North Carolina State University Athletics
Wolfpack Looks to Cool off `Canes
2/7/2006 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Feb. 7, 2006
By Tony Haynes
Raleigh, N.C. - After their first meeting back on December 18th, NC State and Miami went their separate ways. Playing steady basketball, the Wolfpack built on its 81-69 victory over the Hurricanes and eventually locked itself into the No. 2 spot in the ACC standings. And although their trip to Raleigh resulted in defeat, the `Canes knew better days were in front of them since point guard Anthony Harris was finally returning from an injury. Better days indeed. With its backcourt trio of Harris, Guillermo Diaz and Robert Hite now hitting on all cylinders, Miami is threatening the Pack's stranglehold on second place. The two teams are set to face off again Wednesday night at 7:00 p.m. in Coral Gables.
Winners of three straight, the Hurricanes (14-8) now own a 6-3 conference record, a mark that leaves them just one game behind 15th ranked NC State (18-4, 7-2) in the standings. It seems that the upstart `Canes - in just their second season in the ACC - are out to prove that Miami isn't just a football school.
"Last year was our first year in the league and my first year in the league as a head coach," said Miami coach Frank Haith. "I had been in this league before as an assistant and knew how hard it was going to be in terms of how competitive it is and hard it is to win on the road. I think our kids are better at it after going through it one time. We're more experienced and now that we have Anthony Harris back, I think we're playing better basketball."
Harris, who missed the first seven games of the season with a fractured bone in his right foot, made his first start against NC State back in December. Since then, he, Diaz and Hite have combined to average 45.9 points per game between them.
Of late, the hot Hurricane has been the 6-2 Hite, who has averaged 22 points and 6.7 rebounds, while hitting 57.7 percent of his shots from the 3-point arc during Miami's three-game winning streak.
The Hurricanes have also thrown recent opponents off stride with a pesky zone defense, a style of defense that most ACC teams don't use very much.
"They're just good at what they do," said NC State head coach Herb Sendek. "It's what they do everyday in practice and they do it game-to-game. A lot like other teams who have their systems, they've gotten better as the year has gone on."
But a zone defense could also make Miami more susceptible to the Wolfpack's deadly 3-point shooting, and in just two games, the Hurricanes have learned just how lethal the Pack can be from the arc. Last season in Coral Gables, the NC State nailed 12-of-24 from long range in a 67-66 loss to Miami. And in the game back in December, the Wolfpack was even better, knocking down 12-of-18 from 3-point range.
"I didn't think we played that poorly, I just think State played really well," Haith said. "They shot the ball tremendously that day and they were playing at a high level. I told Herb after the game that he had a heck of a team. I think they are the second best team in the league right now. It will take a yeoman's effort for us to beat them."
But it will also take a yeoman's effort for NC State to slow down Miami's guards, something no other ACC team has done of late. Diaz and Hite both average 16.7 points per game, while Harris checks in with an average of 10.9 points per contest.
Cameron Bennerman, who led NC State in the first meeting with 19 points, paces the Pack, scoring at a 12.8 points per game clip.
NC State's best player on both ends of the court in recent weeks has been point guard Tony Bethel. The fifth-year senior has drained 56.4 percent of his 3-point shots against league foes, a mark that puts him ahead of Hite, who has knocked down 50 percent of his 3s in conference games. In the last 10 games, Bethel is averaging 13.4 points and is shooting 53 percent from the field. Along with his offensive output, Bethel has also spearheaded the NC State defense with his ball-pressure up front.
The Wolfpack's record with Bethel as a starter the last two years is 29-8.
