“By any definition, this regular-season finale was an artistic flop of the first degree. The play on both sides was sloppy, but the officiating was worse still.
Not that the officiating directly determined the outcome. It was equally awful in both directions. And in long run, the calls and no calls weren’t much worse than the resulting free throws. State missed 13 of 22 at the line and Wake clanked six of 14.
But with the No. 7 seed and a 2 p.m. appointment with Florida State on Thursday, it’s a near lock that the Pack needs more than one win in Washington. The 10th-seeded Seminoles (12-18, 4-12) aren’t nearly good enough to turn anyone’s head on the NCAA selection committee. But if State wins, which it should, there’ll be another crack at the Deacons on Friday. A win there, and the NCAA should be back in play.
And if that third opportunity comes and State still can’t manage a win against the Deacs, then the Pack would have no right to the benefit of the doubt. The NIT would be where State belongs.”
Caulton Tudor
March, 7, 2005
