North Carolina State University Athletics
Wolfpack Gets Second Shot at Tulane
3/13/2000 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
During a pre-ACC Tournament press conference last week, NC State head coach Herb Sendek was asked to identify his team's worst performance of the season. Without hesitation, he said, "the game at Tulane."
Few would argue. When it traveled to face the Green Wave on December 22, the Wolfpack was riding high with a 7-0 record. Just two days earlier, the Pack had been included in the AP College Basketball for the first time in many years.
It didn't take long for the bubble to burst. After leading by as many as ten in the first half, NC State collapsed. Generating easy baskets from 18-Wolfpack turnovers, Tulane outscored the Pack by 15-points in the second half and went on to post a 73-62 victory.
"I thought they really did a good job on defense," said Sendek. "They really made it hard for us to execute our offense and really came with a great second half surge against us."
Now, thanks to the scheduling practices of the National Invitation Tournament, NC State (17-12) will get a chance to atone for its 'Bourbon Street beating.' The Wolfpack will host Tulane (20-10) in a first round game Tuesday night at the Entertainment and Sports Arena. If this scenario seems familiar, that's because it is.
Early in the regular season last year, the Wolfpack suffered an 80-69 spanking at Providence. Later in March, when the two clubs met in the opening round of the NIT, NC State gained a measure of revenge by topping the Friars 92-86.
Both teams had hoped to be making travel plans for the NCAA Tournament this week. Instead, they were relegated to NIT status after suffering through late season skids. NC State had lost seven straight before ending its streak with a win at Florida State. Tulane dropped four of its last seven games.
"It's not the tournament that we wanted to play in, but we have to go into this tournament the same way we would have gone into the NCAA Tournament," said Wolfpack freshman Damien Wilkins. "You're still representing yourself and your school so you want to perform as well as you can. That has to be our attitude."
The crippling injuries that sidetracked NC State's NCAA Tournament chances will be evident again in the Tulane game. Starting forward Damon Thornton, who sprained an ankle in Friday night's ACC Tournament win over Virginia, is questionable at best. The 6-8 junior did not practice on Monday.
Freshman guard Marshall Williams, who returned to practice last week but did not play in the ACC Tournament, won't even dress out for the Pack's NIT games.
"Marshall is not going to be available," Sendek said. "I had a long talk with him (Tuesday) and just felt like it was in his best interest to focus his energies at this time on rehabilitation. His leg just doesn't have the strength that it needs to give him the kind of confidence required to compete at this point."
Williams has missed six games since undergoing arthroscopic knee surgery on February 10.
Center Ron Kelley, who also underwent minor knee surgery in February, practiced very little on Monday. Kelley's played more minutes-53-than expected at the ACC Tournament.
This will mark NC State's fourth straight appearance in the NIT. In each of the last three years, the Wolfpack recorded first round victories before losing in round two. Overall, the Pack is playing in the NIT for the tenth time. NC State advanced to the championship game in 1978, before falling to Texas.
Tulane is in the NIT for the sixth time. The Green Wave's all-time NIT record is 7-5. Now in his 11th year, coach Perry Clark has guided Tulane to six 20-win seasons.
