North Carolina State University Athletics
Wolfpack Faces Georgia In Atlanta
12/8/2000 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
RALEIGH, N.C. -- NC State will continue a very challenging early season schedule when it squares off against surging Georgia Saturday (2:30 p.m.) at the Philips Arena in Atlanta. The game will part of a charity doubleheader known as the Delta Holiday Classic for Kids. Georgia Tech and Kentucky will meet in the opening game of the twin bill.
After getting off to an 0-2 start, the improving Bulldogs have posted wins in five of their last six games, including three in a row. On Wednesday night, Georgia (5-3) squeezed out a 75-70 victory over Georgia Tech as guard D.A. Layne exploded for a career-high 28 points. Layne, a 6-0 junior, is averaging 17.3 points per game to lead the Bulldogs.
Perhaps what Georgia does best is rebound-especially on the offensive end. The 'Dogs are outrebounding their opponents by an average of 10 per contest.
"They are the best offensive rebounding team we have played this year," said Pack coach Herb Sendek. "They get 41 percent of their misses back, which is staggering."
Like Georgia, NC State has also recovered from a slow start out of the gate. Since its November 22nd loss to Fresno State at the Tip-off Classic in Springfield, Mass., the Wolfpack (5-2) has won four straight.
Besides winning games, NC State's other top priority right now is to get its full allotment of players back on the floor. Forward Damien Wilkins, who missed three games with a second-degree ankle sprain, is not quite at full strength yet, although he did see some action in the Pack's one-point win over UNC-Greensboro on Tuesday.
"He's still not 100 percent," Sendek said of Wilkins. "He practiced [Thursday] but wasn't able to go from beginning to end. I still think he's some time away from being 100 percent, but he's certainly continued to make great progress."
Senior forward Damon Thornton, who led NC State in field goal percentage and rebounding last season, will also be eligible to return from a first semester suspension later this month. The void left by Thornton's absence has been obvious, especially on the defensive end of the floor where the Wolfpack has lacked the consistency it's shown in previous years under Sendek.
"Damon's presence has been missed more than anyone knows," said NC State guard Archie Miller. "A lot of people see him dunking and stuff, but they don't see him doing the simple things like calling out a back screen or coming from help-side and blocking a shot. Those things you really can't make up for. He is a dominating defender."
In Sendek's first four years, it was not unusual for the Wolfpack to hold most of its opponents under 40 percent shooting. This season, however, has been a different story. Through seven games, NC State opponents are shooting 44.2 percent from the floor.
Saturday's contest will mark the 19th meeting between NC State and Georgia. The Wolfpack holds a 10-8 advantage overall. The two teams christened the brand new Entertainment and Sports Arena last season with a thrilling game that went right down to the wire. Miller's three in the last minute proved to be the difference as State prevailed 67-63.
