North Carolina State University Athletics
Banged Up Wolfpack Opens ACC Play Against Virginia
1/4/2003 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Jan. 4, 2003
By Tony Haynes
Raleigh, N.C.-The NC State men's basketball team (7-2) will hardly be riding a wave of momentum when it begins ACC play with a home game against Virginia (9-2) Sunday at the RBC Center. Not only is the Wolfpack coming off of its second loss of the season, it could also be missing two key players when the ball goes up at 5:40 p.m. Starting guard Cliff Crawford is listed as questionable (back), while back-up center Jordan Collins is doubtful (groin) for Sunday's contest.
In other words, the Wolfpack, which is already without sophomore forward Ilian Evtimov, could be in a most fragile state against the talented Cavaliers.
"We're playing without some guys, so others have to step up," said NC State head coach Herb Sendek. "We don't have the luxury of having anyone who's ready to play for us not to be striving to do that."
Crawford, who ignites the Wolfpack's defensive pressure with dynamic quickness and athleticism, injured his back while driving inside for a layup attempt early in Thursday's 68-56 defeat at Massachusetts. He will continue to receive treatment right up until game time on Sunday, but he won't practice before then.
"He had complained of some mild discomfort last week but it certainly was nothing of great magnitude," Sendek said of Crawford's back problem. "Within the first couple minutes of the game at UMass, he had a breakaway layup and went in and planted and I guess jammed himself. It kind of aggravated some of those underlying symptoms he had. We tried to work with him and he wanted to play badly. We put him in a couple of times thereafter, but it was just difficult for him."
Obviously limited by the injury, Crawford scored just two points in 23 minutes. Collins, meanwhile, re-aggravated a groin problem that had already been hampering him in recent weeks.
Virginia, perhaps, could be just what the doctor ordered for an NC State team that can't afford to lose serve at home. The Wolfpack swept coach Pete Gillen's Cavaliers in two regular season last year and then completed the "hat trick" by taking a third game in the ACC Tournament. NC State has prevailed in five of the last seven games played between the two clubs the last three years.
Virginia is led by burly senior forward Travis Watson, who scores (14.5) and rebounds (10.5) with tremendous fervor. The Cavaliers are also getting some scoring punch from Todd Billet (12.1 ppg.) and Devin Smith (11.2).
"They're playing really well right now," Sendek said. "Certainly, Travis Watson is an attention grabber, coming of a game in which he had 21 points and 20 rebounds. You know how hard it is to get 20 rebounds in a game? That's an incredible number. He leads the ACC in career double-doubles among active players with the better part of his senior year still to be played. It seems like he's been at Virginia forever."
