North Carolina State University Athletics
NC State Basketball Preseason Primer
10/31/2002 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Oct. 31, 2002
NC State Basketball Preseason Primer...
* Last season, the Wolfpack posted four wins over teams ranked in the top-10 in the country.
* The Wolfpack was the last team to defeat the 2002 NCAA Champion Maryland Terrapins.
* Every player who has been at NC State and has played for Coach Sendek for a full four years has earned his degree.
* Coach Sendek owns the second highest ACC Tournament winning percentage among active ACC coaches.
* The Wolfpack has appeared in two ACC Tournament Finals under Coach Sendek (1997 and 2002)-second most among active ACC coaches.
* Coach Sendek was named District 5 Coach of the Year by the National Association of Basketball Coaches and was a finalist for the Naismith College Basketball Coach of the Year after leading the Pack to a 23-11 record in 2001-2002.
* NC State led the ACC in free throw shooting percentage last season (.755), and ranked 15th nationally in free throw improvement from the 2000-2001 season.
* Last season the Wolfpack posted a positive assist to turnover ratio in 24 games, the most in school history.
* The Wolfpack's scoring defense was ranked first in the ACC four of the last six seasons and third nationally in 1997.
* Twice last season the Wolfpack overcame double-digit halftime deficits to rally for the win. NC State was down by 10 against North Carolina on senior day, but came back for a 98-76 triumph. In the NCAA first round match-up against Michigan State, the Pack went to the lockerroom down by 12, but rallied to post a 69-58 victory.
* This season, every NC State game will be televised including these national exposures: ESPN (3), ESPN2 (4), Fox (4), CBS (1) and ABC (2).
* For the last three years, NC State has ranked in the top-20 nationally in home basketball attendance and was 1st in the country during the 1999-2000 season in attendance increase from the previous year.
