North Carolina State University Athletics
Pack Faces First ACC Road Test at Boston College
1/11/2011 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Jan. 11, 2011
NC State (11-4, 1-0 ACC) at Boston College (12-4, 2-0 ACC)
January 11, 2011 • 9:00 PM
Conte Forum (8,606) • Chestnut Hill, Mass.
TV Coverage: ESPNU
NC State Game Notes
Leslie Named ACC Rookie of the Week
CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. – Streaking to the tune of five straight wins, NC State (11-4, 1-0) will try to continue its winning ways Tuesday night when it travels to Boston College (12-4, 2-0) for its first ACC road game of the season. With tip-off time set for 9 p.m., the Wolfpack Sports Network will be on the air at 8:30.
It’s clear that NC State has played its best basketball since the Christmas break, shooting 53 percent from the floor over its last four games. The Wolfpack has also been dominant on the boards of late, outrebounding nine straight opponents for the first time since the 1998-99 season. In Saturday’s ACC-opening win over Wake Forest in Raleigh, the Pack shattered the Deacons on the glass, 47-22. The effort included 20 offensive rebounds that resulted in 25 second chance points.
The return of senior center Tracy Smith has coincided with three freshmen C.J. Leslie, Lorenzo Brown and Ryan Harrow becoming more and more comfortable with their new teammates and the college game. Suddenly, a team that often looked unsure and hesitant at times a month ago seems to be hitting its stride at just the right time.
“This year we have a lot of talent,” said junior forward C.J. Williams. “Without Tracy in there earlier, we had to find ourselves individually and as a unit. We had to lose those games we didn’t want lose earlier in the season in order to learn how to play as a team.”
Over the last three games, everyone has witnessed first-hand just what a weapon NC State was missing when Smith was absent in losses to Georgetown, Wisconsin, Syracuse and Arizona.
Although he missed 10 games while recovering from arthroscopic knee surgery, the powerful 6-8 Smith has come back with a vengeance, averaging 18 points and six rebounds in his first three games back on the floor. He’s also averaged 28 minutes per contest and is shooting 60 percent from the field.
“He draws a double-team every time he touches the ball and that opens up shots for everyone else,” said Williams, who had a career-high 16 points and seven rebounds in the weekend win over Wake Forest. “Tracy is a good passer out of the post when he gets double-teamed, so we know when they stay out on us they have to play him one-on-one and we don’t think anyone can stop him in the post one-on-one.”
Williams is one reason why the Wolfpack has also been dominating the category of "bench points" in recent games. His efforts, along with those of Harrow, forward Richard Howell and DeShawn Painter have given the Pack tremendous production off the bench. Although he hasn’t started a game this year, Harrow, a point guard, is second to Smith in scoring, averaging 10.9 points per game.
Against the Deacons, eight players were on the floor for double-figure minutes. NC State’s reserves outscored their counterparts from Wake Forest 29-18.
Wolfpack coach Sidney Lowe says his team has become more cohesive as his three prized freshmen have slowly learned what they can and cannot do at this level of basketball.
“That’s very important,” Lowe said. “Sometimes that’s a big adjustment for these young men because in high school they were used to doing certain things. Now they’re seeing that they have to change a little bit. They can still be themselves, but they still need to know what they can get away with on this level. The attitude has been the best with the way they’re looking at being a part of the team and doing what they can to help this team win. We’re continuing to grow and get better.”
At Boston College, NC State will be trying to get off to its first 2-0 start in the ACC since 2004. The Wolfpack hasn’t won in Chestnut Hill since 2006. Under first-year coach Steve Donahue, the Eagles have been one of the ACC’s big surprises with league victories over Maryland and Georgia Tech.
Of course, the cupboard wasn’t bare for Donahue when he took over for veteran Al Skinner, who was let go after last season. Guard Reggie Jackson (18.9 ppg.), forward Joe Trapani (13.9) and forward Corey Raji (12.5 points, 6.3 rebounds) have been solid players for a few years now.
Jackson has been on a blistering pace this season, shooting 48.6 percent from beyond the 3-point line.
“They have some experienced players and we know how important experience is in this league,” Lowe said. “Trapani can step back and shoot the three and Jackson just keeps so much pressure on you. We’re going to have to be solid defensively as a team.”
This will be the first of two road tilts for the Pack this week. On Saturday, NC State travels to Florida State. The Wolfpack played five of its first seven games away from home to start the season, an experience Lowe hopes will be an asset this week.
- By Tony Haynes
