North Carolina State University Athletics
Tony Haynes: 19th Ranked Wolfpack Ready for ACC Opener
12/16/2005 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Dec. 16, 2005
Audio: Herb Sendek talks about Miami
By Tony Haynes
Raleigh, N.C. - Eddie Biedenbach didn't want to step on any NC State fingers, so it was with great caution on Wednesday night that he suggested that this year's Wolfpack team may be better than any he had witnessed while Julius Hodge was the Pack's star attraction. The current UNC Asheville coach and former NC State guard, Biedenbach watches the Wolfpack in a different way than most coaches: Not only is he an annual non-conference opponent, but he's also an alum. Time - and 16 rigorous ACC games - will tell whether this, as Biedenbach suggests, is Herb Sendek's best NC State team. The first test of that ACC slate comes Sunday evening (5:30) when Miami visits the RBC Center.
"I think they have eight really good players with experience," Biedenbach said before his Bulldogs absorbed an 86-56 beating at the hands of the Wolfpack on Wednesday. "You're not going to get people at NC State to say that they don't miss Julius Hodge, but I think they're a better basketball team with the team they have right now. No knock on Julius Hodge. I think Julius was a great player and great for the program."
If nothing else, this NC State squad does have more balance, not only throughout its roster, but in the way it plays the game. The emergence of Cedric Simmons down low has created an inside-outside balance that the Wolfpack hasn't experienced since Josh Powell's late season explosion in 2003.
In Wednesday's 30-point romp over UNC Asheville, six players scored in double figures, led by Ilian Evtimov's 19 points. During last year's up and down campaign that ended with a Sweet 16 appearance, Hodge was the Wolfpack's leading scorer in 18 of 35 games, which computes to 51 percent of the time. It is highly unlikely any one player will carry as much of the load on this team, and maybe that's a good thing.
The pattern is already developing. Ilian Evtimov (3 times), Cedric Simmons (2), Engin Atsur (1), Gavin Grant (1), Cameron Bennerman (1) and Andrew Brackman (1) have already either led the Pack in scoring or shared top honors with a teammate.
But with a style of offense that promotes team play and unselfishness, NC State will be at its best when scoring is evenly distributed the majority of the time. Over its last two games, the Wolfpack has 46 assists on 63 baskets, an astounding ratio that points to the versatility that Sendek relishes. Since his unusual five turnover hiccup at Iowa, Atsur has dished out a combined total of 15 assists with only one turnover in wins over Appalachian State and UNC Asheville.
With a steady stream of ACC opponents on the horizon, NC State must hone in on the type of crisp offensive execution that will be required to become a top caliber ACC team.
Two big keys for the Pack from here on out will be ball protection and rebounding. With the many reliable ball-handlers it will have on the floor much of the time, NC State should do a good job of taking care of the basketball. The goal will be an average of roughly 12 turnovers per game. It's an achievable number, although the Pack's average of 18 turnovers over the last three games has been somewhat uncharacteristic.
On Wednesday, NC State held a 38-31 rebound advantage over a UNC Asheville club that had outrebounded its first five opponents by almost five boards per game. But even after that performance, Sendek wasn't satisfied that the Pack had progressed enough in that area.
"We still have to be more accustomed to putting a body on people," Sendek said. "We did do a good job against a good offensive rebounding team (UNC Asheville), but I would still like us to be more disposed to making sure we put a body on people and block out."
In the ACC opener on Sunday, NC State will certainly have its hands full with 6-9, 230 pound junior Anthony King, a player who doesn't consider it a slap in the face to be known as a screener and rebounder. King enjoys his role as the guy who sets picks for Robert Hite and Guillermo Diaz, and then goes to get the ball on those occasions when Miami's two high-scoring guards miss.
"With all the attention that Miami's backcourt gets, their frontcourt really goes under the radar," Sendek said. "Those guys really rebound the basketball. They really do a good job of freeing the guards for shots and when the defense gets two on the ball, they're the benefactors."
NC State will be forever remembered in South Florida as Miami's first ACC victim. It happened last year in Coral Gables, when the Hurricanes' much-hyped ACC debut turned into a victory. The Canes' unrestrained celebration in the aftermath of their 67-66 win that day was understandable. But the snapshot of those hugs and high fives have also stuck in the minds of NC State's returning players, who didn't enjoy becoming a historic highlight for the Miami media guide.
"We always want to win our first conference game," said Evtimov. "Obviously, we lost a close game last year at their place, so it's a good thing to remind everyone about. We lost the game and they come into our house this Sunday. We've just got to go for payback."
As far as Eddie Biedenbach is concerned, the Wolfpack will have a good chance to settle that dept.
