North Carolina State University Athletics
HAYNES: Virginia Starts ACC Grind for Pack
1/8/2010 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
RALEIGH, N.C. – Beginning with Saturday's noon tilt against Virginia (8-4) Saturday at the RBC Center, 15 of NC State's (11-4, 0-1) next 16 regular season games will be against ACC competition. If that challenging line-up isn't enough to get the Wolfpack's attention, then nothing will.
But then again, in the opinion of Wolfpack head coach Sidney Lowe, no special motivation should ever be required for anyone who has the privilege to play college basketball at this level.
"We want to continue to get players here who are just motivated by the game itself," Lowe said on Friday. "You should be motivated by the game. I think when you can get to that point, that's when you really have your team where you want it. Motivation is playing. As a coach, one thing you don't want to have to coach is motivation. You want to have guys that are self-motivated. You have some coaches who are great motivators. I played for a coach who was a great motivator, but he knew there were certain guys that he didn't have to motivate."
Former Wolfpack coach Jim Valvano didn't really need any magic words to motivate Lowe, nor did he need a fancy speech to inspire forward Thurl Bailey, who will be honored by NC State on Saturday.
But when it is in the best interest of his team and his players, Lowe has already proven his ability to push the right motivational buttons if need-be. One of his best success stories this season could very well be senior guard Farnold Degand, who has seemingly emerged from the abyss to play the best basketball of his college career the last few weeks.
Though he was actually eligible to play earlier in the season, Degand was held out of NC State's first six games because his commitment to academics didn't meet Lowe's standards.
The message apparently got through. Not only is Degand on track to receive his degree, he's returned to the basketball floor with renewed focus.
"I have to give him all the credit," Lowe said of Degand, who came off the bench to tally 12 points and a career-high nine assists in Wednesday's win over Holy Cross. "I initiated some meetings and discipline and things of that nature, but you always need someone who's willing to accept responsibility and he did that. He did what he had to do to get back on the court and he's obviously helped us the last two ballgames."
A point guard his first two years at NC State, Degand has made the switch to the shooting guard spot this season. And although he's still coming off the bench, Degand has actually logged more minutes than starter C.J. Williams the last four games. Against Florida last Sunday, Degand was on the floor for 31 minutes before following that up with 29 minutes of playing time against Holy Cross.
Since he has been productive coming off the bench, Degand will likely stay in that role, although he did start the second half of Wednesday's contest.
"It's not important who starts, but who finishes," Lowe said.
Either way, NC State will need both Williams and Degand to play well the rest of the season, just as it will need back-up point guard Julius Mays to play solid basketball in relief of starter Javier Gonzalez.
Williams, Degand and a host of others could conceivably be faced with a daunting defensive assignment on Saturday when Virginia puts the ball in the hands of super sophomore Sylven Landesberg. Last year's ACC Rookie of the Year, the 6-6 Landesberg averages 16.5 points per game and has reach double-figures in all 12 of Virginia's games this season. Quick off the dribble and powerfully built, Landesberg has an uncanny knack for getting to the basket, a slashing style that also helps him get to the free throw line more than any other Cavalier.
"He's just a very talented player," said Lowe. "He can put it down, he can shoot it, he's got great size and he creates opportunities for himself as well as for his teammates. Any time they run a set, he's a threat to break it off. That makes him dangerous."
Following a slow start under first-year coach Tony Bennett, the Wahoos have ripped off four straight victories, including a 72-53 win over Texas-Pan American on Tuesday night. Along with Landesberg's 20 points and six boards, Virginia also got 22 points and seven rebounds from sophomore forward Mike Scott.
Despite the win, Bennett wasn't overwhelmed by his team's performance.
"I thought it was a poor performance," Bennett said in his postgame press conference. "I don't think we came out and played well. We did not perform well. We were sloppy. We were not alert. That was disappointing coming off the UAB game."
In its previous outing, Virginia picked up its most impressive win of the season, beating then 24th ranked Alabama-Birmingham, 72-63.
Last season in Raleigh, C.J. Williams scored a career-best 16 points, while Dennis Horner added 12 off the bench in a 72-67 victory over the Cavaliers.
Horner, who has been bothered by the bruised knee he suffered in last Sunday's game against Florida, was held out of a part of Friday's practice as a precautionary measure. He is expected to be in the starting line-up on Saturday.
