North Carolina State University Athletics
NC State Hopes to Find the Mark in ACC Opener
12/27/2003 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Dec. 27, 2003
By Tony Haynes
Raleigh, N.C.-Capable of putting five quality shooters on the floor at any given time, NC State was expected to be a very good 3-point shooting team this season. So far, however, that hasn't panned out. In its 5-2 start, the Wolfpack has shot just 31 percent (55-177) from the arc, a trend that must change if the Pack is to have any hopes of competing for a spot in the upper half of the rugged ACC this season. State will look to improve its marksmanship Sunday night when it welcomes unbeaten Virginia (8-0) to the RBC Center in what will be the conference opener for both clubs. The Wolfpack Radio Network will hit the airwaves for the 8:00 p.m. contest at 7:30.
"That's not good enough," NC State head coach Herb Sendek responded when asked about his team's percentage from long-range. "We need to be at 36 percent. If we're 36 percent, we could live with that."
Sendek cited a number of reasons why the Wolfpack hasn't yet caught fire to this point. Overall, he says the shot selection can certainly improve, although he doesn't want players looking over their shoulder every time they put one up.
"We're probably taking a handful of bad shots every game," Sendek said. "You're always going to have some because you don't want guys looking over their shoulders every time they miss one wondering if it's a good shot or a bad shot. There has to be some artistic freedom."
Perhaps one of the more underrated aspects of shooting is the pass that comes before the shot. To stay in rhythm, most shooters prefer a pass that lands right in "the pocket," a spot that allows them to catch the ball without having to reach up, down or to the side before they get into the actual shooting motion. Making accurate passes to 3-point shooters is something that Sendek and his staff stress religiously in practice.
"The pass can be just as important as the shot," Sendek said. "Whether it's on target, whether it's on time, and whether it's rhythm are all things that can affect shooting. There was a shot that we had against South Carolina that you couldn't have been more open. We missed it. The pass was down by the shooter's knee. Can you still catch and make it? Sure you can. When you're talking about percentages, if that pass hits him in the numbers and he's able to catch it make it in rhythm, instead of being 31 [percent], maybe you're now at 36 percent."
NC State's top 3-point shooter percentage wise has been freshman guard Mike O'Donnell, who has knocked down 11-of-26 for 45 percent. Guard Scooter Sherrill is 13-of-36 (36%), but is 0-for-11 over his last three games.
Although not nationally ranked, Virginia is off to an 8-0 start for the third time in the last four years. Picking up where former frontcourt star Travis Watson left off, much improved junior Elton Brown has proven to be a force down low, averaging 17.3 points and 7.8 rebounds per game for the Cavaliers.
"Virginia is playing as well as any Virginia team has played since I've been here," Sendek said. "I know a couple of years ago they may have had a higher ranking when they were undefeated, but I don't know if they were playing any better than this team is playing. Elton Brown has really stepped things up. He gives them the same low post presence right now that Travis Watson had. They're really looking to go into him."
And when teams commit extra people to double-down on the 6-9 Brown, the Cavaliers have plenty of people on the perimeter, who, if left unguarded, can do damage from 3-point territory. Derrick Byers, a 6-7 sophomore, has drilled 54 percent (13-24) of his tries from the arc. The other three starters - Devin Smith, Todd Billet, and freshman Gary Forbes - are also accurate shooters.
"They can take you off the dribble and shoot the three," Sendek said. "They really don't allow you the luxury of helping very much because everybody on the floor is capable of scoring and having a big night."
The Wolfpack has won five of the last six meetings in the series and six in a row in Raleigh, including all four at the RBC Center. The Cavaliers' last prevailed in Raleigh back in 1997, which was Sendek's first season at NC State.
