(Updated: 2/11/05 @ 10:00am ET)
NC State dropped its fourth game in its last five outings tonight (thank you for exisiting, Clemson) tonight in an 86-75 loss at Wake Forest.
The Wolfpack is currently tied with Virginia and Florida State for next to last place in the ACC with a 3-7 record (13-10 overall).
* Since the Cavs and the Noles hold head to head wins over State (both in Raleigh), the Wolfpack currently sits in 10th place of the Atlantic Coast Conference.
* If Boston College was a member of the conference this year, the Pack would be 11th place. (Wait til next year?)
= > State is currently rated #106 in the RPI and #58 in the Sagarin. State’s Sagarin ratings are obviously the result of the strength of losses in our conference schedule – we are the highest rated team with double-digit losses. (What an honor!!!) The next highest-rated team with double-digit losses is Clemson at #64. It is not until Michigan at #90 do you see more double-digit loss teams than single-digit losses.
* We just want to thank everybody else in the ACC for working so hard to be good so that our conference losses don’t look as bad as our out of conference losses. Had every school in the conference except Duke and Maryland not changed coaches at least once during Sendek’s nine year hostage-crisis then they may not have elevated their programs like they have.
= > The loss brings State’s record to 0-3 against its Big Four rivals this season. These Big Four rivals now all three share the lead atop the Atlantic Coast Conference Standings.
= > This conversation of NC State Athletics Director Lee Fowler evidentally had this week really struck a nerve with me when the poster stated, “Fowler acknowledged that this year has been a disappointment. He was sick over the UVA loss. He did not seem as disappointed over the Carolina loss as ‘They have run alot of teams out of the gym’. And Va Tech and Miami have beaten a lot of teams.”
* Want to know two teams that Carolina has not run out of the gym? Answer: Wake and Duke. The ‘unbeatable’ Tar Heels currently sport a 1-2 record against their Big Four competition with their only win coming at the hands of NC State.
= > In 27 different opportunities, Sendek has compiled a winning record against a Big Four opponent in only 4 times/seasons. The coaches that were responsible for 3 of those 4 winning seasons were fired.
= > Sendek has never compiled a winning record against all three Big Four teams in a single season. He has managed to break-even on two occassions to earn a .500 record. This helped to offset the 2000-2001 season when he went winless against the Big Four for only the third time in the history of NC State Basketball.
= > During Sendek’s 9 year tenure, the Wolfpack has compiled a winning percentage significantly below our historical average against each Big Four rival.
= > The table below details the Wolfpack’s performance against Big Four teams in the Sendek era; seasons that are shaded in yellow denote coaches in their first year at the school:
= > The following table details Coach Sendek’s performance against Big Four Coaches.
* Sendek has a winning record against only Carolina’s Matt Doherty, who was fired just 2 years after being named National Coach of the Year in 2001.
* Sendek had a losing record against Bill Guthridge and Dave Odom, both of whom were nudged (or shoved) out of their respective jobs.
