North Carolina State University Athletics
Pack, `Noles in ACC Stretch Run
2/14/2006 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Feb. 14, 2006
By Tony Haynes
Raleigh, N.C. - Perhaps more than any other team in the ACC, NC State can empathize with the current situation that faces Florida State. A year ago, after getting off to a 3-7 start in league play, the Wolfpack had very little margin for error down the stretch, needing key wins to land a spot in the NCAA Tournament. As it turned out, the Pack did enough to get into the Tournament and went on to advance to the Sweet 16. Now with just over two weeks remaining in the 2006 regular season, the Seminoles are hunting for key victories that could make them at-large worthy by March. Certainly, FSU (15-6, 5-5) is well aware that a road win over nationally ranked NC State (19-5, 8-3) on Wednesday could dramatically help its cause.
And while Florida State is fighting to enhance its NCAA Tournament résumé, the Wolfpack is trying to hang on to second place in the ACC standings. Currently, the Pack is one game ahead of Boston College (7-4) and North Carolina in the loss column. And should NC State hang on, it would mark the second time in three years that it has finished as high as second place.
If it can take care of business on its homecourt on Wednesday, the Wolfpack would reach the 20-win plateau and leave itself just two wins shy of last year's win total. And along with first-place Duke, NC State is the only other team in the league this year that hasn't dropped back-to-back games at any point during the season. After losing to Georgia Tech on Sunday, the Pack wants to bounce back as it has on four previous occasions.
"Our guys want to win like everybody else in this conference," said Wolfpack head coach Herb Sendek. "We've maintained a pretty good edge of resiliency in the past. We'll turn the page and move forward."
In some respects, the Pack didn't play all that poorly in the 71-68 defeat at Tech. Shooting better than 51 percent from the floor, NC State finished 12-of-24 from the 3-point arc. NC State also battled the Jackets to an even stalemate on the boards, while also piling up 20 assists on its 24 baskets.
But ultimately, the Wolfpack was done in by an uncharacteristic rash of turnovers (19 total) and its inability to get enough stops on defense. Led by guard Zam Frederick's 9-of-12 shooting touch, Georgia Tech shot 54 percent from the floor.
Needless to say, the absence of center Cedric Simmons throughout the game was also a factor. Battling foul trouble most of the afternoon, the 6-9 sophomore had only five points and three rebounds in 17 rather sporadic minutes on the floor.
"It's important that we keep Ced on the floor and out of foul trouble," Sendek said. "But at the same time, when a player does get into foul trouble, we have to adjust and compensate the best we can. But certainly we'd like to keep Ced free of those early fouls."
Simmons' ability to stay out of foul trouble will certainly be tested on Wednesday. Between them, bruising 6-10 center Alexander Johnson and athletic 6-7 forward Al Thornton will provide a substantial challenge to Simmons and the rest of the Pack's interior defenders. Thornton, who exploded for 37 points in FSU's overtime loss at Duke a few weeks ago, has averaged 21 points and seven rebounds over his last five games. During that same stretch, Johnson is averaging 14 points and 10 boards per contest.
"I think they're a great basketball team," Sendek responded when asked to offer an assessment of Florida State. "I think they're as talented as anybody. They play both ends of the floor, they have great depth and they play very hard. I have been exceedingly impressed with Florida State this season."
When it comes to sheer athleticism, the Seminoles don't take a backseat to anyone in the ACC. And for the first time in a few years, coach Leonard Hamilton has a more experienced, seasoned squad that has grown up in his system.
"We're still in a growing up stage," Hamilton said. "Last year we relied on a lot of freshmen and sophomores and we lost a lot of close games. One reason the sophomores from last year who are now juniors are playing better is because they're more experienced. A.J. (Johnson) and Al Thornton are giving us good leadership, and we're getting leadership from our three seniors. Todd Galloway has been in the program for four years, so has Andrew Wilson. We have some guys who are maturing a little bit and it's taking some pressure off of our new players."
Florida State is one of only three teams in the ACC averaging better than 80 points per game (Duke and Maryland are the others). The Seminoles are second only to Duke in field goal percentage (49.7 percent). They also fuel a lethal transition attack by forcing nearly 20 turnovers per game, a figure that is No. 1 in the league.
On the flip side, the Seminoles are dead last in 3-point percentage defense, allowing opponents to shoot 37 percent from the arc this season. Of course, no team in the ACC attempts more 3s and makes more 3s than NC State.
"One thing they do is to play to each other's strengths," Hamilton said of NC State. "They play with a lot of unselfish spirit. I think their team plays to win without any egos and they share the ball. They're smart and they play within themselves. Coach [Sendek] has done an outstanding job with this team in getting them to buy in, and most coaches will tell you that's not easy to do to get everyone on the same page."
In Sunday's loss at Tech, Ilian Evtimov had what Sendek called "one of the best games of his career," scoring 17 points to go along with nine assists and nine rebounds. Evtimov, who is averaging 11.8 points and 4.2 rebounds per contest, is one of four Pack players still averaging double-figure points. Fellow senior Cameron Bennerman is NC State's scoring leader with an average of 13.2 points per contest.
The Wolfpack had beaten Florida State 12 straight times before the Seminoles walked out of the RBC Center with a 70-64 triumph 13 months ago. The Pack then turned around and avenged that loss by beating FSU in last year's ACC Tournament quarterfinals, 70-54.
