North Carolina State University Athletics
Gary Hahn's Scouting Report: Virginia Tech
2/17/2006 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Feb. 17, 2006
No. 21/18 NC STATE (20-5, 9-3) vs. VIRGINIA TECH (13-11, 3-8)
DATE: Saturday, February 18, 2006 @ Cassell Coliseum, Blacksburg, VA (9,847)
TIME: Tip-off: 1:00 p.m. EST
RADIO: Wolfpack Sports Network.
AIRTIME: 12:30 p.m. EST
TELEVISION: ABC
OPPONENT--This has been a season filled with adversity for Virginia Tech, but the Hokies are showing signs of finishing strong. They've won 3 of their last 5 games with the last two contests going to overtime. The five games were decided by only 13 total points.
The Hokies should be well rested. They have not seen action since losing 81-77 at Virginia last Saturday. The defeat spoiled a tremendous performance by Jamon Gordon. He scored a career-high 24 points on 10-of-19 shooting from the field. The junior guard also recorded 7 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals.
Tech's adversity started in October when reserve center Robert Krabbendam injured his knee in practice, underwent surgery and has not played this season. Another reserve, Allen Calloway, is battling cancer. Illness and death affected the families of three other Virginia Tech players.
Things really got tough after the first of the year. The Hokies started January by losing 5 of their first 6 games, but since then Coach Seth Greenberg has the team heading in the right direction. Lately, he has used a smaller line-up and it has paid off.
The backcourt duo of Gordon and Zabian Dowdell has led the way over the last five games. Gordon, who is probably Virginia Tech's most complete player, has averaged 16.6 points, 9.8 rebounds and 4.4 assists during that stretch. He has scored 20 or more points in each of his last two games.
Dowdell is one of the best one-on-one players in the ACC and is also near the top of the league in steals. He's averaged 15 points and 4.2 assists over the last 5 games and hit the game-tying and game-winning baskets in a 75-74 overtime victory at Clemson on Feb. 8.
A major surprise has been the play of 6-6 small forward A.D. Vassallo. The freshman from Puerto Rico has exploded on the scene in the last 5 games, averaging 16 points and 4.7 rebounds during that stretch. Vassallo notched a career-high 29 points and 10 rebounds in a 76-70 win at Wake Forest on January 28.
Virginia Tech is a very athletic team that sometimes has trouble scoring, but takes care of the ball and plays hard, especially on the defensive end. Against ACC opponents, the Hokies lead the league in turnover margin (+6), average 10.1 steals a game and allow an average of 71.9 points-- fifth best in the league.
Offensively, Virginia Tech is at its best in transition and when breaking opponents down off dribble penetration. The Hokies are in the bottom third of the league in scoring (68.7)against ACC opponents and shoot .444 from the field. However, they use their aggressive defense to force turnovers, get transition baskets and keep games close.
Although not known as a great perimeter shooting team, Virginia Tech, has weapons beyond the arc in Dowdell (.359), and Vassallo (.371). Dowdell is also very good at driving the ball and creating shot opportunities.
Off the bench, Coleman Collins, who has started 17 games, leads the Hokies in scoring, rebounding and field goal percentage (.526). Marcus Sailes has recorded 35 steals.
Like NC State, the Hokies have rebounding issues. In ACC games, they're last in the league in rebounding margin (-6.4), but average almost 11 offensive rebounds a game. Another area that has hurt the Hokies is free throw shooting. Their .655 percentage is near the bottom of the ACC.
Virginia Tech is 9-5 (1-4 ACC) at home this season. The Hokies beat the Wolfpack last January in Blacksburg 72-71. Collins was Tech's hero in that game with 20 points and 9 rebounds.
A WIN--Would be the Wolfpack's second in-a-row and sixth in the last 7 games, improving NC State to 21-5 overall and 10-3 in the ACC. The Pack would remain in second-place in the ACC, equal last season's win total and beat Virginia Tech for the second straight time in the series. The Wolfpack would improve to 5-4 (4-3 ACC) on the road this season and win for the first time in an ACC game in Blacksburg. Virginia Tech would drop to 13-12 overall and 3-9 in the ACC. The loss would be the second straight and third in the last four games for the Hokies.
A LOSS--Would be the second in the last 3 games for the Wolfpack and second straight road loss. NC State would drop to 20-6 overall and 9-4 in the ACC with 3 regular season games remaining. The Hokies would beat the Pack for the second straight time in Blacksburg, sending State's road record to 4-5 overall (3-4 ACC). Virginia Tech would improve to 14-11 overall and 4-8 in the ACC and win for the fourth time in the last 6 games. The Hokies would record their tenth win at home against 5 losses and beat an ACC opponent at Cassell Coliseum for only the second time this season.
A PACK OF SHOOTERS --The No. 1 shooting and No. 2 scoring team in the ACC against league competition is NC State. The Wolfpack is averaging 78.1 points a game while shooting .493 from the field in ACC games. The Pack shot 64 percent from the field (28-44) and made 13 of 23 three-point shots in its win over Florida State on Wed.
BETHEL'S THE BOMBADIER --Guard Tony Bethel leads the ACC in 3-point field goal percentage (.544) versus league opponents (37-68), but he's more than just a shooter. Bethel is NC State's best perimeter on-the-ball defender and is also a highly skilled playmaker and rebounder. The redshirt senior is averaging 12.2 points (61), 4.0 rebounds (20) and 3.6 assists (18) in his last 5 games. He recorded 5 steals in a win over Wake Forest on Jan. 21.
BOMBS AWAY --State leads the ACC in three-point shooting in league games (.457) and has made more three-points shots overall (237) than any ACC team this season. The Pack has made 12 or more three-pointers in each of its last 4 games and is shooting .480 from beyond the arc during that span (49-102).
MAY I HELP YOU? --NC State is averaging an assist on an impressive 67 percent of its field goals (424-636) this season. The Pack had 22 assists on 28 field goals in its win over FSU on Wed.
KNOW WHEN TO HOLD EM' --Consistent defense is a hallmark of Wolfpack basketball under Herb Sendek. Overall, the Pack leads the ACC in field goal percentage defense (.400) and is allowing ACC opponents only .429 shooting from the field. The Pack is 6th in the ACC in scoring defense (72.6) in league games, but two contests went to double-overtime.
THR IRON TURK-- Nobody on the Wolfpack team has played more minutes this season than Engin Atsur.. The native of Istanbul, Turkey, is one of the most versatile players in the ACC. The 6-4 junior leads the Pack in assists (101), steals (44) and minutes (32.9) while averaging 11.2 points a game. In his last 3 games, the junior has averaged 15.0 points (45) while shooting 56 percent from the field 14-25. Against FSU, Atsur recorded a season-high 19 points and 8 assists while shooting 6-of-7 from the field.
BALL SECURITY? -- For most of the season the Pack has taken care of the basketball. However, in its last 2 games it has committed 40 turnovers. Opponents have scored 37 points off those mistakes. For the season, State is averaging only 14 turnovers a game.
BULGARIAN BOMBER --Ilian Evtimov, a native of Sofia, Bulgaria, is one of the Pack's most valuable players. Unfortunately, the 6-8 forward sprained a ligament in his left foot late in the first half against FSU on Wed. and is out indefinitely. Not many forwards in the ACC shoot better than 40 percent from the three-point arc, but Ilian Evtimov is one of them (.434). He has made 11 of his last 19 three-point shots. The native of Sofia, Bulgaria, is also an excellent free throw shooter, making 19 of his last 21from the foul line. In his last 6 games, Evtimov has averaged 13.5 points (81) points and 5.8 rebounds (35).
R-B-C MEANS W-I-N-- State is 15-1 at the RBC Center, including a 6-0 ACC mark. Seton Hall is the only team to beat the Pack this season at home. Away from home the Pack is 4-4 (3-3 ACC).
A FOCUSED CAM --Cameron Bennerman has played a major role in the Pack's success this season. The athletic senior scored 23 points to lead the Pack over Miami on 2/8 and made 8-of-9 free throws. Bennerman leads the team in scoring (13.2) and over his last 19 games has averaged 14.7 points (280) while shooting .541 from the field during that span (105-of-194). The Greensboro native sank a clutch 3-pointer to force overtime at Clemson on 1/29 and he's one of the Pack's better free throw shooters (.846).
NOTHING FOUL ABOUT THIS-- The Wolfpack is shooting an impressive .769 from the foul line in ACC games (210-273). State was 22-of-25 in its double overtime win at Miami on 2/8/06.
HEY, MR. POSTMAN --Cedric Simmons has given NC State a low post scoring threat that was missing the last two seasons. The sophomore is the team's No. 2 scorer (12.3) while leading the Pack in rebounding (6.6) and blocked shots (2.7). His field goal percent of .614 also leads the team. Simmons was 6-of-7 from the field and scored 14 points in the Pack's win over FSU on Wed. In his last 4 games, he's averaged only 9.3 points (37), but was in constant foul trouble at Georgia Tech on 2/12. Simmons recorded a career-high 28 points at Duke on Jan. 18th along with 9 rebounds, 7 blocked shots and 3 steals.
BOARD BATTLE--Rebounding has been a challenge for the Wolfpack this season, but the Pack outrebounded 2 of its previous 4 opponents before tying Georgia Tech and FSU on the boards in its last 2 outings. On Feb. 5, State outrebounded Maryland 42-39 and won the offensive glass 17-15.
INJURIES --Freshman forward Brandon Costner could miss his 21st consecutive game for the Wolfpack with a leg injury. Starting forward Ilian Evtimov could miss his first game of the season with a sprained ligament in his left foot suffered late in the first half of Wednesday's game against FSU.
