North Carolina State University Athletics
Pack Falls To UNC; Lowe Home From Hospital
2/22/2007 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Updated: 12:22 a.m. 2/22/2007
BY TIM PEELERCHAPEL
HILL– When first-year head coach Sidney Lowe was unable to take his place on the sidelines for the second-half of Wednesday night’s game against No. 5 North Carolina because of illness, it affected the way his team played after intermission.
Trailing just 41-40 at the half, the Wolfpack struggled against the Tar Heels in the game’s final 20 minutes, losing 83-64 at the
Smith
Center.
“We kind of came unraveled,” said junior Gavin Grant. “We were jacking up crazy shots and pull-up jumpers. We just weren’t executing the way we did in the first half.”
The Wolfpack, who held as much as a six-point lead before halftime, committed eight turnovers in the first 10 minutes of the second half, and the Tar Heels took advantage, building a lead that reached as many as 21 points.
“Coach Lowe is a passionate guy and the soul of our team,” said senior point guard Engin Atsur. “Not seeing him on the bench, especially in a big game like this, that definitely affected us. You are used to playing with him and you look over at the bench and he is not there. It’s not a good feeling as a player.”
State’s players said much of their concern was centered on Lowe, who has been fighting flu-like symptoms all week. The coach was feeling weak all day Wednesday and felt faint during the first half. At intermission, he was examined by NC State team physician Bob Wyker and Orange County Emergency Medical Services before being taking by ambulance to UNC Hospitals, less than a mile away from the
Smith
Center.
Lowe wanted to return for the second half, but was advised to go to the hospital to receive fluids, as associate head coach Monte Towe took over the coaching duties on the sidelines. Lowe was feeling better following the game, according to UNC coach Roy Williams, who spoke to Lowe’s wife, Melonie, immediately after the game ended.
“I love college basketball as much as anybody, but times like this you just get scared,” Williams said. “We feel for
Lowe will likely have to stay overnight in Chapel Hill, but is expected to be back at home on Thursday, which is the Wolfpack's weekly day off from practice.
"Coach Lowe has been suffering from flu-like symptoms for a couple of days," said a statement released by the school’s media relations department near the end of the game. "At halftime, he began feeling faint and NC State's team physician (Dr. Wyker) was brought into to assess him. Lowe was determined to be suffering from dehydration and was taken to UNC Hospitals to receive fluids and for further evaluation."Towe, who has been a head coach on both the collegiate and professional levels, took over the team following intermission. The team was noticeably shaken, and worn down by
In particular, Atsur had difficulty maintaining his hot start to the contest. Atsur, coming off a 20-point, five-assist performance in Sunday’s victory over Virginia Tech, scored 16 points in the first half, including a trio of 3-pointers off pick-and-roll screens.
However, the Tar Heels (24-4 overall, 10-3 ACC) adjusted their on-the-ball defense in the second half and kept Atsur from getting any open looks at the basket.
“I think
Throughout the game, Williams kept running more players onto the court and the Tar Heels used three different guards on Atsur.
“We did a much better defending the screen off the ball,” Williams said. “We made him take it to the hole more. I think it helped us that he played 20 minutes in the first half and we played three different guards on him. We also picked him up at the foul line and made him dribble it past us.
“We hoped at the end of the game that he would be a little leg-weary.”
The Tar Heels also kept the ball out of the hands of sophomore big man Ben McCauley, who scored a season-low three points. He was also held without a rebound in the second half, as the Tar Heels owned a 24-7 advantage on the boards after intermission.
Redshirt freshman Brandon Costner had a team-high 18 points, along with six rebounds, before fouling out with 2:21 remaining in the game. Atsur finished with 16, while junior Gavin Grant had 14 points. The Wolfpack committed 17 turnovers in the contest and shot just 42 percent from the field.
The Tar Heels were led by freshman center Brandan Wright, who had 24 points, and sophomore Tyler Hansbrough, who had 20.
The first half was seemingly a different contest. The Wolfpack made only 12 of 28 field goals (42.9 percent) in the half, but remained even with the Tar Heels on the boards (17-17) out-scored UNC 5-2 on points off turnovers. Atsur, coming off his 20-point, five-assist performance against Virginia Tech, hit three shots from the bonus arc off the dribble, with the help of top-of-the-key screens. He had 12 points and 10 assists in the first meeting, having just returned two games earlier from the hamstring injury that forced him to miss 12 games earlier in the season.The Wolfpack (14-12, 4-9) returns to action this weekend, traveling to
Florida
State for a 1 p.m. contest in
