1983 – Right Year, Wrong Game

06-07 Basketball General NCS Basketball Quotes of Note Tradition29

It is a real shame that Sidney Lowe’s first team is as limited as it is. Otherwise, you’d be hearing a lot more about “when Sidney was in school”. (Just wait until next year when every event during the season mark’s the 25th anniversary of the Wolfpack’s miracle run.)

Today, Dan Wiederer of the Fayetteville Observer authored a great piece recalling that State’s run in 1983 started with a big win over Carolina in the ACC Tournament. Technician also has a piece about the last time that Sidney Lowe and Roy Williams clashed. (DVR Alert: Coincidentally, this game will be broadcast on ESPNClassic this afternoon at 2pm ET).

The springboard victory in State’s captivating 10-game winning streak to end the season may have come in the form of a 91-84 overtime upset of defending national champion North Carolina in the semifinals of the ACC tournament.

With point guard Sidney Lowe exploding for 19 points in the first half and Whittenburg scoring 11 in overtime, the Wolfpack toppled the No. 5 team in the country, fueling their confidence for a magical run.

In some fateful and roundabout way, that victory over Carolina is, at least in some small way, part of the reason Lowe is back on the N.C. State sideline these days as head coach.

Saturday at the RBC Center, he will march back into battle with the rival Tar Heels for the first time in 23 years, 10 months and 22 days, carrying a personal two-game winning streak against Carolina.

The Fayetteville Observer got it half right.

State’s confidence was boosted and the catalyst for the run most definitely started with a big win over Carolina. BUT, the win that got the ball rolling was not in the Omni in Atlanta, it was on Saturday afternoon of February 19th in Reynolds Coliseum when the Pack defeated Carolina 70-63. Four days later, State went on to beat Duke by 18 points. After a couple of hiccups against Top 5 Virginia and Maryland the run was on full steam and the Pack finished the season 12-2 (starting on February 19th).

You youngsters – and administrators who aren’t from around these parts – take a moment to fully digest the information included in the preceeding paragraph. State beat Carolina and Duke within four days of each other and it really wasn’t the end of the world. I couldn’t help but think about this over the last couple of weeks when I heard people legitimately asking if anyone had every beaten Carolina and Duke back to back like Virginia Tech?

That February beautiful day in Reynolds marked the first of three wins in a four year period for Jim Valvano’s Wolfpack against top-flight Tarheel teams coached by Dean Smith and Roy Williams. It was also the day that one of the most special plays in NC State history occurred as game was winding down and Sidney Lowe ended a fast break with a no look, between the legs bounce pass to a trailing Thurl Bailey who posterized Sam Perkins with one of the most remembered slam dunks in NC State history. See below.

Link

It is wonderful for ESPN Classic to run the Wolfpack’s 1983 win over Carolina in the Omni. For old-school Wolfpackers, it would be an equally nice treat for them to re-run the game in Reynolds from 1983.

Dan Wierderer goes on to finish his article with a very nice touch:

Lowe knows the significance of the rivalry as well as anyone.

“It’s nothing I’m going to die over,” he said back in October. “But is it a bigger game? No question. Is that a game you really want to win and need to win because of the rivalry? Absolutely.”

The notion that today’s contest is just one of 16 ACC games is little more than a smokescreen.

In reality, that philosophy comes laced with an understanding that one game can mean so much more.

Just ask the 1983 Wolfpack.

Understanding of the increased importance of some games may have on the rest of your season is something that Wolfpackers’ from the 1970s and 1980s innately understand. We experienced so many ‘runs’ that were built on experiences of tough early season scheduling mixed with innovative and passionate coaching that we KNOW that a high level of success can be reached in Raleigh. The following is an awesome snippet from one of our readers in the great comments below:

I was at this 83 State-Carolina game in Reynolds. Though I’ve been a lifelong Wolfpacker and been to hundreds of games with many special moments — this game stands out above all others.

The atmoshpere in Reynolds was electric that day and when Dean Smith got his second T, the place seemed like it was on the verge of a riot. Yet, as exciting and special as it was – it didn’t feel like some huge upset. We knew we could play with those guys and at that point, were just a few weeks away from tying them in both the number of ACC and national titles.

Let that sink in. You have to respect what Dean Smith did at Carolina, and for most of his tenure, he kept the program at the highest levels. Yet – the difference between the two programs was not some great divide. The Tarholes certainly didn’t regard us a some little brother type who could never beat them. The hatred was mutual and Duke was an afterthought.

THAT is our heritage. I hope that Coach Lowe fufills the potential we see and restores it.

Follow-up: If you are in a bit of a nostalgic mode after reading this, then you will enjoy this piece which we think is one of our best ever.

06-07 Basketball General NCS Basketball Quotes of Note Tradition

29 Responses to 1983 – Right Year, Wrong Game

  1. primacyone 02/02/2007 at 10:54 AM #

    Awesome and entirely correct about this game being the one that started the run.

    For some reason, every time I think about the “box and 1” I think of this game. When I think of great NCSU basketball, this is one of the games I think of.

    There was an incredible dispaly of coaching in this game on both sides. It was almost like there were 3 or 4 different games inside of this one game. But Jimmy V was clearly better than the Dean in this game. I really think this game was Jimmy V’s breakout game from his on personal confidence standpoint.

    I don’t think there was anybody in the audience or a anyone watching on TV that had their mind on anything else. This game was so captivating.

    And yes, we beat Duke a few days later. That wasn’t unexpected back then.

  2. RickJ 02/02/2007 at 11:04 AM #

    This game was V’s first win over Smith. I remember listening to V’s post game comments and he opened with something like “Has anybody seen a monkey running around here? I glad to have him off my back.”

  3. colapack 02/02/2007 at 11:04 AM #

    I laugh too, and for the youngsters’ sake, wish they could have been watching during the days we actually had good hard fought games and were victorious against Carolina and Duke. The best part about those victories were the Hillsborough Street parties afterwards. It didn’t matter which exam was at 7:50 am…everyone went to Hillsborough Street. By the way, why did all the nickel beer joints succomb to the coffee shops?

  4. choppack1 02/02/2007 at 11:42 AM #

    ” couldn’t help but last a couple of weeks ago when I heard people legitimately asking if anyone had every beaten Carolina and Duke back to back like Virginia Tech?”

    Actually, NC State was the last team to that -and I think it occurred in 2002 or 2003…

    That’s just beautiful pass by El Sid. Personally, I’m glad we’re bringing a style and players that will make moments like that more frequent. We probably don’t have much of a chance tomorrow – but Sid certainly knows what this game means.

  5. Spin Wolf 02/02/2007 at 11:42 AM #

    I was at this 83 State-Carolina game in Reynolds. Though I’ve been a lifelong Wolfpacker and been to hundreds of games with many special moments — this game stands out above all others.

    The atmoshpere in Reynolds was electric that day and when Dean Smith got his second T, the place seemed like it was on the verge of a riot. Yet, as exciting and special as it was – it didn’t feel like some huge upset. We knew we could play with those guys and at that point, were just a few weeks away from tying them in both the number of ACC and national titles.

    Let that sink in. You have to respect what Dean Smith did at Carolina, and for most of his tenure, he kept the program at the highest levels. Yet – the difference between the two programs was not some great divide. The Tarholes certainly didn’t regard us a some little brother type who could never beat them. The hatred was mutual and Duke was an afterthought.

    THAT is our heritage. I hope that Coach Lowe fufills the potential we see and restores it.

  6. highonlowe 02/02/2007 at 12:08 PM #

    That settles it, I’m running home during lunch to set my Tivo.

  7. BJD95 02/02/2007 at 12:24 PM #

    I was at the game in Reynolds, too. My baby sister woke up from a nap at one point and was screaming at the top of her lungs. Funny thing was – the din in Reynolds was so loud that we couldn’t hear a peep of said screaming!

    I remember Dean getting T’d up and Gannon sinking a bunch of free throws. Best FT stroke I have ever seen.

  8. Spin Wolf 02/02/2007 at 12:31 PM #

    BJD –

    It was loud that day wasn’t it? The cool thing about my being there, was that my best friend and I just scalped tickets on a whim. My Mom dropped off, and his Mom picked up. 🙂

    Gannon was cool hand Luke on those four free throws and I also remember how quickly the fans went from quiet for him to shoot, back to loud after he made it.

    When Jordan fouled out, I don’t think I’ve ever gone more bezerk as a fan. Seriously, people were just beside themselves. Complete strangers were hugging me.

  9. redfred2 02/02/2007 at 12:43 PM #

    “Let that sink in. You have to respect what Dean Smith did at Carolina, and for most of his tenure, he kept the program at the highest levels. Yet – the difference between the two programs was not some great divide. The Tarholes certainly didn’t regard us a some little brother type who could never beat them. The hatred was mutual and Duke was an afterthought.”

    Well said Spin Wolf!!!

    Please allow that to really sink in. We were better than anyone in the nation at one time and a threat to beat anyone on any given night, for decades. It wasn’t hokey, cross your fingers and pray it all works tonight, we played straight up competitive basketball with the best in the nation and we earned notoriety as one of the nation’s top programs by having the TALENT to compete with anyone.

    We are finally taking steps to get back there.

  10. RedTerror29 02/02/2007 at 12:44 PM #

    More than anything this year, what I want to see out of Lowe is for him to give our team that spark, that they can play with anybody ’cause they’re from NC State. He is in a unique position to do so because of the above.

  11. redfred2 02/02/2007 at 12:50 PM #

    Actually I don’t know who wrote that comment ^ Dan Wierderer maybe?

  12. highstick 02/02/2007 at 12:55 PM #

    Fred, I’m sure Fowler would never believe that we could be competitive with Carolina and Duke. That’s unheard of! Now let’s hear some more about that cement pond that’s down in Carmichael. Any fish in it?

  13. Jeff 02/02/2007 at 1:32 PM #

    When Jordan fouled out, I don’t think I’ve ever gone more bezerk as a fan. Seriously, people were just beside themselves. Complete strangers were hugging me.

    For some reason this comment really struck a cord with me. Jordan also fouled out of the game in Atlanta. Compare that to today’s officiating in the ACC. Seriously. How often is it that any of the stars truly get in signficant foul trouble? Especially consistently get in serious foul trouble?

    I bet Jordan fouled out of more games in a three week period than Tyler Hansbrough and JJ Redick fouled out of games in the combined 5 and a half years of their college careers COMBINED.

    I’m not joking.

  14. Texpack 02/02/2007 at 1:39 PM #

    I still tell people that winning this game and being there was almost as good as winning the National Championship.

    Four memories stand out from this game. I had end zone seats on row 2 because this was a random distribution game the HOZE Squad was not in its normal seats.

    Terry Gannon’s 3-pointer late in the game to give us a seven point lead. As soon as he let it fly, I yelled “seven.”

    V out on the court telling Sidney that the shot clock had been turned off because we were under four minutes. He was pointing to the shot clock with one hand and yelling. I could read his lips saying, “There’s no clock.”

    Chancellor Bruce Poulton leading the cheers after the students stormed the court at the end ofthe game.

    The improntu keg party in the Owen Underground that night was pretty awesome as well.

    Remember V was 11-7 against K.

  15. TNCSU 02/02/2007 at 1:39 PM #

    I’ll never forget the “pool” me and two of my HS buddies (I was still a couple of years away from college) had during the ’83 NCAA Tourney. We would predict each round of games with winner and point spread (i.e. UVa by 4, etc.) The person with the closest prediction took the game. We did this with each round. Came down to Monday, and time to predict the last game: Friend #1: Houston by 11, Friend #2: Houston by 14, my greatest prediction ever: NC State by 2!! NO KIDDING!

    BTW, if you ask did that affect my coming to NC State, I would have to say, YOU BET IT DID! Speaking of other great runs, our last ACC Championship in 1987 was a good one — can you believe it’s been 20 years since our last ACC Championship?

    I remember watching our run to the Sweet Sixteen in 2005 (on TV as I was living in the Mid-West), and being really excited and then after the announcers mentioned it was our first Sweet Sixteen since 1989 (16 years), I recalled that being my Senior Year at State! Oh, the good ol’ days… Bring ’em back Sid!! GO PACK!

  16. redfred2 02/02/2007 at 2:10 PM #

    ^Jeff

    That’s exactly what I talking about in the UCLA vs Stanford game the other night. It was a great game because fouls are part of the game, and they WERE called on the players who commited them, plain and simple. Going at certain player with the intention of drawing a foul was once as much a factor in developing game strategies, as match ups, or what defensive sets to use. It was part of the chess match that went between the coaches during any basketball game. But not anymore, not in the ACC anyway, the officiating no longer allows it.

  17. Jeff 02/02/2007 at 2:26 PM #

    Chancellor Bruce Poulton leading the cheers after the students stormed the court at the end of the game

    Beautiful.

    Can you imagine?

  18. ShootingGuard 02/02/2007 at 2:28 PM #

    Can’t watch it all right now, but got the DVR recording the 1983 State-UNC ACCT Semi-Final on ESPNClassic…

    Jeff’s comments are spot on about the fouls. Michael Jordan gets a ticky tack foul called on him in the first moments of the game, then Braddock gets an over the back at the other end…Compare that to Paulus raping our guys out front with no help from a DA or anyone in the recent game and McRoberts hacking like hell but never getting his 2nd or 3rd fouls called in the first half with the refs “interestingly” placing fouls on Thomas (needing to look impartial?)…

    Also striking is listening to Dick Vitale as a calm and knowledgeable and unbiased commentator…as compared to the loud mouth Nike-Duke-UNC promoter that he later became…

    Duke was not even a little brother in 1983. State and UNC were harsh rivals with championships that competed for championships while Duke was only known for a couple great runs for the years between Bubas’ departure and K’s ascendance…No matter what Mike Giminski tells you, that’s the way it was…There was an uncivil war in NC between State and UNC fans, but you couldn’t find a Duke fan anywhere…

    I don’t know if Sidney Lowe will be able to change things back, but, at least we know that he lived it and knows the time when State was ahead of Duke battling UNC—and, as a coach, Sidney appears to be “live or die and not run away from it”…just as he was as a player.

  19. Jeff 02/02/2007 at 3:45 PM #

    ^ Gminski’s perspective of Duke’s BBall tradition is skewed because his teams had so much success. He fails to look immediately before his era and then immediately after (until 1985).

    Of course, all of that has changed now.

  20. noah 02/02/2007 at 3:47 PM #

    The Game At Reynolds — The techs were actually on the bench. Or at least the first one was. McQueen barely touched a shot and it probably should have been goaltending. It was close either way…however, the Carolina bench went crazy like it was the worst call they’d ever seen. If you look at the replay, you have to slow it way down and look at the rotation of the ball to determine whether or not McQueen grazes it.

    Officiating — I can’t believe people STILL complain about Lenny Wertz. The officiating in the 1980s and very early 1990s was so, so, SO much better, IMO. The opening of the semi-final game had fouls on the first four or five possessions, and they were all small fouls. No hammering of people.

    It was the Bad Boys of Detroit that led to the absolute muggings you see today. The NBA coaches figured the refs wouldn’t call EVERY foul, so foul on every possession and you’ll gain an advantage. And EARN your fouls.

    basketball has been corrupted ever since.

    The 1983 Team — The game that really launched us wasn’t the Carolina game, IMO, it was the last game of the year against Wake. Whittenburg didn’t play in the Carolina game. He wouldn’t come back until the second UVa game. We lost to Maryland and UVa with Whit and were really struggling to get everyone on the same page again.

    When we played Wake, we were really peaking. We beat a damn good Wake team 130-89 and just set the place on fire. We shot something like 65 percent from the field. Terry Gannon and Lowe could not miss from outside. It was like they were starters on the Pleasantville High basketball squad. That showed us how good we could be. I remember going to that game and everyone was asking, “Where have THESE guys been all year??”

    Jordan — Jordan wasn’t a jump-shooter then. It’s funny, because the play that started his stardom was a jumper (in 1982, of course), but he wasn’t a huge threat from the outside. He was a good all-around player and he could absolutely take over a game, but Perkins and Braddock and D’oh were the guys I worried about from outside. Perkins, in particular, was a guy who seemingly had no range. He had arms that looked like he had borrowed them from someone eight-feet-tall and he had a little half jump-hook that he’d drop in from 15 feet away. The three point line was only 17-9 in 1983, so I figured he’d post Bailey up from behind the arc.

    State-Carolina-1983 – It’s amazing to look at the guys on the floor that day and how successful so many of them were.

    Lowe, Whit, Buzz Peterson and D’oh all became head coaches. Eddie Fogler and Roy Williams off Dean Smith’s bench would obviously become coaches.

    Perkins, Daugherty, Jordan and Bailey would all be top-10, first-round NBA picks and play forever in the NBA.

    Lorenzo Charles hit the most famous NCAA tournament basket of all time and had a great college career and a lengthy european career.

    Daugherty and Terry Gannon both were very successful broadcasters. Daugherty is now involved in NASCAR, I think.

    Of course, that was a match-up of the two teams that would win the national title over a two-year period…

    THe ACC – 1983 or so was really the start of a true renaissance period in the ACC. While there had been a lot of success earlier, the 1982 ACC tournament had to go down as one of the biggest flops of all time. I know the networks were pissed about the final game. You had Ralph vs. Worthy, #1 vs. #2. And Dean ran the four corners in a horrible, horrible, BORING game. I was in Greensboro that day and it was one of the worst basketball games of all time. Final score was something like 47-45 and the second half of that game was absolutely miserable. There were a grand total of 27 points scored FOR BOTH teams in the second half. Carolina was up 34-31 at the break and UVa outscored them 14-13 in the second half.

    Horrible.

    That was the game that was responsible for the shot clock. The ACC put in a 30-second clock as an experiment the next year and we had great basketball as a result.

    From 1983 on, the ACC was such a great league, with good teams from top to bottom. Every night, you could see future stars and current stars and anything could happen.

    Mark Price, John Salley at Georgia Tech
    Len Bias, Adrian Branch, Ben Coleman at Maryland
    Lowe, Whit and Bailey at State
    Sampson and othell wilson at UVa
    Worthy, Jordan, Perkins and Daugherty at UNC
    Alvis Rogers, Anthony Teachey, Delaney Rudd and Danny Young at Wake
    Dawkins, Amaker, Alarie, and Jay Bilas at Dook (and Dan Meagher!)

    Clemson was still trying to upgrade the talent. I think Mike Eppely, the QB off their football squad, was the point guard. But they were close to having Elden Campbell and Grayson Marshall and Horace and Harvey Grant come in.

  21. choppack1 02/02/2007 at 4:14 PM #

    I bet Jordan fouled out of more games in a three week period than Tyler Hansbrough and JJ Redick fouled out of games in the combined 5 and a half years of their college careers COMBINED.

    I’m not joking.

    I’ve watched the 83 ACC championship and semi-final game and I find myself in awe of the calls we’re getting – and that we might even be getting some calls against the Heels and against the Cavs. It’s really interesting to watch those games w/ the knowlege of what that team was about to do.

  22. Jeff 02/02/2007 at 4:50 PM #

    Noah is AMAZING!!!

  23. choppack1 02/02/2007 at 5:25 PM #

    Noah – here’s a clemson name for you – two actually – Vince Hamilton and Murray Jarman

  24. redfred2 02/02/2007 at 8:11 PM #

    6’6″ Murray Jarman holding down the center position for the Tigers. That was one jumping white boy that was fun to watch. I had forgotten about him.

  25. redfred2 02/02/2007 at 8:49 PM #

    Noah, great post!

    It is funny to me how successful many the players from that era have now become. The same is true for a lot of the guys from Dean Smith’s program back then also, but it really sticks like a needle when you consider all of the unfounded crap that Jim Valvano went through after coaching that group of kids. The same kids who went on to become very successful in different fields as adults. It just doesn’t make any sense.

    “VALVANO COURT” needs to beome a reality.

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