North Carolina State University Athletics
Pack, Pirates Clash in BCA Title Game
11/19/2004 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Nov. 19, 2004
By Tony Haynes
Raleigh, N.C. - A small but noisy group of East Carolina basketball fans moved into the lower section of the RBC Center on Thursday night, urging and imploring their Pirates to hang tough, even when a slow start left ECU down to Oregon State 16-3. Neither the Pirates fans nor their team ever gave up, and as a result, East Carolina (2-0) will get a shot at 19th ranked NC State (2-0) tonight in the championship game of the Black Coaches Association Invitational at the RBC Center. The Wolfpack Radio Network will provide live play-by-play coverage beginning at 7:00 p.m.
Digging itself out of that early hole, ECU went on a 14-2 run to tie it, then led for almost the entire second half in a 64-62 victory. Mike Cook paced the Pirates with 22 points.
In shooting better than 50 percent for the second straight game, NC State advanced to the title game with a hard-fought 71-45 triumph over Elon. Senior Julius Hodge again led the Pack with 21 points, seven rebounds and five assists. The reigning ACC Player of the Year also joined Anthony Grundy in elite company, becoming only the second player in Wolfpack history to amass 1,500 points, 500 rebounds and 300 assists in a career.
"It's not a surprise, but it's one heck of an achievement," said NC State head coach Herb Sendek. "We're certainly so proud of Julius; he's a complete player and he does so many things well for us."
One thing the Wolfpack has done well as a team through its first two games is to share the basketball. In the victories over New Orleans and Elon, NC State has a combined 45 assists on 62 baskets.
"We have good passers on our team, and we have unselfish players on our team," Sendek said. "If we just have the discipline to stay with it, those kinds of things will manifest themselves."
Friday's championship game will certainly test the conditioning and stamina of both teams since this will be the third straight game in as many days for both clubs. Blessed with a developing bench that includes talented freshmen Andrew Brackman, Cedric Simmons and Gavin Grant, Sendek has only one player, guard Tony Bethel, who has averaged better than 30 minutes in the first two games of the tournament. A total of 10 players recorded 10 minutes or more on Thursday.
"I don't think anybody has played too many minutes," Sendek said. "We've capped off at 32 with Tony, and most everybody else has been at 30 or under the last two games. We shouldn't have fatigue to use as an excuse, but we're going to have to play one heck of a team."
Sendek is also hoping more seats will be filled for Friday's title game. Although his team is nationally ranked in the preseason polls, the average attendance for the first two nights was a modest 8,733.
"We've got to get some people here on [Friday night]," said Sendek. "Our crowd the first two nights hasn't been where we need it to be. We're going to need some energy in the building because we're going to be playing a heck of an opponent."
Game time tonight is set for 7:30.
