North Carolina State University Athletics
Tony Haynes: Pack Bids Farewell to Non-League Slate
1/8/2008 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
BY TONY HAYNES
Raleigh, N.C. Given NC State’s proclivity for finding itself in competitive games against all levels of competition this season, it might be premature to describe Wednesday night’s home game against North Carolina Central as a breather. But there is one undeniable fact: the schedule will get dramatically tougher after Wednesday’s 7 p.m. contest.
The game against the Eagles, now 1-20 following Monday’s 87-83 setback at Norfolk State, represents the Wolfpack’s last non-conference hurrah before a 16-game ACC grind begins with a visit to top-ranked and unbeaten North Carolina on Saturday.
After dropping three of its first seven games, a stretch that included stunning losses to
The Pack’s slim margin of victory over the likes of
“We certainly have spurts where we play at a high level and execute both offensively and defensively,” said Wolfpack head coach Sidney Lowe. “We haven’t put one of those total games together yet, but we have shown that we can pick up the defense in the second half and turn it on. Unfortunately, I tell our guys that’s a dangerous game to play. We need to get off to a good start and that’s something we have to get better at. We have a couple of guys that are first timers with Javier [Gonzalez] and J.J. [Hickson] being freshman, so we’re kind of young in that respect and don’t have the experience of coming out and really jumping on people. We’re trying to get better at that.”
And while it may not be a comforting thought to some, the reality is that this particular NC State team appears to be one that seems destined to be involved in a lot of close games, regardless of the competition.
Some fairly simple analysis provides clues as to why.
One, the Wolfpack has not been the type of overwhelming, dominant defensive team that can extend out and smother the opposition. It’s much easier to put together 12 and 14-point runs when you can force a steady diet of turnovers and get quick, easy baskets off of those mistakes. Through 13 games, NC State is forcing just 11 turnovers per game.
The Pack is big, but not overly quick and lacks the roster flexibility at this stage to go with smaller, quicker combinations that would be more conducive to applying more pressure on the fullcourt and halfcourt levels.
That same size, however, is an asset when it comes to contesting shots. NC State’s opponents are currently shooting 38.9 percent from the floor, the third best figure in the ACC. Freshman J.J. Hickson’s shot-blocking prowess has also added a defensive dimension the Pack did not feature last season.
By forcing teams to shoot over the outstretched arms of its lengthy line-up of players, the Wolfpack has the ability to challenge shots and even put late pressure on shot attempts that initially appear to be in the clear.
“That field goal percentage is something we look at,” Lowe said. “We keep track of deflections and there’s a certain number we’d like to get. Sometimes, that’s an indication of how active we are. But definitely, the field goal percentage is something we look at strongly.”
Another reason NC State has not been able to get more scoreboard separation in many games is due to its inconsistent perimeter shooting. Saturday’s game against Presbyterian offers a perfect illustration. Knowing it would have no chance of matching up with the Wolfpack’s post players, the Blue Hose employed a packed-in 2-3 zone that basically
dared the Pack to shoot open 3s. And when the Pack made just 1-of-11 in the opening half, the strategy worked like a charm.
“Had we knocked down some shots early, it would have forced them to come out of that zone and play man-to-man,” Lowe said. “We didn’t make the shots, so they were able to stay in that zone. In the second half, we knocked down a couple of shots, they came out of the zone and we were able to execute our man-to-man offense.”
The statistics through 13 games offer the most revealing evidence of what this team is all about. While it is shooting just 31 percent from 3-point range, the Wolfpack is converting on 54 percent of its attempts inside the arc. The overall shooting percentage is 47 percent.
Add to the fact that NC State has made many more free throws (244) than its opponents have attempted (158), and it becomes blatantly obvious that this is a team that must do most of its offensive damage in the paint.
“We’re an inside-out team,” Lowe said. “When we establish ourselves inside early, we’re a better ballclub.”
It wouldn’t necessarily take much, but with just a little more success from the perimeter, Lowe would have the kind of inside-outside balance he needs to make his intricate offensive sets very difficult to stop.
And while NC State has not posted as many blowouts during its non-conference slate as some may have expected, the good news is that this is a team that has shown the ability to execute and make key plays at crunch time. In that respect, the experience of having been in so many close games might just serve the Pack well in the ACC wars.
It’s still too early to know which way the tide will turn for a team that will be sending a pair of young point guards through the ACC cauldron for the first time. How freshman Javier Gonzalez and sophomore Marques Johnson handle themselves and their team over the next two months will be a big part of the story.
Either way, don’t look for any breathers.
Horner Improving: Sophomore forward Dennis Horner, who sat out Saturday’s game against Presbyterian after injuring an ankle in practice last week, is making progress and could be back for Saturday’s ACC opener at UNC.
“He’s not on the crutches and that’s a good thing,” said Lowe. “He said it felt good and he’s anticipating coming back for Saturday’s ballgame.”
