North Carolina State University Athletics
Gary's Game Notes: NC State at Clemson
1/14/2002 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Jan. 14, 2002
NC STATE (12-4, 2-2) at CLEMSON (11-6, 2-2)
DATE: Tuesday, January 15, 2002 @ Littlejohn Coliseum, Clemson, SC (11,020)
TIME: Tip-off: 7:00 p.m. EST
RADIO: Wolfpack Capitol Sports Network.
AIRTIME: 6:30 p.m. EST (Click for list of stations carrying game)
TELEVISION: Fox Sports Net South (Regional)
OPPONENT-- Wake Forest was too tough inside for even a physical team like Clemson to handle Saturday afternoon at Joel Coliseum. Darius Songaila and his frontcourt teammates combined for 46 points to lead Wake Forest to a 96-55 rout of the Tigers, its seventh straight win over Clemson.
Antwan Scott led Wake's frontcourt charge with 17 points, forward Josh Howard scored 16, Songaila had 14 and reserve forward Vytas Danelius had 11 points and 13 rebounds, the most by any Wake player this season. Craig Dawson, who has made at least one 3-pointer in every game this season, hit four and finished with 16 points for Wake Forest (13-3, 3-0).
The Demon Deacons took control early in the first half, led by double digits almost the entire game and never stopped pushing the ball - even after the starters went to the bench midway through the second half. Wake used a 24-9 run, holding Clemson scoreless for 3:26 of the span, to open a 33-14 lead with 9:50 to play in the first half. The Tigers unraveled during that stretch and Chris Hobbs, one of the few options the Clemson had to stop the Deacons inside game went to the bench with his third foul with 10:09 remaining before the intermission.
The Tigers feature balanced scoring with their five starters averaging at least 9.5 points a game. They also hit the boards with authority, outrebounding opponents by eight a game overall, including an average of 16 offensive rebounds a contest. The "Bruise Brothers" Hobbs and Ray Henderson ,who each weight about 255 pounds, are combining for 22 points and 15 rebounds a game. Small forward, Jamar McKnight, the most improved player on the Clemson team, is shooting 49 percent (.433 from the three-point arc) and is also a factor on the boards.
Clemson is not an outstanding perimeter shooting team (.298 from three-point range), but McKnight and Tony Stockman are threats. Stockman has 36 three-point field goals this season, more than any NC State player. Three-point defense is another concern for the Tigers. Clemson had made 90 three-point field goals this season while its opponents have nailed 127 shots from behind the arc.
This will be a difficult test for NC State. The Pack will have less than 48 hours to prepare following Sunday night's loss to Duke.
Pregame Quotes:
"I think we have enough depth and enough young guys on the team to handle it. It's the biggest game of the season for us. When you lose a game at home, you have to make it up one way or the other. The last couple of years, the trip down to Clemson hasn't been very nice for us. We have to play a lot better."(NC State guard Archie Miller on the short preparation time between Sunday's game against Duke and Tuesday's road contest at Clemson.)
"I thought [NC State's] athleticism was brilliant. I know the score didn't indicate that because Dunleavy took it upon himself for about six minutes to just be tremendous. But if you remove those five or six minutes, their athleticism was equal to or even more outstanding at different times than even Duke's."(Clemson coach Larry Shyatt on watching NC State against Duke on Sunday night.)
PROBABLE CLEMSON STARTERS
10 Edward Scott G 6'0 Jr. 9.6 ppg. 4.9 rpg. 7.5 apg.
00 Tony Stockman G 6'1 So. 9.7 ppg. 2.3 rpg. 2.4 apg.
21 Ray Henderson C 6'8 Jr. 9.5 ppg. 9.2 rpg. 1.2*
43 Chris Hobbs F 6'7 So. 12.5ppg. 5.9 rpg. 0.4 apg.
33 Jamar McKnight F 6'5 Sr. 16.9 ppg. 7.0 rpg. 1.6 apg.
TOP RESERVES:
03 Tomas Nagys F 6'10 Jr. 4.9 ppg. 4.7 rpg. 0.7 apg.
05 Sharrod Ford F 6'9 Fr. 4.2 ppg. 3.5 rpg. 1.0*
14 Chey Christie G 6'4 Fr. 5.9 ppg. 1.4 rpg. 0.9 apg.
35 Dwon Clifton G/F 6'5 S0. 4.7 ppg. 2.4 rpg. 1.3 apg.
* Blocked shots per game
A WIN--Would give the Wolfpack its third victory in its last four ACC games, second straight over Clemson in the series and first over the Tigers at Littlejohn Coliseum since 1998. The Pack would earn a chance to sweep the regular season series with the Tigers for the first time since 1992 when the two teams meet in Raleigh on February 16th. NC State would record its second consecutive ACC road win of the season for the first time since 1988 when the Pack beat Maryland and Duke on the road. The Pack's 2-0 ACC road record would be its best ever league start away from home under coach Herb Sendek.
A LOSS--Would be the second straight for NC State and drop the Wolfpack to 12-5 overall and 2-3 in the ACC and mark Clemson fourth win over the Pack in the last five games and fourth in-a-row at Littlejohn Coliseum. NC State would be denied its first consecutive ACC road wins since 1988 while the Tigers would earn an opportunity to sweep the regular season series with the Pack for the first time since the 2000 season when the two teams meet in Raleigh on February 16th.
WHEN SHOTS FALL, SO DO OPPONENTS -- The Pack has shot 50 percent or better in six games this season and won all six. In 4 ACC games, the Wolfpack has shot a combined .405 from the field and .322 from the three-point line. NC State is 6-4 when it has shot below 50 percent.
MUCH BETTER AT THE LINE --NC State's free throw shooting has really improved this season. The Pack is shooting .737 from the charity stripe (232-315) and .750 in its last 11 games (190-253). Last season, the Pack shot .673 from the line. Clemson is shooting .626 from the foul stripe.
DEFENSE TO OFFENSE --NC State scored 13 points off 15 Duke turnovers on 1/14 and is forcing an average of 18 turnovers a contest (285). The Pack is averaging 19.3 points off turnovers in its four ACC games (77). Clemson is forcing opponents into 15 turnovers a game.
BANGING THE BOARDS --For a team that did not expect rebounding to be a strength, the Wolfpack has held its own in conference play. In 4 ACC games the Pack is trailing slightly on the boards 143-147, but holds a 51-39 edge on the offensive glass. For the season, NC State is holding an average edge vs. opponents of 36-34 on the boards. Clemson is outrebounding opponents by 8 a game and is averaging an impressive 16 offensive rebounds a contest.
PINE POINTS-- The Wolfpack's young, but deep bench is averaging 19.2 points a game (308) this season. Freshmen have accounted for more than 40 percent of the team's total minutes played.
ASSISTS UP... TURNOVERS DOWN-- In 12 of 16 games this season, NC State has recorded more assists than turnovers. That happened only 8 times last season. In addition, the Pack is averaging only 13.4 turnovers a game (215). Last season, the Wolfpack turned the ball over nearly 17 times a contest. Clemson is averaging 14.6 assists and 16.4 turnovers a game.
NEXT FOR THE PACK-- NC State will host Georgia Tech on Saturday afternoon, January 19, 2002. The game will be carried live on the Wolfpack Capitol Sports Network with an airtime of 1:30 p.m. EST.
ARCHIE MILLER-- To avoid the recurrence of a stress fracture in his left leg, the Wolfpack captain's practice time is extremely limited. After missing 9 games last season with a stress fracture, extra precautions are being taken to enhance the chances of keeping Miller in the line-up for the remainder of the season. Miller started feeling discomfort in his leg prior to the Houston game on 12/23. Normally one of the ACC's best shooters, Miller is 8-27 shooting from the field and 5-19 from the three-point line since the leg became sore 5 games ago. Prior to the injury, Miller led the team in minutes per game. He continues to lead in assists (3.6) and free throw shooting (.800) and is No. 2 in steals (26). He leads the ACC in assist-to-turnover ratio with a 3.6-to-1mark and has only 8 turnovers in his last 11 games. The fifth-year senior is fifth in the school record book for career three-point field goals made (174) and is sixth in career three-point percentage at .424 (174-410).
ANTHONY GRUNDY-- The Pack's leading scorer was held to 7 points by Duke on 3-11 shooting from the field on 1/14, marking only the second time in the last 8 games he's been held under double digits. Grundy led the Pack with 4 steals and 18 points versus FSU on 1/8 and added 19 points in the win at Virginia on 1/5. The senior guard had possibly his finest game in a Wolfpack uniform at Syracuse on December 8th when he finished with 26 points, 4 rebounds, 5 assists and 4 steals while shooting 10-16 from the field. Currently, he leads the team in scoring (14.6 ppg.), steals (38), minutes (31.1) and is No. 3 in rebounding (5.1 rpg.). Grundy is shooting .438 from the field and has been somewhat inconsistent from the three-point line this season (.322).The Louisville, Ky., native ranks third in school history with 207 career steals and is in the Top-10 in career three-pointers made (136).
JULIUS HODGE-- Although the 2001 McDonalds and Parade High School All-American has elevated his game since the start of the ACC season, he ran into a wall versus Duke. The Blue Devils held Hodge scoreless for the first time in his college career on 1/14. However, he did lead the Pack with 8 rebounds. In four ACC games, Hodge has averaged 11.8 points and 6.8 rebounds. He led the Pack at UVA with a career-high 21 points on 7-8 field goal shooting and recorded 14 points and 12 rebounds vs. Maryland on 12/30. Overall, he's averaging 10.8 points and 4.9 rebounds a game and is currently the Pack's No.1 three-point shooter at .370 (20-54) and is No. 3 in free throw shooting at .772 (44-57). At Houston on 12/23, Hodge dished out a career high 4 assists. New York's "Mr. Basketball" as a senior and the New York Daily News High School Player of the Year, Hodge averaged 21.5 points, 8.5 rebounds and 3.2 assists during his senior year at St. Raymond's High School in Bronx, NY. Rated as the No. 1 shooting guard in the nation by ESPN.com.
MARCUS MELVIN--The sophomore forward was a non-factor vs. Duke on 1/14 as he was held scoreless and grabbed only 3 rebounds. It was the first time all-season Melvin was held scoreless. The Fayetteville native was the Pack's hero at Houston, winning the game with a desperation three-pointer from the left wing at the buzzer. Melvin led NC State in scoring and rebounding in that game with 18 points and 7 boards. He's the Pack's leading rebounder (5.9 rpg.) and No. 2 three point shooter (.357) and is averaging 10.4 points a game (166). In his last 9 games, Melvin is shooting .536 from the field (37-69).
JOSH POWELL-- The rookie caught fire in the second half vs. Duke on 1/14. He threw down a couple thunderous dunks and ended the contest as the Pack's leading scorer with 12 points on 5-10 shooting from the field. Powell recorded 10 points and 3 blocks against FSU on 1/8. In his last 9 games, the 6-9 freshman is shooting .650 from the field (39-60), but has averaged only 6.5 points and 3.3 rebounds in his first 4 ACC games. He won his second ACC Rookie of the Week award this season after combining for 32 points and 16 rebounds in victories over Wofford and Syracuse while shooting 15-18 from the field (.833). Powell pulled down a career-high 9 rebounds vs. Syracuse. He scored a career high 18 points on 8-of-9 shooting from the field vs. Wofford on 12/5/01. Powell has started every game this season and leads the team in field goal percentage at .584 (66-113). He's also the Pack's leading offensive rebounder (35) and shot blocker (18). Powell was named Metro Atlanta Player of the Year by the Atlanta Tip-Off Club following his senior year at Riverdale High School. He averaged 22.7 points and 13 rebounds in his senior year and is the only player in school history to have his jersey retired.
SCOOTER SHERRILL--Sherrill saw 15 minutes of action against Duke on 1/14 and recorded 10 points on 4 of 6 shooting for his best ACC performance of the season. Did not play at Virginia on 1/5, the first game this season in which he saw no action. Played in 29 contests a year ago as a reserve guard. He's averaging 4.6 points a game (69). In his best performance of the season, Sherrill scored 10 points in 19 minutes vs. Wofford on 12/5/01 and added 3 rebounds and 3 assists.
CLIFF CRAWFORD-- The junior guard has picked up his game since the start of the ACC season. In four league games (including three consecutive starts), Crawford is averaging 8.5 points, 3 rebounds and 1.8 assists while shooting 58 percent from the field (14-24). In his best ACC performance of the season, Crawford recorded 11 points, 5 rebounds and 2 assists in 23 minutes at UVA after starting the game in place of Archie Miller. He also played well in back-to-back games vs. Wofford and Syracuse combining for 17 points, 8 rebounds and 6 assists. An above average defender, Crawford is No.4 on the team in steals with 16.
ILLIAN EVTIMOV-- Recorded 8 points and 2 assists against Duke on 1/14. Enjoyed the best performance of his young Wolfpack career at UVA on 1/5 when he came off the bench to contribute 15 points, including 4 of 7 shooting from the three-point line. A native of Bulgaria, Evtimov lived in France for most of his life before moving to the United States. He averaged 21.5 points, 14 rebounds and 5.2 assists a game as a senior at Bishop McGuiness High School in Winston-Salem, NC. As a freshman at NC State, Evtimov is averaging 13.6 minutes a game and 4.6 points a contest (73). He's seen action in every game. He's the brother of former UNC forward Vasco Evtimov who is now playing professionally in Greece.
LEVI WATKINS-- A 2001 Parade High School All-American, Watkins suffered a torn knee ligament (ACL) vs. Maryland on 12/30 and will be lost for the remainder of the season. He scored 5 points in 6 minutes before the injury. Watkins earned his first career start vs. Charleston Southern on 12/19 and played 11 minutes, scoring 2 points. His best performance of the season came vs. UNC-Asheville when he finished with 8 points and 5 rebounds. Watkins averaged 23.2 points and 11.2 rebounds a game during his senior year at Montrose Christian in Rockville, MD.
JORDAN COLLINS-- The 6-10 freshman has earned more playing time lately. He's averaged 11.5 minutes in 4 ACC games. Recorded 2 points and 3 rebounds vs. Duke. Collins had a career high 7 points along with 2 rebounds vs. UNC-Asheville on 12/15. He's played in 14 games for the Wolfpack this season in limited minutes (7.8 mpg.). Collins was a four-year starter at DeMatha Catholic in Hyattsville, MD for legendary coach, Morgan Wooten. He averaged 15 points and 10.3 rebounds as a senior while leading DeMatha to a 27-5 record.
