State Travels to Tech

General NCS Basketball15

NC State travels to Georgia Tech today to renew a rivalry of technical schools in the ACC.

We don’t do a lot of game previews on the blog since you can get that from so many different sources. Additionally, in Blog-world, Section Six usually does a super job of finding something to highlight while previewing games like today’s.

If you follow my entries and thoughts through the years, then you know that I like to borrown Herb Sendek’s philosophy of taking a very “wholistic view” of games, programs and successes. Unlike many fans, I try not to apply too much emphasis on any one loss or one win – unless that win or loss deserves more emphasis.

Using Sendek’s practice of a wholistic analysis, today’s game can be looked at as a pretty big one for the Pack — in the short term the game will help solidify a strong NCAA Tournament seed; in the long term it helps improve one of the more weaker components of Sendek’s resume, road performance in the ACC.

The Wolfpack leads the overall series vs Georgia Tech by a 48-31 count. Additionally, Herb Sendek is a very strong 16-5 against GT, including a current win streak of 7 in a row!! (State’s longest against any ACC team).

In fact, Georgia Tech represents the best ACC Basketball program against which Herb Sendek has compiled a winning record over the last decade. Sendek has a winning record against 4 of the 8 teams that comprise the “old ACC” – Florida State, Clemson, Georgia Tech, and Virginia.

Another great opportunity for Sendek to chip away at the positive side of his resume is that today’s game gives him a chance to even his record in Atlanta to 5-5. Currently, Sendek has a winning record in the ACC at only one school – Florida State (5-3). With this year’s double overtime win at Clemson, Sendek is now 5-5 in LittleJohn. It would be very nice to get a win today and improve to .500 or better at 3 of the 8 “old” ACC schools (even if they are bad basketball programs)

Overall, the Wolfpack 13-18 in Atlanta.

Flashbacks

* State won a horribly officiated game in Raleigh last month by the count of 87-78. You can review some of the game conversations by clicking here.

* My how things have changed!! This year’s NC State team is traveling to Atlanta to secure strong NCAA seeding one year after last season’s trip to Georgia Tech SAVED THE SEASON! The Pack was struggling mightily entering the home stretch and the program was in such disarray that the Pack was labeled the nation’s biggest disappointment by multiple media outlets and even Adam Gold and Caulton Tudor were down on Herb. Heck, some newspapers were even resorting to lying and creating fiction to defend Herb on the day that the Pack turned the season around.

General NCS Basketball

15 Responses to State Travels to Tech

  1. VaWolf82 02/12/2006 at 12:00 PM #

    From Steven at Section Six: “I think Tech’s performance in Raleigh represents the ceiling for this team”

    I have this nagging concern that State’s ceiling was defined by the GW and BC games earlier this year….or maybe the first 35 minutes againt Duke. They haven’t played as well over the last several weeks since that game. Maybe it’s not State (well other than the SH game)…maybe teams have adjusted and are playing State better.

    After GT today, State plays FSU at home and VT in B’burg next week. Three resounding victories would certainly make me feel better.

  2. Fish 02/12/2006 at 1:11 PM #

    Unlike Duke or UNC (of last year), State cannot consistently put offensive pressure on the other team. State still has way to many scoreless stretches and bad turnovers at critical points. Combine that with poor defensive efforts at times and our margin of error is not much different than any team besides Duke.

  3. Jeff 02/12/2006 at 1:54 PM #

    First Half Comments:

    * Foul trouble or not…NC State should NEVER play an entire half with Cedric Simmons only attempting a single field goal.

    * Looks like Andrew Brackman’s poor play as of late has given way to an opportunity for Ben McCauley to play more.

    * Officiating bothered me. It could have been worse…but, I counted 5 or 6 obviously bad calls that went against State and nowhere close to a similar number for GT. I don’t mind bad calls that even themselves out — but Bennerman’s first charge, Brackman’s travel, and Tony Bethel’s ‘hook’ (coupled with the refs reluctance to call a charge on GT vs Atsur that was identical to one they had previously called on State)

  4. Fish 02/12/2006 at 2:05 PM #

    Just goes to show that State is far from a dominant team. This game is trouble and so are the next three. Quick teams that can put defensive pressure on the ball.

    I agree about Brackman. He has not improved and cannot play defense. Teams seem very comfortable playing against State as of late.

  5. Sammy Kent 02/12/2006 at 2:06 PM #

    I HATE THIS OFFENSE!!!!!! This looks like the Iowa game and a hundred others like it over the last decade.

  6. Jeff 02/12/2006 at 2:33 PM #

    Tech fans need to learn the rule about official time-outs on injuries before the all boo like a bunch of idiots again.

  7. Fish 02/12/2006 at 2:37 PM #

    State is going down today. The last five weeks of playing poor basketball is catching up. I onlyhope they can get better.

  8. Jeff 02/12/2006 at 2:58 PM #

    Paul Hewitt’s whining about the officiating in the game in Raleigh has certainly gotten them preferential treatment today in Atlanta. I don’t want to hear anything else from them about officiating.

  9. Fish 02/12/2006 at 2:59 PM #

    You can kiss a top 5 seed good bye!

  10. Fish 02/12/2006 at 3:06 PM #

    So much for caring about a good year. What a waste! Lose to a team that had lost 8 in a row. If you need a fix just play State.

    Why oh why are destined to be average!!!!

  11. JeremyHyatt 02/12/2006 at 3:06 PM #

    I quote from 8 minutes ago (from me):

    “Shoot it Gavin!!!! What are you doing??!?!?! AWWWWWWW!”

  12. BJD95 02/12/2006 at 3:11 PM #

    I still feel like GT won this game more than we lost it. They have athletes, and Hewitt exploited some defensive mismatches (and got the ball to Zam Frederick again and again and again).

    I only watched the last 15 minutes, and that was pretty good basketball from both sides. It was by far the best I’ve seen Evtimov play, in terms of not forcing the action, creating opportunities for his teammates, and taking what the defense gave him (loved his pumpfake from 30 feet followed by a strong drive to the basket).

    Where was Gavin’s mind on that last possession? Didn’t he know time was running out and we HAD to have a 3, once Atsur kicked out with 8 seconds left. It was also a nice extra pass from Evtimov to get red-hot Cam an open look. But WTF, Gavin?

  13. classof63 02/12/2006 at 3:11 PM #

    layups and free throws not in the game plan?

  14. Trout 02/13/2006 at 9:36 AM #

    Agree with BJD comments.

    GT game was on the road, and I dont think NC State played poorly, just that GT stepped it up, and Zam Frederick had a monster game. I’m sure Hewitt drilled it into his kids about losing 7 in a row to NC State.

    Just 2 comments from the GT game, both on officiating:

    1)Tony makes a steal, is headed for a layup. Gets tripped by GT, no call.

    2)Dickey is in the lane. Absolutely runs over Illian (charge, not called). Ced comes over to defend, gets his 5th foul, Dickey makes the basket and the FT. That sequence was huge.

  15. Chief93 02/13/2006 at 10:00 AM #

    The word is “holistic,” BTW.
    🙂

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