North Carolina State University Athletics
Wolfpack Travels to Clemson for Their Next ACC Game
1/24/2000 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
#21/#25 NC STATE WOLFPACK (13-3, 4-2) VS. CLEMSON TIGERS (6-12, 0-5) Wednesday *
Jan. 26, 2000 *
9:00 p.m. Littlejohn Coliseum (11,020) *
Clemson, S.C.
BROADCASTS
TV: Raycom/JP Steve Martin (play-by-play) and Gil McGregor (color).
Radio: Wolfpack-Capitol Sports Radio Network 36 Stations (WPTF-680 Flagship); Coverage begins 30 minutes prior to tip-off. Gary Hahn (play-by-play) and Tony Haynes (color).
On The Internet: www.gopack.com
NC STATE VS. CLEMSON: This will be the 124th meeting between NC State and Clemson with the Wolfpack holding an 86-37 lead in the series. NC State is 21-21 all-time on the road vs. Clemson. The matchup has been a close one of late, with the teams splitting the series each of the last four years. Five of those eight games have been decided by five or less points. Last year, the two teams split their matchups. In Clemson on Jan. 5, 1999, the Tigers earned an 80-72 victory. NC State trailed by as much as 20 points in the first half, but fought back to cut Clemson's lead to four points with 4:25 left. Justin Gainey had a team high 16 points, all in the second half. In Raleigh on Feb. 6, 1999, Gainey had a nearly perfect performance in leading the Wolfpack to an 84-71 victory. Gainey went 7-of-7 from the field, including 4-of-4 from three-point range, and 10-of-10 from the free-throw line to finish with a career best 28 points. NC State's last win in Littlejohn Coliseum was on Jan. 31, 1998, when C.C. Harrison knocked in a three-pointer at the buzzer to give the Pack an 82-80 overtime win over the Tigers. Harrison followed his own intentionally missed free throw to send that game into overtime.
ABOUT THE WOLFPACK: NC State is 13-3 overall, 4-2 in the ACC and was ranked No. 21 in AP Poll and No. 25 in the ESPN/USA Today Coaches' Poll. The Wolfpack is No. 18 in the latest RPI report and No. 31 in the Sagarin ratings. The Wolfpack is coming off a 66-58 win over Georgia Tech on Jan. 22. NC State leads the conference in scoring defense (61.2 ppg) and turnover margin (+4.4) and ranks second in steals (10.3). The Wolfpack is forcing an average of 21.1 turnovers per game. Sophomore guard Anthony Grundy leads a balanced Wolfpack team in scoring at 13.9 ppg. Forwards Damon Thornton and Kenny Inge are each averaging 10.3 ppg and 10.1 ppg respectively.
PACK OFF TO BEST START SINCE 1989-90: NC State enters the game with a 13-3 mark, the best start for a Wolfpack team since 1989-90 when the Pack also began the year 13-3, eventually finishing the season 18-12 overall, 6-8 in the ACC. NC State has not begun a season better than 13-3 since 1988-89 when Jim Valvano's team had a 14-2 record, and finished the season 22-9 overall, 10-4 in the ACC. The Wolfpack's 4-2 ACC start is the best since beginning the 1988-89 ACC season 5-1. The Pack finished that year 10-4 in the ACC.
PACK BACK IN TOP 25: After getting off to a 13-3, 4-2 start, NC State returned to the top 25 on Jan. 24. The Pack was rated No. 21 in the AP Poll and No. 25 in the USA Today/ESPN coaches' poll. It is the first time NC State has been in both polls since Dec. 12, 1989, when the Pack was No. 15 in the UPI poll and No. 16 in the AP. The No. 21 ranking in the AP poll is NC State's highest ranking since being No. 19 in the Jan. 16 top 20. Earlier this season, NC State was ranked No. 25 in the AP poll on Dec. 20, but fell out of the rankings following its loss to Tulane on Dec. 22. It had been 293 games (3,618 days) since NC State was ranked in the top 25.
WOLFPACK INDIVIDUAL HIGHLIGHTS VS CLEMSON:
*
Justin Gainey: Averaging 10.7 points and 2.3 assists against Clemson *
Had a career-high 28 points in win last year *
Went 7-of-7 from the field, including 4-of-4 from three-point range, and 10-of-10 from the free-throw line *
Also had six rebounds and four assists *
Named ACC Player of the Week for that performance *
Team high 16 points at Clemson last season, all in the second half *
Finished with 10 points and three big steals freshman season.
*
Anthony Grundy: Averaged 9.0 points and 4.5 assists in two games against the Tigers last season.
*
Kenny Inge: Averaging 15.3 points and 8.0 rebounds against Clemson *
Had a double-double (17 points and 11 rebounds) at Clemson last season *
Went 7-of-7 from the field *
Finished with 23 points and eight boards in home win last season *
Had 17 points and seven boards versus the Tigers freshman season.
*
Archie Miller: Averaging 10.0 points in two career games versus Clemson *
Had 15 points at Clemson freshman season.
PACK PERFECT AT HOME: Through 12 home games this season, NC State sports a perfect 12-0 record in the 19,722-seat Entertainment and Sports Arena and is averaging 16,890 fans per game. NC State had 14 regular-season home victories last season. The last time NC State won more than 12 straight home games was during the 1988-89 season when NC State began the year 13-0 at home, finishing with a 16-2 record in Reynolds Coliseum. The Wolfpack won 36 consecutive regular-season home games from 1971-75. In 1974, NC State was 12-0 at home and the Pack went 13-0 at home in 1973.
PRODUCTIVE BENCH: NC State has used a deep bench in each of its first 16 contests, playing at least nine people in each game. Wolfpack reserves have outscored opponent reserves 349-176 this season and NC State is getting an average of 21.8 ppg off the bench. The Wolfpack bench outscored Duke's reserves 35-8 on Jan. 19 and got 24 combined points from center Ron Kelley and freshman guard Marshall Williams vs. Georgia Tech. The deep bench has also allowed NC State players more rest than in previous seasons. No NC State player is playing more than 30 mpg, while eight Wolfpack players are averaging at least 10 minutes per outing. Freshman Damien Wilkins is averaging a team-high 29.9 mpg.
KELLEY COMES ALIVE: After averaging just 6.3 points in his previous four games, center Ron Kelley has averaged 14.5 points in the last two games. He matched a season-high with 17 points vs. Duke, then came off the bench to score 12 points against Georgia Tech. Kelley has gone 13-of-27 (48.1 percent) from the field in the last two games and pulled down a season-high nine rebounds vs. the Yellow Jackets. Kelley also scored 17 points against Purdue and Western Carolina. Against WCU, Kelley had 14 points in the second half, including 12 straight.
WILLIAMS MAKES THE BIG PLAYS: With 0.8 seconds left at No. 5 Duke, freshman Marshall Williams made the biggest play of his short Wolfpack career. Point guard Justin Gainey intentionally missed a free throw and Williams tipped the ball into the basket, tying the game at 79 and sending it into overtime. Williams' driving layup with 3.3 seconds left cut the lead to three points. He finished the game with 12 points. He also had 12 points vs. Georgia Tech, going 3-of-4 from the field and 4-of-4 from the free-throw line. Williams made two free throws after the Yellow Jackets had cut the NC State lead to four points, 62-58, with 42 seconds left, sealing the victory.
DOING IT DEFENSIVELY: Defense has been the catalyst to NC State's 13 wins this season. NC State opponents are shooting just 39.9 percent from the field, while scoring an average of 61.2 ppg. In addition, NC State has forced opponents into an average of 21.1 turnovers per game, outscoring its foes 322-247 in points off TOs. Nine of NC State's 16 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. NC State ranks first among all ACC teams in TO margin and in scoring defense.
BOARD WORK: While defense has been NC State's calling card this season, the team's ability to rebound has also been a determining factor in the 13-2 start. NC State has been outrebounded just three times this season and has a +4.5 rebound margin. The Pack has been especially effective on the offensive glass, averaging 14 offensive rebounds per game. The Pack leads its opponents 261-198 in second-chance points this season. NC State had more offensive rebounds than defensive rebounds against both Maryland and North Carolina. Wolfpack freshman Damien Wilkins ranks first in the ACC in offensive rebounds at 3.31 per game, while Kenny Inge is fifth at 2.83 per game.
WILKINS STEPS UP: After not scoring in double figures for four games from Dec. 28-Jan. 8, NC State freshman Damien Wilkins has stepped up his play in each of the past four contests. Wilkins, who leads the Wolfpack in minutes at 29.9 per game, is averaging 11.3 points and seven boards during the stretch. He scored a team-high 13 points vs. Virginia on Jan. 12, then had 12 points in the Pack's 76-56 win over Wake Forest on Jan. 16. Against Duke, Wilkins had 11 points, eight rebounds and four assists. He had nine points and seven rebounds vs. Georgia Tech. Wilkins is ranked 7th in the ACC in rebounding at 6.8 per game and is first among all conference players in offensive rebounding (3.31 per game). He has nearly as many offensive boards (53) as defensive boards this season (55).
GRUNDY NETS CAREER-HIGH 30 POINTS VS DEACS: Sophomore guard Anthony Grundy scored a career-high 30 points in the Pack's 76-56 win over Wake Forest on Jan. 16, and has been in double figures in seven straight games. He is averaging 15.5 points, 4.3 rebounds and 3.0 assists in ACC play, while shooting 47.9 percent from the field and 40 percent from three-point range. He is fifth in the ACC in three-pointers per game at 2.0 per game. His 30 points was the highest single-game scoring effort by a Wolfpack player since C.C. Harrison scored 31 points at North Carolina on Feb. 21, 1998.
SHOOTING IMPROVES: NC State's field-goal shooting has improved over the last five games. The Pack hit a season-best 51.3 percent (20-39) from the field against Wake Forest and has made 46.1 percent (132-of-286) from the field in the last five games, compared to 43.4 percent for the rest of the season. NC State's three-point shooting has also improved in ACC play. The Wolfpack is shooting 38.4 percent (28-of-73) from three-point range in ACC play and ranks first in the league in three-point percentage. NC State shot 29.7 percent from three-point range against nonconference opponents. Against Duke, NC State attempted 72 field goals (making 33). The last time a Wolfpack team attempted more than 72 FGs in a game was on Feb. 23, 1996, when NC State was 31-of-84 from the field in a 92-83 loss to Georgia Tech.
FREE-THROW TURNAROUND: After shooting just 10-of-27 (37 percent) from the free-throw line against UVa on Jan. 12, NC State has made a sizzling 81.7 percent (67-of-82) from the line in the past three games. NC State entered the Wake game making just 58.3 percent from the stripe, but has lifted its season free-throw shooting to 63.2 percent (249-of-394). Freshman Damien Wilkins, who entered the Wake game shooting 48 percent from the line, has gone 20-of-21 from the line in the last three games. In ACC play, Wilkins is ranked 10th in the ACC in FT percentage at 77.8 percent (28-of-36). Freshman Marshall Williams, who entered the Duke game shooting 57.7 percent from the line, is 8-of-8 from the line over the past two games.
GETTING TO THE LINE IMPORTANT: NC State is 11-0 this season when attempting more free throws than its opponents in games, 2-3 when getting to the line fewer times than foes. NC State matched a season-high with 37 free throws against Wake Forest, making a season-best 31 (83.8 percent). In a 83-75 loss at North Carolina, the Wolfpack attempted a season-low nine free throws. The Wolfpack is averaging 24.6 FTAs per game.
PACK-DEVILS BATTLE TO OT: NC State's 92-88 overtime loss at No. 5 Duke had 16 lead changes and 15 ties, including 10 lead changes in the second half. The Devils took a 79-74 lead after NC State was assessed a technical foul for calling a timeout that the Wolfpack did not have. Freshman Marshall Williams then converted a layup with 3.3 seconds left to cut the Devils lead to three points, then followed Justin Gainey's intentionally missed free throw at the horn to send the game into overtime. The Blue Devils pulled away in OT, but NC State cut the lead to two points with 4.8 seconds left before two free throws from Duke's Nate James sealed the win.
SCORELESS STRETCHES: NC State's defense has been able to hold several of its opponents without a field goal for long stretches during games this season. Eight of NC State's 16 foes this season have been held without a field goal for at least five-minute periods. The Wolfpack held UNC Asheville without a field goal for 11:47. Against Yale, the Pack held the Bulldogs without a field goal for 9:55 in the first half. At No. 21 Purdue, NC State held the Boilermakers without a field goal for 7:31 during the second half to erase a 12-point second-half lead.
Opponent Longest Stretch w/o FG Georgia 4:13 Old Dominion 4:57 Stetson 7:57 Purdue 7:31 Providence 4:55 UNC Asheville 11:47 Liberty 5:25 Tulane 4:44 Yale 9:55 W Carolina 3:40 Maryland 4:08 North Carolina 7:50 Virginia 4:06 Wake Forest 10:23 Duke 7:52 Georgia Tech 4:49
DEFLECTIONS, STEALS AND BLOCKS: Wolfpack coach Herb Sendek charts deflections as a barometer for defensive play and the Wolfpack has averaged 49.8 deflections per contest this season. Last year, NC State averaged 40 deflections per game. Center Damon Thornton leads the team in deflections, averaging nearly nine per contest. Steals and blocks are both included in the deflection total and the Wolfpack has averaged 10.3 steals (second in ACC). NC State has had 12 or more steals in 9-of-16 games this season, including a season-high 19 steals vs. Liberty, matching the second-best total in school history. Sophomore Anthony Grundy had seven steals vs. UGa and five against Providence. Five different Wolfpack players have recorded at least four steals in a game this season. Justin Gainey had five steals vs. Liberty, while Marshall Williams had five against Yale and North Carolina. NC State had a season-high eight blocks against Yale on Dec. 28, the most by a Wolfpack team since Dec. 23, 1995, when NC State had eight swats against Cal-Poly SLO.
Opponent Steals Blocks Georgia 13 5 Old Dominion 7 7 Stetson 12 3 Purdue 13 7 Providence 12 7 UNC Asheville 12 4 Liberty 19 5 Tulane 3 4 Yale 16 8 W Carolina 9 3 Maryland 13 4 North Carolina 13 0 Virginia 4 4 Wake Forest 7 4 Duke 5 4 Georgia Tech 6 3
DEFENSIVE STOPPER: A quick look at 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. He is second in the ACC in steals, averaging 2.5 per game. He has had three of more steals in six games this season. 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. Grundy has also drawn a team-best nine charges this season.
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 the team's senior captain, Gainey ranks second among all current ACC players in career minutes played with 3,294 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 28.6 mpg. For his career, Gainey has played an average of 29.9 mpg (110 games).
BALANCED ATTACK: Three NC State players are averaging in double figures, led by Grundy's 13.9 ppg. Juniors Damon Thornton and Kenny Inge are averaging 10.3 ppg and 10.1 ppg, respectively. Freshman Damien Wilkins is averaging 9.9 ppg, while Ron Kelley is at 9.7 ppg. The last time NC State had more than three players average in double figures for a season was in 1990-91 when Rodney Monroe (27.0 ppg), Chris Corchiani (16.3 ppg), Tom Gugliotta (15.2 ppg) and Bryant Feggins (13.3 ppg) each averaged in double figures.
POINTS IN THE PAINT: The Wolfpack has had a decisive advantage over its opponents in the paint this season. Through 16 games, NC State has 484 *
Points in the Paint*
compared to 359 for its foes.
THORNTON BACK TO OLD FORM: 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 11.5 points and 6.0 rebounds in ACC play and scored 15 points against both Maryland and UNC. He has been in double-figures in six of the past eight games. Thornton had 10 points in just 12 minutes due to foul trouble vs. the Yellow Jackets.
THORNTON AMONG SCHOOL LEADERS IN FG %: While NC State has struggled shooting the ball this season, Damon Thornton has continued his accurate touch, making 56.2 percent (68-of-121) of his shots from the field. Thornton now ranks second in school history in career field-goal percentage at 57.7 percent (232-of-402). He is also being more aggressive on the offensive end, averaging 7.6 shot attempts per game this season. Prior to this season, Thornton had averaged 4.8 field-goal attempts per game.
DUNKING BIG MEN: NC State forwards Kenny Inge and Damon Thornton have combined for 39 dunks through 16 games this season, 34.8 percent of the duo's made field goals. Thornton had four dunks against Maryland, including an emphatic slam over seven-footer Mike Mardesich. For Inge, 19 of his 44 field goals (43.2 percent) have been on dunks, while last season 47 of his 112 made field goals (42 percent) were dunks. Last season vs. Georgia Tech, Inge had seven slams en route to a career-best 28 points.
INGE RETURNS FROM KNEE INJURY: NC State junior forward Kenny Inge returned to the Wolfpack lineup against Liberty (Dec. 17) and is back to his old ways. Inge missed 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, he was expected to miss 4-6 weeks, returning in early January. Since returning to the lineup, Inge has been in double figures in seven of the 10 games he has played in. He had a season-high 15 points against Western Carolina on Dec. 30 and pulled in a season-best nine boards against Maryland (Jan. 6).
INGE GETS TO THE LINE: Junior forward Kenny Inge has recorded 33.8 percent (272-of-805) of his career points from the charity stripe. He has averaged 5.4 free throw attempts per game during his career (75 games) and has made 67 percent (272-of-406) of his career free-throw attempts.
GAINEY'S GAME WINNERS: Justin Gainey's 12-footer with 1.8 seconds left against Maryland was the senior point guard's third game-winning shot in the last two seasons. Earlier this season, Gainey knocked in a three-pointer with 14 seconds left at Purdue. That shot looked strikingly similar to 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.
WHEN GAINEY'S IN DOUBLE FIGURES: Over the past four seasons, NC State has been very successful when senior point guard Justin Gainey scores in double figures. The Wolfpack is 24-5 when Gainey gets at least 10 points. He has scored in double figures in six of the Wolfpack's last 10 games this season. Gainey had all 14 of his points against the Terps in the second half, going 6-of-9 from the field and 2-of-2 from three-point range following the halftime break. Against Wake Forest, Gainey finished with 13 points going 10-of-10 from the free-throw line.
SOLID AS A ROCK: Call him the *
Prudential Man.*
That's how Herb Sendek refers to point guard 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.
WILLIAMS WINS ACC ROOKIE HONORS 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. He earned his first career start (in Anthony Grundy's absence) against Yale and finished with 10 points.
WILKINS EARNS ROOKIE HONORS 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. 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). Against Tulane, Wilkins had a team high 15 points.
SENDEK COACHES 200th CAREER GAME: NC State coach Herb Sendek will coached his 200th career game in the Pack's 76-56 win over Wake Forest on Jan. 16. Sendek has compiled a 128-72 (.640) in seven seasons as a head coach and is 65-46 (.586) in four years at NC State. Sendek's 100th career game was Jan. 7, 1997, when NC State defeated Texas-P.A., 75-25. He earned his 100th career victory last season vs. Coastal Carolina (81-50, 11/21/98).
BIG WINS OVER BIG CONFERENCES: In the midst of an 13-3 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 face the Pack-10's Arizona State. Last season, NC State faced teams from Conference USA (Tulane and Houston), Big East (Providence), 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 of sorts. 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.
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, 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.
