North Carolina State University Athletics
Pack Lassos Cavs, Up Next is North Carolina
3/9/2012 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
AP Recap: NC State 67, Virginia 64 | NCSU Press Conference | Highlights
Photo Gallery | ACC Semifinal Notes - vs. UNC
March 9, 2012
Atlanta, Ga. - It was not as easy as yesterday's 21-point win, but the Wolfpack did what it came down to Atlanta for, pick up quality wins and improve its chances at a NCAA Tournament bid.
A close game throughout, the Pack (22-11) came away with a 67-64 win over fourth-seeded Virginia (22-9) in the quarterfinals of the 2012 ACC Tournament Friday afternoon. NC State advances to face top-seed North Carolina at 1 p.m. on Saturday. The game will be on the ACC Network and ESPN.
NC State improved to 13-2 all-time in the ACC Tournament against Virginia, and avenges its one-point loss to Virginia during the regular season.
"I'm tremendously proud of my team," said head coach Mark Gottfried. "This is a big win. A win against I think a really good team and a hard team to play against the way they play."
The Pack was not as fortunate to start the game like yesterday's 14-0 start. UVA came out with a 9-3 lead, but just like yesterday, the Pack once again forged ahead with 14-0 run.
During that stretch, the Pack held UVA without a basket for almost six minutes (16:46-11:10), and C.J. Leslie scored eight during the run to give the Pack its largest lead of the first half at 17-9 at the 11:24 mark.
The teams traded baskets with each answering each other four straight times, as UVA crawled to within three points at 32-29.
"We kept our heads during all of their runs," said Richard Howell. "We did some things good, and some things not so good. We have always been told to play through it, and we stuck together as a team."
The Pack also had some of the same fortune as yesterday right before the halftime buzzer. Yesterday it was C.J. Williams draining a fast break three as the horn sounded, today it was Scott Wood hitting his first three, and getting fouled, with just 00.4 seconds left.
"Good shot," said Wood. "I set a screen for Lorenzo, but both the guys collapsed on him and I was open. Honestly, it was a scramble, not the play we were trying to run. Big play no matter how we got it."
Wood's four-point play stopped a 6-0 UVA run, where they grabbed their first lead since it was 9-3, and put the Pack up 36-33 at the half.
"Scott's shot I think gave us some pep in the step going into the locker room which we didn't have," said Gottfried. "I thought it was a big play by him."
NC State connected on 59.3 percent (16-27) of its shots in the first half, and had 12 assists on its 16 made baskets.
The second half remained close during the final 20 minutes. The Cavs would once again convert an and-one to start the half, and tied things up 36-36 early on.
Brown stepped up for the Pack, scoring the team's first six points of the second half.
When Virginia closed to within three points at 50-47, it was Brown's three-pointer that gave the Pack some breathing room. His three, followed by Leslie's layup put the Pack up 55-47 with 7:36 left.
A Wood three-pointer at the 6:08 mark gave the Pack its biggest lead of the day (58-49), but UVA crept back into the game to make it close until the end.
Virginia closed the margin to two points on three occasions late; 60-58, 62-60, and finally 64-62 with 25 seconds left.
Wood would make one free throw with 22 seconds left. Virginia's Joe Harris then missed a game-tying three-pointer with 12 seconds left and Brown sealed the game with a pair of free throws.
"UVA is very methodical with the way they run their offense," said Williams. "We knew we had to force turnovers, and force them into bad shots. We had a very good game plan coming in, and I feel we executed it."
Leslie finished with his second double-double in as many days, going for team-highs of 19 points and 14 rebounds. Brown once again orchestrated the offense, posting 15 points and eight assists.
The Pack's win and advance mentality will continue tomorrow against No. 4 North Carolina, the tournament's top-seed. The Tar Heels (28-4) swept the season series with the Pack, first winning 74-55 in Chapel Hill and then 86-74 in Raleigh.
"Our mindset coming down here was to win this tournament," said Wood. "It's going to be tough tomorrow, I consider North Carolina the best team in the country. But it is great to get another crack at them this year."
