North Carolina State University Athletics
Wolfpack and 15th Ranked Terps Tangle at ESA
1/5/2000 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
NC State (9-1) vs. Maryland (11-2)
Thursday, January 6, 20007 p.m. Entertainment and Sports Arena (19,722), Raleigh, N.C.
Radio: Wolfpack Capitol Sports Network. 6:30 p.m. airtime
TV: ESPN2
By Tony Haynes
After hosting 15th ranked Maryland on Thursday night, NC State will turn right around and play at number 13 North Carolina 48 hours later. Welcome to the Atlantic Coast Conference.
45 years of ACC Basketball have come and gone, but nothing has really changed. Since the very beginning, the league has consistently produced great teams, great players and great games. The fervor with which the players, coaches and fans compete is unmatched anywhere in the country.
For NC State, the year 2000 is like a breath of fresh air. The decade of the 90's produced very few memorable moments for Wolfpack fans. Now, however, there's a sense that the Pack may be back. A win over the powerful Terps would certainly be a step in the right direction.
"I do think we have a legitimate shot at winning the ACC title," Wolfpack guard Justin Gainey said. "We have a lot of older, experienced guys and this is the best team we've had since I've been here."
Gainey and fellow teammates Kenny Inge, Ron Kelley, Tim Wells and Damon Thornton have certainly experienced their share of lean times at NC State. Last years 6-10 mark was the Pack's best conference record since 1992.
The recent series with Maryland perhaps best illustrates how difficult it has been for the Wolfpack to compete with some of the ACC's heavyweights. The Terrapins have won four in a row and nine of the last ten. Last year in College Park, NC State suffered the third-worst defeat in school history when it got hammered by the Terps, 94-58.
"They've had a lot of great players," Gainey said in describing the consistently excellent teams coach Gary Williams has fielded at Maryland. "They do what they do very well. But this year I think we have a chance to beat them."
The quiet confidence Gainey and his teammates have displayed this season is genuine. For the first time, players and coaches alike feel there is finally enough material in place to win any game, anywhere.
The gradual and sometimes painful rise hasn't gone unnoticed outside of Raleigh.
"The NC State players have bought into the fact that the best way to play is to play together," Maryland's Williams said. "Under Herb, State has always been a good defensive team. They've added to it with the versatility in their offense this year."
The Wolfpack's offense hasn't always been scintillating this year, but it has been balanced. Five different players have lead NC State in scoring through the first ten games.
Though Maryland has prevailed in 11 of its first 13 games, the Terrapins haven't yet played on an opponent's home court. The five games that they played away from Cole Field House were on neutral floors. The environment at the sold out Entertainment and Sports Arena will be anything but neutral on Thursday.
"Going into a new building for the first conference game that will ever be played there, I'm sure it will be a special night for the fans," Williams said. "It's an atmosphere that we'll have to get used to if we're going to be successful for the last half of the regular season. I'm kind of looking forward to it to see how we're going to react."
Playing a tough conference game in hostile territory is nothing new for Maryland junior Terence Morris, who leads the Terrapins in scoring (16.8 ppg.). While the pre-season All-American's numbers are good, they could be better.
"I'd like to see Terence take more shots to tell you the truth," Williams said. "He took just six shots against Coastal Carolina. That concerns me quite a bit."
Morris's reluctance to put the ball up is good news for opposing teams. He is, after all, shooting 54 percent from the floor.
Guard Juan Dixon is establishing himself as one of the ACC's premiere perimeter scorers. The redshirt sophomore from Baltimore has scored in double figures in 11 of Maryland's 13 games this season and is averaging 15.8 points per contest.
"I think Maryland has a very explosive offense," said Wolfpack coach Herb Sendek. "In terms of their halfcourt sets, they're about as efficient as any team in college basketball. Coach Williams and his staff do a great job of getting their players good shots. They have a high number of assists and they get the ball inside."
Both teams have done a good job of generating offense from their defense. NC State leads the ACC in steals. Maryland is second in that category.
