Lowe: Duke was Aggressive

Sidney Lowe and Monte Towe did not like the officiating on Saturday. It was obvious throughout the afternoon by their reactions to things on the bench. Of course, officiating had nothing to do with Saturday’s result…but, who says that it won’t be important in the future?

In short, I liked what I saw from the coaches working the refs on Saturday. The following quote was in the N&O on Sunday. (Link)

“They were very aggressive,” NCSU coach Sidney Lowe said. “They were doing whatever they had to do — push, grab, hold, whatever. I don’t mean anything illegal. They just play hard.”

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06-07 Basketball General Quotes of Note

58 Responses to Lowe: Duke was Aggressive

  1. GAWolf 01/22/2007 at 10:11 AM #

    I noticed when a TO was called, their guys sprint back to the bench… our guys walked with their heads down. That speaks volumes to me…

  2. Wulfpack 01/22/2007 at 10:13 AM #

    If you want to quantify effort, look at how many of Duke’s points came uncontested. By that I mean, an open dunk, an open layup, a drive and shot without anyone near, or a wide open jump shot. This happened time and time again. I don’t have the numbers, but I will assure you they scored far more uncontested points than we did.

    I’m more than willing to chalk this one up as a learning experience that will help us out in the end. But I don’t want to see us getting outplayed in terms of the effort on the floor again.

  3. newt 01/22/2007 at 10:35 AM #

    Sidney did a great job working the refs and setting the stage for Duke games in the future. He spent the whole game educating the refs about specific Duke “hands on” tactics, and the refs responded.

  4. Gene 01/22/2007 at 10:40 AM #

    I like the fact Duke called for travelling, finally, after the first few times their players dragged the pivot foot went uncalled. There’s little else I liked about the game.

  5. legacyman 01/22/2007 at 10:40 AM #

    “…but the one thing I can say about him is that his kids always played hard…”

    Did you happen to see the unc-ch State game last year…the one in Raleigh? Our team was being beaten up and down the floor with regularity. They gave very little effort in the fourth quarter of that game.

    So don’t make up stuff to glorify a former coach. With many more players, his teams also played some games with a lack of intensity.

    I do not believe that Sidney will have to play kids who aren’t motivated next year as he will have some numbers.

  6. Dan 01/22/2007 at 10:48 AM #

    The only reason it was 25 point game and not a 40 point game was because of the officiating. You guys can complain all you want about the officiating, and I’m not saying they called a perfect game, but Sid was effective in getting a few handchecks and holds called. But no one is going to change the way the ACC calls games in one season. Duke plays in your face defense. This is a physical league. I may not like that it is so physical, but that’s reality.

    Its pretty obvious we havent been a good defensive team this year. The officiating had nothing to do those other games when, as SFN has noted, teams had their best shooting nights against us. The KenPom stats have us at 306th in the country at forcing turnovers. Now those stats aren’t exact, but they are ballpark, and we are in the wrong ballpark to be successful. We are 310th in offensive rebounding. We had three offensive rebounds Saturday. Three! And only four steals. Both of those are “hustle” stats to some degree. as for overall defensive efficiency, the top 6 in the ACC are in the top 30 in the country in that stat. NC State is 141. Duke shot 52.5% from the field against us. Hell, they only shot 44% against Wake. Fact is, our defense has made teams look good.

    But while I’m not making excuses I’m not throwing these guys under the bus either. Previously Fells and Grant were simply benched for not playing defense. Well, that worked great, didnt it. Now its up to Sid to teach them. With the height and athletic ability on our team, there is no physical reason we cant play defense. I think the Duke game sent the message for Sidney. Lets see how they respond.

  7. BoKnowsNCS71 01/22/2007 at 10:58 AM #

    Do people really think there are players on the team that are not motivated? Anyone who ever plays sports — especially at his level –know the adrenaline rush and challenge it takes. It’s easy to get frustrated and down when you are getting your butt handed to you by better talent. Then you get even more error prone as you try to push shots and and long passes that are not needed or where the skills aren’t there. This team needs one good comeback victory to help keep a few kids head in the game. Maybe its concentration that is faltering — not motivation.

    I can’t understand missing dunks. Being a guy who can’t dunk, it seems simple to me — when you are behind –take and make the high perecentage shot with less slamming power (trying to make it look better than it is). 2 points is better than a powerful slam miss in the catch up mode.

    And hanging on the rim is interesting. I watched Brandon Wright with UNX do it in their game with no calls. Most of the time the kids hang to prevent getting hurt on the way down. Refs need to loosen up on that or call them on everyone.

  8. packbackr04 01/22/2007 at 11:32 AM #

    someone mentioned it above, but i would love to hear what SFN has to say about Obrien being at the game with the Simms kids. Matt would be a huge grab for us. Especially since we have zero QB’s right now.

  9. burnbarn 01/22/2007 at 11:39 AM #

    Fells did the exact same thing on the missed dunk in the first half with no call. He missed and then grabbed the rim trying to re-dunk the ball. (maybe the ref gave him a warning???). The second time he did the same thing.
    It was not hanging on the rim, but rather grabbing the rim.

    I was sitting beside a dookie and we both agreed it was a terribly officiated game. The officiating had little to do with the outcome regardless. On our second possession of the 2nd half, the out of bounds call to dook? No state player anywhere and the ball bounced off the dook players hands.

  10. Texpack 01/22/2007 at 11:54 AM #

    Many more EFFORTS like the Duke game and I’ll be looking for Sidney to make a statement by benching some guys. As a guy who was a career back-up, minutes were too precious to play 3/4 speed.

  11. Frank 01/22/2007 at 12:11 PM #

    Coach K talked about Herb Sendek before the game on the radio. He said they were Herbs’ players and if they were good 3 point shooters it was because that is how Herb recruited them.
    Coach K liked Herb because he knew he could almost always beat him. He knows that Sid will be very difficult to beat once State has a team with greater talent. That is why he wanted to beat him so badly him this time. He hopes the psychological domination will carry over in later years. Coach K is not at all a nice guy, even though he wants to be thought of as one.

  12. Frank 01/22/2007 at 12:18 PM #

    With Duke it is not a matter of “heart”, it is a matter of meanness. K believes like Vince Lombardi did, winning is the only thing that matters.

  13. Mr O 01/22/2007 at 12:46 PM #

    Lots of coaches liked Herb Sendek. Paul Hewitt liked Herb Sendek though he very rarely beat him.

  14. Wulfpack 01/22/2007 at 12:57 PM #

    Sendek was a gentleman in victory and many times in defeat. He’s a guy who’s well liked in the coaching fraternity because he’s well-connected. He’s worked very hard, done it the right way, and carried his programs with class. He relies on intellect and not necessarily outward expression of passion.

    Sendek was never a champion. Champion’s tend to break the mold. They go after the goal to the bitter end. They piss people off. They yell and scream because it means so much to them. They aren’t always “gentlemen” and rarely well liked. Hell, how many people do you think care for Belichick?

    Not meant to spark any kind of debate here. Just my thoughts on the matter. If Sidney wants to get in some of these guys faces and draw a few technicals, well, it’s about time. We’ve got to change the culture and being a nice guy has shown that that’s not really the formula.

  15. BoKnowsNCS71 01/22/2007 at 1:21 PM #

    I like anyone I can beat.

  16. RickJ 01/22/2007 at 1:27 PM #

    K loved Coach V but he wasn’t very successful against him.

  17. nycfan 01/22/2007 at 1:46 PM #

    In ACC play only, NCSU is dead last in rebounding margin (by a wide margin) at -10.2. Not surprisingly, State is dead last in offensive rebounding by a wide margin, averaging only 5.8/game (dook is 11th, averaging 8.4/game), but a little “better” at 8th in defensive rebounding — still 11th in rebounds given up (your opponents average 37.6 rpg, State averages 27.4 rpg).

    Similarly, State is near the bottom in turnover margin (10th -2.6/game), which is less surprising given the issues at PG.

    Both shortcomings really hurt State against Dook, but the one that is a little baffling to me is being that bad at rebounding. TOs and assists and all the ballhandling stuff I get, but State has two solid big men in McCauley and Costner, plus two athletic, big wings in Fells and Grant. Costner is doing his part, averaging 8.6 rpg and frankly McCauley is solid at 5.8 rpg (again, all these stats are conference games only). So, as much as anything, it is your perimeter guys who aren’t rebounding — I don’t know if the calculation has been made that it is better that they release back on defense and don’t try for the rebounds or just they aren’t playing fundamental basketball.

  18. noah 01/22/2007 at 1:47 PM #

    K and Valvano grew much closer after V got sick. They weren’t close at all during their days in coaching.

    “but i would love to hear what SFN has to say about Obrien being at the game with the Simms kids. Matt would be a huge grab for us. Especially since we have zero QB’s right now.”

    Justin Burke is going to please a lot of people. But yes, I thinking landing Simms would be a very good thing.

    Harrison Beck will factor into the competition in the spring. He’s better than Stone. I’ve heard that Stone still wants one more look at QB. If they give it to him, that’s one look too many.

  19. choppack1 01/22/2007 at 2:27 PM #

    nycfan – You’re onto something there.

    As I pointed out on another thread, the much-maligned Ferguson, out-rebounded Grant, Fells and Horner Saturday in 14 minutes.

    The rebounding margin is what really baffles me. Someone mentioned the “hustle” stats – that doesn’t surprise me. It’s what I’ve seen all 3 games. I can see why our guys are confused though – they really have to feel it’s not fair – it’s kind of like rules of engagement – don’t fire till fired upon.

  20. BoKnowsNCS71 01/22/2007 at 2:36 PM #

    If we could slip in Harrison, Marcus or Daniel in with Justin on a play, we could run a lot of trick plays (humour).

    Does it seem odd that we had a stable full of runners with no running game plan last year and now we have at least 4 QBs with another one looking at us — and we have no offense? Hopefullly, that will change.

  21. noah 01/22/2007 at 3:20 PM #

    Until we get a good offensive line, it really doesn’t matter whether we are a running team or a passing team. We’ll just be a prolific punting team.

    QB, OL, and LB….we’ve got some very serious holes. Of the nine starting positions at those spots (5 OL, 1 QB and 3 LB), we have a grand total of ONE quality, proven player — Curtis Crouch.

  22. choppack1 01/22/2007 at 3:37 PM #

    noah – I think that’s where I’m looking most forward to our new staff. BC has typically had a solid OL.

  23. Dan 01/22/2007 at 3:43 PM #

    I think the competition between Evans, Burke and Beck will produce a serviceable QB. I dont mean a star, but at least a guy who be effective.

    I’m most worried about the OL and LB.

  24. packbackr04 01/22/2007 at 4:38 PM #

    Dan i can deal with a serviceable QB, heck i thought Evans was serviceable this year if he could have had more than 3/4 of a second to make a decision without the OL crumbling in front of him. I am actually surprised evans did not suffer an injury with how bad our OL was this year.

  25. packbackr04 01/22/2007 at 4:39 PM #

    chop and noah ^ it appears that TOB has been focusing on OL recruits thus far. hasnt he already snagged 2 that were commited to BC already?

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