Pack Preseason BBall Schedule Entry (Updated)

07-08 Basketball General86

July 4, 2007 Update
State to play Presbyterian College. (Link)

June 4, 2007 Update
“ESPN Regional Television, Inc. (ERT), a subsidiary of ESPN, announced today the schedule of matchups for the 2007 Old Spice Classic, to be held on Thanksgiving weekend at the Milk House at Disney’s Wide World of Sports Complex near Orlando, Fla.” (Link)

“In the first round of action, beginning Thursday, Nov. 22, Penn State will take on South Carolina; Rider will face North Carolina State; Central Florida will meet Villanova; and Kansas State and George Mason will square off. All games on the first day of action will be televised on ESPN2.”

State’s game with Rider will tip around 2pm on Thanksgiving Day.

Previous Entry
NC State will host the Davidson Wildcats on December 21st and will return the trip in the 2008-2009 season. This link to today’s Charlotte Observer discusses more specifics.

At this point, we know the following related to the Wolfpack’s out of conference schedule for the 2007-2008 season.

Nov 22 – 25 – in Old Spice Classic in Orlando, FL

Nov 28 – @ Michigan State in Big-Ten Challenge (Link)

Dec 21 – vs Davidson

vs High Point

vs Cincinnati

@ East Carolina

vs Presbyterian College

vs South Carolina State (Link)

(State and Davidson) haven’t played since 1995. Both have been mentioned in preseason top 25 polls for next season. Davidson went 29-5 last season and has every scholarship player returning, including freshman standout Stephen Curry. N.C. State returns four starters from a 20-16 team.

Davidson already had scheduled two games at Bobcats Arena against ACC opponents. Davidson will play North Carolina in a 7 p.m. game televised by ESPN on Nov. 14 and will play Duke on Dec. 1. Wildcats coach Bob McKillop said it hasn’t been determined if the Duke or N.C. State games will be televised.

We can only hope that if State does have to travel to Davidson next season that the game will be hosted in Bobcats Arena so that Wolfpackers can attend and enjoy Uptown/Downtown Charlotte.

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07-08 Basketball General

86 Responses to Pack Preseason BBall Schedule Entry (Updated)

  1. redfred2 05/23/2007 at 11:53 AM #

    Smith’s and Javi’s academics have been questioned often.

    I may be reading too much into it, but it seems that the same mentality that claimed a clean program was somehow a real huge accomplishment and feather in the hat that justified a big heaping helping of credit for a certain coach, who in reality, was doing no more, and no less, but just in line with his contemporaries accomplishments during that same time period in the league. Regardless of the total lack of accomplishments elsewhere in the program, some are still hung up on the “clean” aspect and still harping on that same theory.

    Anyway, it seems that that same defense mechanism to justify a whole body of work, with that single aspect, is still being used to overly scrutinize these young HS recruits right now. It’s like some are saying, “I don’t quite trust these new coach’s judgement just yet, afterall ” ” had that market cornered on “class” and cleanliness, and his judgement was unquestionable.” So they’re saying, play it SAFE, we’d better not give anyone the benefit of the doubt or gamble on a kid ever again, or we’ll be right back in trouble again.

    That is BS.

  2. PapaJohn 05/23/2007 at 4:22 PM #

    We certainly want to continue running a clean program, no doubt and it is good to be concerned about it. But I think there is another element at work here.

    It’s the ‘many times burned – alway shy’ element that we Wolfpackers have lived with for a long time. All evidence indicates that we have an excellent coach who does things the right way and beat both Duke and UNC his first year with lesser talent. AND that first year coach has now pulled in a recruiting class that NOBODY had any right to expect. What’s wrong with this picture? I’ll answer that question, It’s too good to be true! Something has got to blemish this incredibly positive picture.

    That ‘thing’ must be that these recruits either can’t play in the ACC, they have academic issues, cooties, or something.

    We are the “half emtpy” people, we can’t stand this much good fortune!!! We’ve got a good football coach. For heaven’s sake, we’re even winning in tennis!!!!!!!

    I’m including myself in this. It’s certainly a unique time for the Pack. But it’s hard to relax and enjoy it.

    Or is it just me …

  3. redfred2 05/23/2007 at 4:50 PM #

    PapaJohn

    Confucius once told me, or maybe was it Cedar, “Nothing good can sustain itself while surrounded with, and drowning in, a pool of negatively and self doubt.”

    Like I said before, we haven’t done anything over the past ten years concerning a so-called “clean program” that every one of the other coaches in the ACC weren’t also able accomplish. Doing things right and proper should always be a top concern, but it is not anything to worry and fret over so much. We have got to stop being so overly pessimistic and guarded against this stuff so much so, that we shoot our own selves in the foot before we even give anything a chance to develop.

  4. Luke12321 05/23/2007 at 8:02 PM #

    Coach Lowe was behind the 8-ball big time with the 07 recruits, I think we would all agree on this. People have worried about Smith because of the Mt. Zion factor (Diploma Mill ect) and just grades in general bc of the delay in signing. I said it from day one (Look back on other threads regarding recruiting and Smith) that Coach Lowe would not take a kid that had a chance of not qualify. He knew that Smith was going to be ready to go this upcoming year or he would not have taken him. At the time, he did not have the luxury of saying, “If Smith don’t make it in, I will sign “x” kid in 08 because he was behind with these kids as well! You guys worried too much, this is a big time…high pressue job Lowe has taken over and he is not going to take a kid that might not qualify in his first year on the job. The other media would never let it down. (You guys know that!).

    Now, I see some complaining about playing Davidson. Davidson is ranked in Andy Kat’z pre-season top 25. Very well coached and will give us all we want. They should not lose a game in the SoCon and are playing UNC/Duke as well. They are trying to boost the schedule up for RPI purposes and it helps recruiting for them ALOT! If they lose in the SoCon, they might could get an at-large. They are a local school who has alot of class and a well respected coach, why not play them?

    Example from last year: (Assuming we played both Nova and K. State in the old spice)

    Last year UNC played the folowing OOC teams
    Winthrop (comparable to davidson)
    Zaga ( K. State)
    Tenn (Nova)
    Kentucky
    St. Louis (Cincy)
    Arizona
    OSU
    along with some cupcakes….
    Will we add three more huge names comparable to AX,OSU,KU? No. But if we filled them three with maybe one big name and two solid teams (avg. bcs or good mid major) then I think we would have plenty of challenges OOC. Younger bench kids need experience too….easy games provide that that oppty. which will result in more wins in the future. (And it is bright!)

  5. redfred2 05/23/2007 at 10:24 PM #

    People are questioning the scheduling, saying it’s good and getting better, but possibly still needs a few more big name challenges. Now we’re seeing words like those are “easy games”, or a team is an “embarrassment to play”, and people want to add better challenges to the OOC schedule. The great thing about it is that it’s all absolutely justified.

    Man, what a difference one little ol’ year has made.

  6. JimValvano 05/23/2007 at 10:57 PM #

    Luke3121…

    You forgot the ACC/Big10 Challenge opponent…Michigan State

    I think they are the equivalent of at least ‘Zona.

  7. Luke12321 05/23/2007 at 11:41 PM #

    Correct, I was going to put that but forgot! Good point though. I would honestly like to see one big name added in and that would be very good OOC to go along with maybe a lesser bcs school or a solid mid major. We still will have a pretty young team so getting a really really tough OOC schedule might not be the best idea. Would hate to get the guys discouraged early on…

  8. Astral Rain2 05/24/2007 at 11:26 AM #

    It’s better to be 1 game short of a good schedule (and I really think High Point will overtake Winthrop this year- and be a surprise, they don’t lose anyone I think), then3-4 games short under the ancien regime…

  9. Elrod 06/04/2007 at 6:33 PM #

    “We can only hope that if State does have to travel to Davidson next season that the game will be hosted in Bobcats Arena so that Wolfpackers can attend and enjoy Uptown/Downtown Charlotte.”

    Is it just me, or does anyone else have a hard time thinking you can SAFELY attend and enjoy Uptown / Downtown Charlotte? Born, raised and live 20 miles from Charlotte and still would not trust my family’s safety in downtown Charlotte, especially after dark. Seen too many things happen there in my 55 years. For all I know, Charlotte may still be the ‘murder by handgun capital of the U.S.’

  10. choppack1 06/04/2007 at 8:13 PM #

    Elrod – I’m not sure. I was downtown in 2005-2006 for the Bowl game – there were some rough patches but I’ve seen worse.

  11. crackdog 06/04/2007 at 10:44 PM #

    I’ve been downtown for a few Panthers games and a few State games, and never had a problem or felt unsafe.

  12. Elrod 06/05/2007 at 12:05 AM #

    The Charlotte evening news can be quite a treat. It’s gotten to the point that I can’t tell if I’m watching the news or Cops. Thing is, it’s always been this way. Senseless violence, usually with handguns, with many innocent victims. Charlotte doesn’t have the market cornered on it, but they sure do have more than their fair share. As random as it gets, I won’t go there, especially at night. I fully understand that many won’t think twice about going there and that’s OK. I’ve just seen too many sad stories.

  13. sidlowe 06/05/2007 at 12:29 AM #

    Support Cancer Research and the NCSU Wolfpack With Your Computer!!

    http://www.fah.genejockeys.com
    http://mbd.scout.com/mb.aspx?s=178#S=178&F=2531&T=544600

  14. mafpack 06/05/2007 at 8:39 AM #

    Or we could just win every single game on our schedule, sweep the ACC and be a lock for the tourney without having to add even one more OOC opponent to the schedule…

    28-0 or whatever our schedule max turns out to be this year… yeah I’d take that and I’m sure the NCAA committee would as well.

    The ACC is enough of a challenge in-and-of itself to be worrying too heavily about OOC play – obviously we’re not to be playing highschoolish cupcake teams – but what team in the ACC actually does that. Once we’re dominating the ACC top to bottom, then I’d consider worrying about bringing in Florida, OSU or some other marque team to bring up our SoS.

  15. highstick 06/05/2007 at 9:22 AM #

    Elrod, you’re ok in downtown Charlotte, just don’t go off in the places that used to be safe, like Eastland Mall. I park downtown, walk to Bobcat and anywhere on the downtown area of Tryon and Trade and don’t feel threatened although there are a number of homeless folks who walk the streets.

    The downtown area has changed for the better in the last 15 years or so.

  16. noah 06/05/2007 at 9:45 AM #

    Forgive me for being slightly off-topic…but what the hell is ESPN 360?>

  17. Rick 06/05/2007 at 10:03 AM #

    noah,
    I am sure it is another station they plan to put State games on that we will haev to pay extra for.

  18. nycfan 06/05/2007 at 11:17 AM #

    I believe ESPN 360 is their on-line streaming venue and I think it does cost extra.

    I find the hand-wringing about the schedule odd. You have two top 25 teams in MSU (a marquee match-up and the best opponent State has ever drawn in the Big Ten Challenge) and Davidson. A possible match-up with a potential top 25 and national draw team in Villanova and a solid home match-up with Cincy. The one head-scratcher to me is @ ECU.

    I think State is in a bit of a bind for the big national games v. Kansas, Kentucky, Florida or UCLA at the moment. The Pack should be a solid top 25 team, but there is still some uncertainty out there. Coaches know from watching State last year that is not an easy win at home or certainly not away but it is also not a huge national draw (yet) until the program re-establishes itself as a perennial top 25 team.

    I think that if you have the season I expect, it will get a LOT easier to schedule those plum national TV match-ups.

  19. StateFans 06/05/2007 at 11:20 AM #

    It is a way to watch events online through ESPN’s media player. Basically…if your ISP is not an “affiliated partner” with ESPN360 then it doesn’t matter as you can’t access it.

    From ESPN’s website:

    What is ESPN360.com?

    IT’S THE GAME. AND EVERYTHING AROUND IT. ESPN360.com is a robust, multi-feature broadband service, free to fans that get high-speed broadband service from an ESPN-affiliated provider.

    Through ESPN’s new multimedia player, ESPN360.com delivers hundreds of hours of live games, analysis and exclusive content on-demand. For fans of any game, it means exclusive access to the Internet’s best events. Since its launch in 2005, ESPN360.com has delivered over 300 live events, including: 2006 FIFA World Cup matches, college basketball, football and lacrosse games, NASCAR races, AFL games, boxing match-ups and more.

  20. WolfPup35 06/05/2007 at 1:58 PM #

    Is the ACC AND the B10 actually TRYING to give me a stroke?!?!? I have degrees from NCSU AND MSU!! When the teams met in the NCAA’s, it was somewhat painful to watch, and NOW they meet in the ACC/B10 rout..errr…challenge.

    I will say that however painful the match up may be to watch, my heart lies with NCSU.

    So long as NCS beats UNX and Dook..I’m happy…So long as MSU beats Mich and OSU…I’m happy.

    Go ‘Pack!!

  21. Elrod 06/05/2007 at 6:02 PM #

    Highstick – glad to hear that something in Charlotte has become somewhat safer. Eastland Mall has gone from the class of the malls to the absolute pits. You couldn’t pay me enough to live in southwest or west Charlotte. Anyway, good luck to whomever goes there.

  22. highstick 06/06/2007 at 8:58 PM #

    Elrod, you need to sample the nightlife in Uptown Charlotte afterdark. Sure wish I was 25-30 years younger!

    I was concerned about the same issues that you had when I moved up here in 99, but have been pleasantly surprised. I had a conversation yesterday with one of our younger staff(High Point native) who is now basing her work out of her apartment in Manhattan. I was shocked to hear her say that she feels safe and is thoroughly enjoying the experience. Not for me though!

  23. TNCSU 06/07/2007 at 8:28 AM #

    Manhattan is probably safer than downtown Charlotte – per capita, but neither is my idea of fun…now Waikiki Beach is another story.

  24. highstick 06/07/2007 at 2:05 PM #

    That hurts my back just to think of sitting on the plane that long anymore! Fripp Island in the winter is more my speed lately!

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  1. StateFans Nation » Blog Archive » 2007 Football Schedule Update - 06/05/2007

    q5kNUM A round of applause for your article.Really looking forward to read more. Awesome.

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