of the first half, but rallied to cut the lead to four points, 27-23, at halftime. In the second half, NC State fell behind 47-35 with 13:17 left but managed to get the victory. NC State led just twice against the Boilermakers 16-15 with 7:49 in the first half and 60-59 following Justin Gainey's three-pointer with 14 seconds left. The Wolfpack held a 16-point lead over the Friars with 10:16 left in the game, but PC stormed back and was within three points, 61-58, with 1:39 left. Anthony Grundy's steal and ensuing layup with 15 seconds left sealed the win for NC State. NC State also trailed UNCA 41-39 at halftime before holding the Bulldogs without a field goal for the first 10:09 of the second half in a 80-58 win.
POINTS IN THE PAINT: The Wolfpack has had a decisive advantage over its opponents in the paint this season. Through seven games, NC State has 206 "Points in the Paint" compared to 132 for its foes. In the season-opener against Georgia, forwards Damon Thornton and Kenny Inge each finished in double figures. Thornton had a double-double of 16 points and 10 rebounds vs. Old Dominion. Against Stetson, junior center Ron Kelley moved into the starting lineup and responded with a perfect outing, going 5-of-5 from the field to record 13 points. He had 17 points at No. 19 Purdue. Freshman Damien Wilkins had his first career double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds vs. Providence.
BALANCED ATTACK, DEEP BENCH: NC State has used a deep bench in each of its first seven contests, playing at least nine people in each game. No NC State player is playing more than 30 mpg, while nine Wolfpack players are averaging at least 10 minutes per outing. Sophomore guard Anthony Grundy is averaging a team-high 29.7 mpg. The Wolfpack reserves have provided a spark while in the lineup. Freshman Marshall Williams came off the bench to score a team-high 17 points vs. Liberty. Wolfpack reserves have outscored opponent reserves 160-93 this season. The deep bench has also allowed NC State players more rest than in previous seasons. Senior point guard Justin Gainey, who averaged 34.5 mpg last year (among ACC leaders), has played an average of 26.6 mpg this season.
QUICK STUDY: Grundy leads the Wolfpack in scoring this season at 13.4 points per game. He had 18 points, eight rebounds and six assists against Providence on Dec. 4, while also recording 18 points in the team's win at No. 19 Purdue. The 6-2 guard from Louisville, Ky., has picked up where he left off at the end of the 1999 season. Grundy was pressed into immediate action last year due to the season-ending injury to Archie Miller. After joining the team on Dec. 16, he had one practice and was in the NC State lineup on Dec. 17 against Winthrop. He quickly picked up the Wolfpack system and was the team's most productive offensive player at the end of the 1999 season. He moved into the starting lineup for the final 11 games and averaged 16 points and 7.8 rebounds in the last four games. Grundy also earned second-team All-ACC Tournament honors after scoring 33 points and 16 rebounds in tournament games against Wake Forest and Duke.
DEFENSIVE STOPPER: A quick look at sophomore Anthony Grundy and it's easy to see how the 6-2 guard could be a great defensive player. Grundy has |ong arms and exceptional quickness. In fact, his wingspan (from fingertip to fingertip) was measured at 6-6, while most people's wingspan is equal to their height. As a freshman, Grundy finished the year with 37 steals despite playing just half the season (he joined the team in December). In the Pack's win over Georgia on Nov. 19, he recorded a staggering seven steals, the third-highest single-game total in school history. He had five steals against Providence, including a pick and ensuing layup with 15 seconds left that sealed the Wolfpack win. For the season, Grundy is averaging 3.0 steals per game, second in the ACC. Against ODU on Nov. 23, he drew four charges, giving him five charges total for the season.
WILLIAMS NAMED ACC ROOKIE OF THE WEEK DEC. 20: While Damien Wilkins has garnered much of the attention handed to NC State's freshman class, newcomers Marshall Williams and Clifford Crawford have also played prominent roles in the NC State's early success. Williams was named the ACC Rookie of the Week Dec. 20 after scoring a team-high 17 points off the bench against Liberty. He finished the game 5-of-11 from the field, while adding four rebounds and two steals. Williams is averaging 19.9 minutes per game, tops among all Wolfpack reserves, while contributing 7.0 points and 3.0 rebounds. He has also been a presence on defense. It was Williams who poked the ball out of Purdue point guard Carson Cunningham on the Boilermakers final shot attempt. Against Liberty, Williams was matched up on Flames top scorer Carl Williams, who entered the game shooting 19.9 ppg while shooting 46 percent from three-point range. Against the Pack, Williams went just 5-of-22 from the field including 1-of-3 from three-point range. All three NC State freshmen, who were ranked as the nation's No. 11 recruiting class by Recruiter's Handbook, come from winning backgrounds. Crawford, who was also Parkland's starting quarterback and threw for nearly 1,500 yards in a run-and-shoot offense as a senior, led his team to the state 3-A title. Williams led Vincent to a 96-10 record in four years on the varsity and three state Division I titles. Wilkins was part of a team at Frederick (Md.) St. John's Prospect Hall that went 25-0 and won the USA Today national championship. Wilkins and Williams were both Parade All-America selections. It marks the first time NC State has signed two Parade All-Americans in one class since Rodney Monroe and Chris Corchiani.
WILKINS NAMED ACC ROOKIE OF THE WEEK DEC. 6: NC State freshman Damien Wilkins was named the ACC's Rookie of the Week on Dec. 6 following two outstanding all-around performances vs. Purdue and Providence. Against the Boilermakers, Wilkins finished with eight points, 13 rebounds, three assists, three blocks and two steals. He recorded the first double-double of his career against Providence with 14 points and 10 rebounds. After getting off to a slow start in his first two collegiate games, the highly-touted Wolfpack freshman has played exceptionally. He has been in double figures in four of the last five games, averaging 13.2 points and 8.6 boards during the stretch. He led NC State in nearly every statistical category against Stetson on Nov. 26, recording team highs in points (22), rebounds (8), assists (5) and steals (3).
BIG WINS OVER BIG CONFERENCES: In the midst of a 7-0 start, NC State has already earned impressive wins over teams from some of the nation's best conferences SEC (Georgia), Big 10 (No. 19 Purdue) and Big East (Providence). Later this season the Wolfpack will have nonconference games at Tulane (Conference USA) and vs. Arizona State (Pac-10). Last season, NC State faced teams from Conference USA (Tulane and Houston), Big East (Houston), Big 12 (Oklahoma) and Big 10 (Ohio State). In 1992-93, NC State notched wins over Oregon State (Pac-10) and Tennessee (SEC), while dropping games to UConn (Big East) and Kansas (Big 12).
MILESTONE VICTORY: NC State's 61-50 win at No. 19 Purdue was a milestone victory. The win was the first by a Wolfpack team on the home floor of a ranked nonconference opponent since Feb. 9, 1980, when NC State defeated No. 9 Notre Dame, 63-55, a string of 607 games. NC State went on to finish the 1979-80 season with a 20-8 record, advancing to the NCAA Tournament.
FEELING FINE: For the first time since early in his freshman season, forward Damon Thornton can finally say he's healthy. The 6-8 junior from Norfolk, Va., had the first offseason and preseason of his college career this summer and fall, and has regained much of the explosion he showed as a freshman, when he earned ACC All-Freshman honors and finished second in the voting for Rookie of the Year (to UNC's Ed Cota). Thornton is averaging 8.6 points and a team-high 8.0 rebounds per game. He had 17 points and eight rebounds against UNCA and recorded his seventh career double-double with 16 points and 10 rebounds against Old Dominion. Against the Monarchs, Thornton went 7-of-12 from the field. The 12 shot attempts was the highest total of his career. Over the past three games, he is averaging nine rebounds per contest. Thornton was the first freshman in school history to lead a Wolfpack team in rebounding in 1997, but missed the final nine games of the season due to a hip injury. After missing the entire summer due to the injury, he suffered a broken right foot three games into the '98 season, just two weeks after coming back from his previous injury. Last year, Thornton did not practice regularly with the team until Jan. 1, while nursing a strained ligament in his hip and groin region. Still, he managed to play in games despite missing practice time. As he became healthy late in the season, Thornton showed signs of his old form. During a five-game stretch from Feb. 10-24, Thornton averaged 10.2 rebounds and he shot 78 percent (18-of-23) from the field in the Pack's final five games of the season.
SOLID AS A ROCK: Call him the "Prudential Man." That's how Herb Sendek refers to point guard Justin Gainey, who he says is "rock solid." Gainey may be the poster-child for improvement as he has continued to get better throughout his career. Gainey increased his three-point and free-throw shooting percentages by at least 10 points each last season. He went up an incredible 22 percent at the free-throw line (from 65.4 percent in '98 to 87.4 percent last year), finishing with the third-highest percentage in school history. Gainey also improved his field-goal percentage by five points (from 37.1 percent in "98 to 42.7 percent last year). As a freshman, Gainey began the year by committing 24 turnovers in the Pack's first 16 games, but had just eight TOs in the final 10 games. He has scored in double figures in each of the past three games, averaging 11 ppg in those contests. In four seasons, the Wolfpack is 22-5 when Gainey scores in double figures.
FIXTURE: Many ACC followers remember Justin Gainey as the baby-faced freshman who played every minute of the 1997 ACC Tournament as the eighth-seeded Wolfpack made a run to the championship game. Gainey, who earned all-tournament honors, became the first player in ACC history to play all 40 minutes in four tournament games. Now a senior, Gainey ranks second among all current ACC players in career minutes played with 3,022 minutes logged (behind UNC's Ed Cota). Gainey rarely saw the bench last season, averaging 35.9 minutes per game in ACC play, but this year he has gotten more of a break, logging 26.6 mpg. For his career, Gainey has played an average of 29.9 mpg.
DEJA VU: Gainey's three-pointer with 14 seconds left at Purdue looked strikingly like the senior's game-winner at Georgia Tech last season. Against the Yellow Jackets, Gainey slipped behind a ball screen and drained a three-pointer with 15 seconds left to give Wolfpack a 51-50 lead. Gainey then stole Tech's inbounds pass with two seconds left to seal the win. Gainey finished with nine points, five rebounds, three steals and an assist vs. No. 19 Purdue.
SHOOTING SLUMP: Sophomore sharp-shooter Archie Miller has been stuck in the midst of a shooting slump over the past five games, having hit just 6-of-27 from the field and 6-of-23 from three-point range. Over the past two games (UNCA and Liberty), Miller has gone 5-of-13 (38.5 percent) from three-point range, while in the previous three games (Stetson, Providence, Purdue) Miller was 1-of-10 from three-point range. Miller redshirted last season after undergoing season-ending back surgery to repair two bulging discs in his lower back and a narrowing of the spinal column. In the Pack's season opener against Georgia, he drained a crucial three-pointer with 58 seconds left to seal the Pack's win. He also had 12 points against ODU, hitting two three-pointers. Miller began the '99 season 7-9 from three-point range before suffering the back injury. In last year's season-opener vs. Maryland-Eastern Shore, Miller went a perfect 5-of-5 from the field, including 4-of-4 from three-point range, to finish with 15 points.
UNSUNG SHARPSHOOTERS: While NC State seniors Tim Wells and Justin Gainey may not have appeared atop ACC statistics last season, the pair quietly recorded two of the most accurate seasons from the free-throw line in school history. Though they did not have enough attempts to rank among national or conference leaders, Wells and Gainey posted the second- and fourth-highest season free-throw percentage, respectively, at NC State. Wells finished the year making 88.3 percent (68-of-77) from the line, while Gainey was 76-of-87 (87.4 percent). Gainey missed just one free throw in ACC play (36-37) and had a streak of 25 straight during the year. 1999 Unofficial ACC Free Throw Percentage Leaders (Minimum 300 Minutes Played, 10 FT Made)
Pct. Player, School FT-FTA .883 Tim Wells, NCS 68-77 .874 Justin Gainey, NCS 76-87 .862 Donald Hand, V 162-188 .854 Jason Capel, NC 76-89 .851 Max Owens, NC 40-47
Chart courtesy of Barry Jacobs' ACC Fan's Guide
WOLFPACK'S NEW DEN: NC State begins a new era this season with the opening of the 19,722-seat Entertainment and Sports Arena. Through five home games this season, NC State sports a 5-0 record in the ESA and is averaging 16,912 fans per game. The dream for a new home for Wolfpack basketball began in 1983, when Jim Valvano began a campaign to replace Reynolds Coliseum. Ground was broken on the arena on July 21, 1997. The $158 million ESA is 770,000 square feet, more than double the size of any arena in North Carolina, but still maintains an intimate feel due to the large number of seats that are close to the playing floor. Approximately 2,300 courtside seats are reserved for NC State students, while 10,000 seats are in the arena's lower bowl.
NUMBER CHANGE: Under the 1999-2000 NCAA rules changes, uniform numbers one and two became legal to wear this season, and two Wolfpack players quickly changed. Sophomore guard Anthony Grundy, who wore No. 24 last year, switched to No. 2, while freshman Damien Wilkins went to No. 1. They become the first players in school history to wear those numbers. According to Wilkins, he made the switch to No. 1 to break away from comparisons to his father, Gerald, an NBA veteran, and uncle, Dominique, a future NBA Hall of Famer.
HOME-GROWN TALENT IN FALL CLASS: In a year when North Carolina's high school senior class is considered the strongest ever, NC State announced the signing of the state's top three prospects. Michael Bell, 6-9 of Raleigh, Marcus Melvin, 6-9 of Fayetteville, and Scooter Sherrill, 6-3 of Mt. Ulla, each signed a national letter-of-intent to attend NC State next year during the fall signing period. "The signing of these three players is somewhat unprecedented in my memory, as far as getting the top three players in the state of North Carolina," said recruiting analyst Bob Gibbons, who ranks all three players among his national top 50 seniors. Sherrill, who led West Rowan High to the state 2-A title as a freshman and the state 3-A championship game last season, was rated No. 17 nationally by Recruiter's Handbook. He averaged 23 points, six rebounds and four assists last season, making 53 percent of his field-goal attempts and 81 percent from the free-throw line. He finished as the third-leading scorer at last summer's USA Basketball Youth Development Festival in Colorado Springs, Colo., averaging 17.8 points per game. Sherrill had 22 points, nine assists and six rebounds to lead the South team to a 124-108 win in the gold-medal game. Bell also played in the USA Basketball Festival, averaging 12.2 points and 4.6 rebounds while leading all players in field-goal shooting at 63.4 percent. As a junior at Enloe High, he averaged 24 points, 11 rebounds and four blocks per game, An outstanding outside shooter capable of playing either forward position according to Gibbons, who ranks Bell 46th nationally Melvin averaged 21.2 points and 13 rebounds as a junior at Byrd High. He was the most dominant player at the N.C. Scouting Alliance Mid-Summer. Gibbons ranks Melvin No. 42 nationally. "Scooter is a tough, hard-nosed competitor," said NC State coach Herb Sendek. "Both Michael and Marcus are very versatile and skilled forwards. We are ecstatic to have all three men join our program."
SEASON TICKET SUCCESS: During planning stages for the new Entertainment and Sports Arena, critics wondered how NC State would fill the 19,722-seat building. The answer has been quite easily, thank you. Wolfpack fans, excited about the momentum built in coach Herb Sendek's first three seasons and the first season in the new arena, have gobbled up more than 13,000 season tickets, nearly triple the highest number ever sold in Reynolds Coliseum (4,500). Additionally, roughly 3,000 seats are being held for NC State students, and the two Mini-Pack ticket packages are sold out. The only seats remaining are approximately 800 for non-conference games against Yale and Western Carolina.
ACC STANDINGS
Conference Overall
W L Pct. W L Pct.
NC State 0 0 .000 7 0 1.000
W Forest 0 0 .000 7 1 .875
Maryland 0 0 .000 8 2 .800
UNC 0 0 .000 8 2 .800
Duke 0 0 .000 7 2 .778
Virginia 0 0 .000 6 3 .667
Clemson 0 0 .000 5 5 .500
Ga Tech 0 0 .000 4 4 .500
Florida St 0 0 .000 3 5 .375
HONORS/AWARDS
ACC Rookie of the week
Damien Wilkins Dec. 6 Marshall Williams Dec. 20 AP TOP 25 POLL Team W-L Pts. Pvs. 1. Stanford (60) 8-0 1,729 2 2. Connecticut (8) 7-1 1,635 3 3. Arizona (1) 9-1 1,606 4 4. Cincinnati (1) 8-1 1,534 1 5. Michigan St. 8-2 1,476 5 6. North Carolina 8-2 1,326 7 7. Auburn 7-1 1,322 6 8. Florida 7-1 1,200 9 9. Syracuse 8-0 1,168 10 10. Duke 7-2 1,074 11 11. Tennessee 9-0 1,004 13 12. Kansas 8-2 999 8 13. Oklahoma St. 9-0 851 14 14. Texas 6-2 712 15 15. Illinois 6-2 694 20 16. Ohio St. 5-2 630 12 17. Maryland 8-2 571 16 18. UCLA 4-1 561 18 19. Temple 4-2 502 17 20. Indiana 7-1 452 21 21. Oklahoma 9-0 441 23 22. Gonzaga 7-2 339 22 23. Wake Forest 7-1 232 25 24. DePaul 7-3 201 19 25. NC State 7-0 111
Others receiving votes: Utah 99, Xavier 63, St. John's 46, Dayton 36, Creighton 28, Kentucky 19, LSU 14, Marshall 11, Mississippi 11, Ball St. 10, Purdue 7, Tulsa 7, Michigan 6, Miami 5, St. Bonaventure 5, Delaware 2, N. Iowa 2, Oregon 2, SMU 2, Vanderbilt 2, Iowa St. 1, Penn St. 1, Siena 1.
The Wolfpack When * Playing nationally ranked foes 1-0 Leading at the half 3-0 Trailing at the half 3-0 Tied at the half 1-0 Leading with 5:00 left 6-0 Trailing with 5:00 left 1-0 Tied with 5:00 left 0-0 In Overtime 0-0 Outrebounding opponents 5-0 Outrebounded 2-0 Shooting 50% or over 1-0 Shooting under 50% 6-0 Opponent shoots 50% or over 0-0 Opponent shoots under 50% 7-0 Scoring 80 pts or more 2-0 Opponent scores 80 pts or more 0-0 Opponent scores 60 pts or less 5-0 15 or fewer turnovers 4-0 Opponent commits more turnovers 6-0 Shooting better than 35 % on 3's 0-0 NC State attempts more 3's 5-0 Opponent attempts more 3's 2-0 On Television 3-0 On ABC 0-0 On ESPN 0-0 On ESPN2 2-0 On RJ/JP 0-0