North Carolina State University Athletics
Men's Hoops Makes Turn Into ACC's Second Half
2/6/2001 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
By Tony Haynes
RALEIGH, N.C. -- Flashback to January 6, 2001: the venue was University Hall in Charlottesville, Virginia. Leading by as many as 11 points in the second half, unranked NC State had No. 8 Virginia on the ropes. But by the 13-minute mark, four Wolfpack players had been whistled for four fouls. And to add insult to injury, the Pack had been called for 10 team fouls giving the Cavaliers two free throws on every non-player control foul called the rest of the game.
As much it tried, NC State simply couldn't overcome the fouls and its own shoddy ball handling. Four of coach Herb Sendek's players fouled out as the Wahoos paraded to the free throw line for 35 attempts. They made 31. Virginia also scored 28 points off of 20 Pack turnovers. The Wolfpack went from being six ahead with 5:36 remaining to seven behind at the final horn. Still, NC State had gone on the road and pushed a Top 10 team to the limit.
Since then, the Wolfpack has taken four more nationally ranked teams down to the wire only to suffer similar disappointments. How many times can one use the phrase "close, but no cigar?"
As it turns out, that first ACC game in Charlottesville was a microcosm of NC State's entire season. The Wolfpack has proven that it can indeed hang with the league's big boys, yet it hasn't been able to finish. But, alas, another opportunity will present itself on Wednesday night against the same Virginia team (16-4, 5-4) that, in some ways, helped to set a frustrating tone for the Pack's disappointing 2-6 record in the first round of conference games.
"Even though we're taking these tough losses, guys are still giving it all they've got every day in practice," said NC State forward Kenny Inge. "We're playing our hearts out, but we've got to start taking care of the ball. If we don't get shots, we don't score."
In excruciatingly close losses to Wake Forest and Syracuse last week, the Pack turned the ball over a total of 43 times. Now NC State must face a Virginia team that thrives on creating turnovers as much as any team in college basketball. The 6th ranked Cavaliers press on made field goals, made free throws and after time outs. For all we know, they may even press when they're sleeping.
"Against Virginia, I think we have to do a good job of taking care of the basketball," said NC State coach Herb Sendek. "We're coming off a game against Syracuse in which we had 22 turnovers. We just have to do a better job."
For the season, Virginia is forcing an average of 18 turnovers per game. And perhaps just as impressively, the Cavaliers are turning the ball over only 13 times per contest themselves, a fairly measly number considering the lightning quick tempo at which they play.
Since dropping back-to-back games to Georgia Tech and Duke in mid-January, Virginia has won five of its last six, including a pair of decisive home victories over Maryland and Wake Forest last week.
Uva's leading scorer is 1999 ACC Rookie of the Year Chris Williams, who is averaging 15.5 points and 5.4 rebounds per game. Guard Roger Mason (14.7), Center Travis Watson (13.4), and point guard Donald Hand (13.1) are also double-figure scorers.
The 6-8 Watson, who has averaged nearly 11 rebounds in four career games against NC State, has grabbed more boards than any other player in the league this season (193).
NC State holds a 69-49 lead all-time in the series with Uva, which dates back to 1912-1913. Virginia has won 15 of the last 20 meetings, although the Pack took two of three from the Cavaliers last season.
