North Carolina State University Athletics
On the Road Again: Wolfpack Visits Georgia Tech
1/10/2003 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Jan. 10, 2003
By Tony Haynes
In the movie "Hoosiers," Hickory High coach Norman Dale tries to ease his team's fears about playing in a large, unfamiliar arena when he asks one of his players to measure the height of the basket. It was, of course, 10 feet off the floor, just like the baskets in the team's regular gym. When NC State (8-2, 1-0) looks for its first road win of the season against Georgia Tech (6-5, 0-1) on Saturday afternoon, the court specs and basket heights at Alexander Memorial Coliseum will be exactly like those the Wolfpack is used to at the RBC Center.
So far, however, the Pack has looked like a different team when venturing away from its home in Raleigh. In its only two losses-both on the road-NC State did not appear to be the same confident and polished team that has posted eight straight wins at home. The Wolfpack's shooting percentage in eight home games is 50.2 percent. But when firing away at the 10-foot-high baskets inside foreign venues, that number falls to 32 percent.
"It doesn't matter where you play, you still have two goals and a hardwood floor with lines on it," said NC State guard Cliff Crawford. "You have to go out and execute your game plan and just be mentally tough enough to go out there and get a win on the road."
One particular road win last year, an 82-68 victory over then 9th ranked Syracuse in mid-December, was the spark that ignited a 23-win season and NC State's first NCAA Tournament appearance in 11 years. The Wolfpack is hoping to create a similar story line this weekend.
"We were a good road team last year," said forward Levi Watkins. "We've had two road games this year and we should have won both of those. We like the opportunity of having a chance to go to Georgia Tech this weekend. It would be a good win if we can get it."
Along with the triumph at Syracuse a year ago, the Wolfpack also posted road wins at Houston, Virginia, North Carolina, Clemson and Florida State. But last year's team also had a pair of strong, vocal senior leaders. When the going got tough on the road, Archie Miller and Anthony Grundy would always take control. Or as Crawford puts it, the coaching staff can't go out on the floor and hold your hand when a team makes a run that gets its crowd into the game.
"After the UMass game we all came together and had a talk and said enough is enough; we can't go out and play like this anymore," Crawford said. "The coaches can do all the coaching in the world but the players have to do all the playing. That's what it comes down to. We've just got to go out on the floor and do what we were brought here to do."
Young but talented, Georgia Tech snapped a three-game losing skid with a one-sided 81-55 victory over Cornell on Wednesday night. Chris Bosh, one of the nation's most impressive freshman big men, paced the Jackets with 20 points. The 6-10 Bosh is averaging 15.6 points and 9.6 rebounds per game.
Coach Paul Hewitt's club has encountered the normal growing pains that usually accompany the loss of an experienced point guard. Senior Tony Akins was Tech's indisputable leader and go-to-guy last season. His spot has been inherited by rookie Jarrett Jack, who was one of the nation's most sought after backcourt prospects before picking the Yellow Jackets. Tech also features a pair of experienced sharpshooters in B.J. Elder and Marvin Lewis, both of whom are hitting better than 40 percent of their attempts from three-point range.
NC State will be looking to end a three-game losing streak at the 'Thriller Dome' on Saturday. The two teams split a pair of regular season games last season. Since Herb Sendek has been the coach at NC State, four of the six contests against the Jackets have been decided by an average of 4.7 points. The Wolfpack leads the all-time series 41-30.
Collins out:Wolfpack head coach Herb Sendek said on Friday that sophomore center Jordan Collins will be out for an indefinite period of time with a groin injury that his limited his time on the court in recent weeks. Crawford, who continues to undergo treatment for back spasms, is expected to start against Tech on Saturday.
