North Carolina State University Athletics
Gary's Game Notes: Georgia Tech
1/9/2003 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Jan. 9, 2003
NC STATE (8-2, 1-0) at GEORGIA TECH (6-5, 0-1)
DATE: Saturday, January 11, 2003 @ Alexander Memorial Coliseum, Atlanta, GA (9,191)
TIME: Tip-off: 4:00 p.m. EST
RADIO: Wolfpack Capitol Sports Network.
AIRTIME: 3:30 p.m. EST
TELEVISION: Raycom/Jefferson Pilot Sports (Regional)
OPPONENT-- Georgia Tech snapped a three-game losing streak and remained unbeaten in five home games with a 81-55 rout of Cornell on Wednesday night. It was the Yellow Jackets first game at Alexander Memorial Coliseum since December 17th.
Chris Bosh scored 20 points as Tech broke the game open with a 15-0 run early in the second half and shot nearly 59 percent from the field in the final 20-minutes. After leading 38-29 at halftime and seeing the margin cut to seven on Eric Taylor's basket, Bosh sparked the big run with two baskets inside and a 3-pointer that made it 53-31.
Tech scored 18 points off turnovers and collected 23 assists, including nine by freshman point guard Jarrett Jack. The Yellow Jackets out-rebounded the Big Red 45-25.
Marvin Lewis also had 20 points for Tech and sank 5 of 8 shots from the three-point arc while B.J. Elder and Isma'il Muhammad scored 11 points each.
Cornell (4-7) scored just three points over a nine-minute first-half stretch and trailed 30-13 after Bosh's three-point play with 5:09 to go in the half. The Big Red closed to within eight after Ka'Ron Barnes' 3-pointer capped a 14-5 run and Cody Toppert's long range bomb to close the half had Cornell within nine. Taylor scored 19 for as the Big Red, which had won back-to-back games and was bidding for its first three-game winning streak of the year. Barnes added 15, including 4-for-7 shooting from 3-point range
The Jackets are shooting .447 from the field and .389 from three-point range, but have struggled at the free throw line (.592). They are outrebounding opponents by an average of 44-36 and they're pulling down an impressive 16.8 offensive rebounds a game. Offensively, Bosh has added more balance inside, but Tech still has a potent outside game with Elder and Lewis. Both are shooting 40 percent or better from the three-point line and attempt 61 percent of the Jackets three-point shots.
Georgia Tech has played good competition, beating Georgia (83-77), but losing to Minnesota (64-63), Tennessee (70-69), Syracuse (92-65) and Maryland (84-77). The Jackets have good size and depth. Eight players average at least 13 minutes a game. This will be a very challenging road game for NC State.
PROBABLE GEORGIA TECH STARTERS
No. Name Pos. Ht. Class PPG RPG APG 03 Jarrett Jack G 6'3 Fr. 7.6 ppg. 4.3 rpg. 6.3 apg. 24 Marvin Lewis G 6'4 Jr. 11.5ppg. 3.4 rpg. 3.0 apg. 01 B.J. Elder F/G 6'4 So. 15.8ppg. 3.4 rpg. 2.5 apg. 04 Chris Bosh F 6'10 Fr. 15.6ppg. 9.6 rpg. 1.6* 12 Luke Schenscher C 7'0 Fr. 6.4 ppg. 4.8 rpg. 1.0*
TOP RESERVES:
32 Ed Nelson F 6'8 So. 8.0 ppg. 6.6 rpg. 0.5 apg. 34 Robert Brooks C 6'8 Jr. 0.5 ppg. 1.2 rpg. 0.5* 10 Jim Nystrom G 6'4 Fr. 4.5 ppg. 1.0 rpg. 1.0 apg. 55 Anthony McHenry F 6'7 So. 2.6 ppg. 1.5 rpg. 1.5 apg. 02 Isma'il MuhammadF 6'6 So. 7.9 ppg. 4.7 rpg. 1.4 apg.* Blocked shots per game
A WIN--Would give the Wolfpack its second straight victory overall and second in-a-row in the ACC and put State in a position to sweep Georgia Tech in the regular season series for the first time since 1999. The Pack would break a three-game losing streak to Tech in Atlanta and improve to 9-2 overall and 2-0 in the ACC. NC State would notch its first road win of the season against one loss. Last season, the Pack won six road games.
A LOSS--Would be the second in the last three games for NC State, dropping the Wolfpack to 8-3 overall and 1-1 in the ACC. Tech would win its second straight game overall and second in-a-row over the Wolfpack in the series. The Jackets would also pick up their fourth straight victory over the Pack in Atlanta and assure themselves no worse than a split in the regular season series with NC State for the fourth straight year. The Pack's road record would drop to 0-2 (0-1 ACC).
ASSISTS UP... TURNOVERS DOWN--In 6 of its 10 games this season, NC State has recorded more assists than turnovers. That happened in 25 of 34 games last season. In addition, the Pack is averaging only 14 turnovers a game (140).
CONVERTING TURNOVERS TO POINTS --Overall, NC State is forcing an average of 19.1 turnovers a contest (191) and is converting many of those opportunities into points. In its last 3 games the Pack has scored 51 points off turnovers, an average of 17 a game. State is averaging 10.7 steals a game.
HOT STUFF FROM THE PERIMITER--In its ACC opener vs. Virginia, the Wolfpack shot an impressive 45% from three-point range (9-20). For the season, The Pack is .376 from the arc (88-234).
NIFTY FIFTY -- NC State has shot 50% or better in 4 games this season and won all of them. The Pack is 4-2 when shooting less than 50%.
TAKING ADVANTAGE OF CHARITY --NC State's free throw shooting has been impressive. The Pack is shooting .752 from the charity stripe (164-218). In its ACC opener, State was 20-27 from the line vs. Virginia.
PINE POINTS-- Last season, the Wolfpack bench averaged nearly 20 points a game. This season is a different story. So far, the bench has scored 129 points for a 12.9 average. In the ACC opener vs. Virginia the Pack bench scored 6 points. Its season-low production was vs. Coppin State with zero points. Its best point production was 34 against Fairleigh-Dickinson.
LEAD AT THE HALF...LEAD AT THE FINISH--NC State has posted a 7-0 record when leading at the half this season. The Wolfpack is 1-2 when trailing at the break.
NEXT FOR THE PACK-- NC State will return home to the RBC Center for a non-conference game on Thursday, January 16th, against Boston College and Troy Bell, one of the nation's top guards. Airtime on the Wolfpack Radio Network will be 6:30 p.m.
WOLFPACK PLAYERS TO WATCH
JULIUS HODGE-- The ACC's leading scorer with 192 points (19.2 ppg.) and the Pack's leader in rebounding with 67 (6.7), offensive rebounds with 23 (2.3) and minutes with 338 (33.8). Hodge has been on a tear lately. In his last four games he's scored 20 or more points 3 times and averaged 22.3 points (89) and 8 rebounds (32) while shooting .574 from the field (31-54) and 7-14 from three-point range (50%). A member of the ACC All-Rookie Team last season, he led all ACC freshmen in scoring (10.7 ppg.). He was named to the second unit of the All-ACC Tournament Team after averaging 12.3 points, 5.0 rebounds, 3.7 assists and shot .519 from the field. As New York's "Mr. Basketball" 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. He was rated as the No.1 high school shooting guard in the nation by ESPN.com.
MARCUS MELVIN--This versatile junior forward is the Pack's No. 2 scorer with 141 points (14.5 ppg.) and rebounder (61) averaging 6.1 rpg. He's also the team's No. 2 three-point shooter at .408 (20-49). Scored a career-high 23 points vs. Northwestern on 12/4/02 and has scored in double-figures in every game this season. In his last two games, he's averaged 10 rebounds. Last season, Melvin was a difference-maker in the Pack's upset of eventual national champion Maryland in the ACC Tournament with 19 points, 6 rebounds and 3 assists on 7-12 shooting from the field. He was named to the second unit of the All-ACC Tournament team after averaging 10.7 points, 6.7 rebounds and 2.7 assists in 3 games.
JOSH POWELL-- After scoring in double-figures in the first five games of the season, the sophomore center has been inconsistent. However, in the ACC opener vs. Virginia, Powell played well on both ends of the floor. He scored 13 points, led the team with 3 offensive rebounds and played tough defense against All-ACC center, Travis Watson. Powell is the Wolfpack's No. 3 scorer with 115 points (11.5 ppg.) and rebounder (50) averaging 5.0 rpg. Last season, Powell was named to the ACC All-Rookie Team. He led the Pack in field goal percentage (.528) while averaging 7.2 points and 3.9 rebounds a game. Powell was named Metro Atlanta Player of the Year by the Atlanta Tip-Off Club following his senior year at Riverdale High School and averaged 22.7 points and 13 rebounds a game.
SCOOTER SHERRILL--The Pack's top three-point shooter at .458 (27-59) is also the team's leader in free throw percentage. This season Sherrill has made all 10 of his attempts from the charity stripe and dating back to last season has swished 33 straight free throws. The junior guard scored a career-high 22 points vs. Gonzaga on 12/17/02, but since then his point production has dropped somewhat. He's averaged 8.3 points (33) over his last four games.
CLIFF CRAWFORD-- The Wolfpack lone senior leads the team in assists (41), steals (25) and field goal percentage at .526 (30-57). Against Wofford on 12/29/02, Crawford scored a career high 22 points while hitting 9 of 11 field goal attempts. He strained a back muscle against UMass and was ineffective with only 2 points, 1 assist and 1 steal. Bounced back against Virginia with 14 points and 4 rebounds. Crawford is the team's best defender and leads the Pack in steals and deflections.
LEVI WATKINS-- A 2001 Parade High School All-American, Watkins suffered a torn knee ligament (ACL) vs. Maryland on 12/30/01 and was lost for the remainder of the 2001-02 season. Shedding his knee brace vs. Virginia on 1/8/03, the sophomore forward played his best all-round game of the season against the Cavaliers with 6 points, 2 rebounds and 3 assists. He also played outstanding first-half defense against Travis Watson. The All-ACC center was held to 4 points and 4 rebounds in the opening 20-minutes.
