North Carolina State University Athletics
North Carolina State-Wisconsin AP Preview
3/24/2005 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
March 23, 2005
GAME: No. 10 North Carolina State (21-13) vs. No. 6 Wisconsin (24-8).
REGIONAL: Syracuse, regional semifinals.
TIME: Friday, 7:17 p.m. EST.
SITE: The Carrier Dome; Syracuse, N.Y.
Wisconsin's slow-down style has it back in the regional semifinals of the NCAA tournament for the second time in three years.
However, the sixth-seeded Badgers will have to slow down Julius Hodge and North Carolina State if they hope to advance further.
Hodge's senior leadership and all-around play has the 10th-seeded Wolfpack within two wins of their first national semifinal appearance since winning the NCAA tournament in 1983.
The 6-foot-7 forward has lifted his game during the tournament, averaging 18 points, 7.5 assists and five rebounds in victories over Charlotte and Connecticut. He's shooting 59 percent (13-for-22) from the field, 90.9 percent (10-for-11) from the line and has hit several big shots during N.C. State's two victories.
Hodge scored on a slashing drive with 4.3 seconds left to break a 62-all tie and send the Wolfpack past second-seeded UConn 65-62 on Sunday in the second round. He finished with 17 points and six assists to lead the Wolfpack to the regional semis for the first time since 1989.
"No one believed it could happen," Hodge said after eliminating the defending national champions. "It feels that much better because no one believed."
The Wolfpack started the season 10-1, but injuries sent the team into a 3-9 tailspin that prompted fans to call for coach Herb Sendek's job. The team rebounded to make an impressive run in the ACC tournament before losing to Duke in the title game, and has won eight of 11 overall.
Hodge's 19 points, nine assists and seven rebounds helped rally N.C. State from a double-digit deficit beat seventh-seeded Charlotte 75-63 in the first round.
"He is the guy for them who really is a go-to guy. He seems to be the guy who makes the statement for North Carolina State," Badgers coach Bo Ryan said.
The Wolfpack also have five players who shoot better than 35 percent from 3-point range, posing a potential problem for Wisconsin. Jordan Collins leads the team at 45.1 percent (23-for-51) followed by Ilian Evtimov's 43.2 percent (64-for-148).
"We might have to defend them and make them put it on the floor," said Badgers forward Alando Tucker. "The main thing you have to do with 3-point shooting teams is you have to take them out of their comfort zones and levels."
Wisconsin's defense has allowed an average of 57 points in wins over Northern Iowa and Bucknell in the first two rounds. The Badgers have held the opposition to 59.5 points on 42.2 percent shooting this season.
Mike Wilkinson had 23 points and nine rebounds and Zach Morley contributed 15 points and eight rebounds to give Wisconsin a 71-62 second-round victory over tournament upstart Bucknell on Sunday.
"It's pretty good to be in the Sweet 16 after all this team's been through," Ryan said. "People kept saying what we could've been and should've been. Well, we're going to Syracuse. It's not Disneyland, but, hey, it's Syracuse."
The Badgers were knocked out in the second round last March, even with Big Ten player of the year Devin Harris and Boo Wade, who left the program for personal reasons, first in October then for good in January.
"Hard work pays off," said Tucker, who scored 15 of his 17 points from the foul line. "We've been battling the whole season."
The Badgers, who lost to top-ranked Illinois in the championship game of the Big Ten tournament, are led on offense by Tucker's 14.7 points per game. The 6-foot-8 Wilkinson is chipping in with 14.3 points and a team-high 7.4 rebounds.
These teams will meet for the first time, with the winner to face either No. 1 seed North Carolina or fifth-seeded Villanova in the regional final Sunday.
PROBABLE STARTERS: North Carolina State - F Hodge (17.1 ppg, 6.7 rpg, 4.8 apg), F Andrew Brackman (7.6 ppg, 3.6 rpg), F Evtimov (9.9 ppg, 3.8 rpg), G Cameron Bennerman (9.5 ppg, 2.7 rpg), G Engin Atsur (9.2 ppg, 2.4 apg). Wisconsin - F Wilkinson (14.3 ppg, 7.4 rpg), F Tucker (14.7 ppg, 6.4 rpg), G Clayton Hanson (6.2 ppg, 2.4 rpg), G Sharif Chambliss (7.5 ppg, 2.8 apg), F Zach Morley (7.5 ppg, 4.7 rpg).
HOW THEY GOT HERE: North Carolina State - At-large berth, ACC; beat No. 7 seed Charlotte 75-63, first round; beat No. 2 seed Connecticut 65-62, second round. Wisconsin - At-large berth, Big Ten; beat Northern Iowa 57-52, first round; beat No. 14 seed Bucknell 71-62, second round.
ALL-TIME TOURNAMENT RECORD: North Carolina State - 19-17, 19 years. Wisconsin 15-9, 11 years.
