Maryland Game Thread/Semi-Live Blog

I enjoyed semi-live blogging the Wake game, so I’ll try to do the same tonight. I am very confident tonight, and expect a fairly comfortable (8-12 point) win. Of course, NC State is like Forrest Gump’s box of chocolates – you never know what you’re going to get. Place your thoughts, reactions, and happy/angry utterances in the comments. You can also let us know if and when it starts snowing where you are.

Keep praying for Wolfpack alum Corey Smith and the other people missing at sea.

7:39 – If FSN’s HD feed doesn’t start working soon, I’m going to start swearing. Bastards.

7:41 – HD finally here. I guess the game will have to make me say the F word. I can’t believe “Best Damn Sports Show” is still on the air. Who watches that shit?

7:52 – Maryland is aggressively pushing Javi when he handles the ball. That’s a very good strategy. We need to adjust or shift more minutes to Degand, because our half-court offense has trouble getting started. 11-7 Terps.

7:59 – I hope Tracy is ready to play 35 plus tonight.

8:04 – Apparently, we missed committing turnovers, and are back in the saddle tonight.

8:08 – OK, Degand is sucking really bad tonight. Time for Mays? Terps by 7.

8:11 – Dinnertime makes things better. Mmmmmmm…jambalaya.

8:21 – Finally, a nice run of non-shitty play. A 9-point lead goes down to 3, and it’s Wolfpack ball. Should have 2 possessions left to Maryland’s 1, if we play it intelligently.

Halftime – You have to feel great about only being down 1, given how bad we played for most of the half. Unfortunately, it looks like Costner might have checked out for good.

8:41 – What’s the deal with all the Hooters and creepy “Just for Men” hair color ads? I have to switch the channel with my kids in the room!

8:47 – Back to extreme shittiness.

8:53 – We finally score, but still look awful. Luckily, so does Maryland – and the deficit is only three.

8:57 – Dead crowd, dead team.

9:03 – McCauley asserting himself in the second half. A very welcome development. Maybe we’ll even start guarding Vasquez!

9:09 – Smith puts the Pack in front, I think for the first time all night!

9:15 – Vasquez is eviscerating us.

9:21 – I’m pretty sure that’s your ballgame. Jesus, what a shitty half of basketball we are playing.

9:24 – A late call. A shitty call. Just when it looked like we might have one last run. Damn it.

9:31 – Don’t worry, it will be football season soon enough.

Your final score – Maryland 71, NC State 60.

About BJD95

1995 NC State graduate, sufferer of Les and MOC during my entire student tenure. An equal-opportunity objective critic and analyst of Wolfpack sports.

08-09 Basketball General Sidney Lowe

276 Responses to Maryland Game Thread/Semi-Live Blog

  1. buttPACKer 03/01/2009 at 9:31 PM #

    unfortunately, GAWolf, we can never bear the cross. . . WE are always nailed to it!

  2. bluelena69 03/01/2009 at 9:31 PM #

    So this was UMD’s first road win? We can always be counted on for a few things:
    1) To provide a streak snapping break for a team on the skids and
    2) A career night for someone from the other team. It seems like we always get a career night out of someone from whatever team it is we are playing.

    Damnit. I will be happy when this season is over. It is painful.

  3. wolfpacker420 03/01/2009 at 9:31 PM #

    great play calling, but sorry execution! get off lowe’s back this team is like the bad news bears!

  4. Wulfpack 03/01/2009 at 9:32 PM #

    Great “play calling”? You mean 4 guys standing around the perimeter, never moving? Riiight…

  5. redfred2 03/01/2009 at 9:33 PM #

    Well, I know alot of you folks were begging for Lowe to limit his rotation, but what the hell??? Who gives a crap about the NIT, get some of those guys the hell off of the court and move on with the future.

    And our big STOPPER, great night there.

  6. GAWolf 03/01/2009 at 9:33 PM #

    Who picks these clowns’ clothes out? Are you kidding me? Gminski has a city skyline and a half moon on his… SUSPENDERS.

  7. Wulfpack 03/01/2009 at 9:34 PM #

    Vazquez had 33. Our started combined for just 41. Wow.

  8. packalum44 03/01/2009 at 9:34 PM #

    Gosh. Its really hard to watch state b-ball. Seriously. I no longer get mad when my friends laugh out loud at State as we watch games together. Its sad. We have had one good win all season. 1. Wake Forest. That is all. 1.

    On the bright side its been snowing in DC since 6 although its really wet and having trouble sticking to the roads. About 1 inch on the grass. ha. 1.

  9. BassPacker 03/01/2009 at 9:35 PM #

    The Coach has to be accountable tonite, no intensity, lazy passes, and what play calling? Stand at the top of the circle, pass it a couple times, then shoot in the clutch possessions?

  10. bluelena69 03/01/2009 at 9:35 PM #

    I don’t think we can blame the refs on this one. Costner had 0 fouls…wait, he is never in the paint…

  11. wolfpacker420 03/01/2009 at 9:36 PM #

    when you’re cold from the outside like we we’re and the other team is packing the defense inside you have to pass it around the perimeter and try to feed it inside. we tried those things but most of our passes were turnovers not assist. that being said it was a good call but sorry execution.

  12. EdMar 03/01/2009 at 9:36 PM #

    We are down by 4 with about 50 seconds . It seems to me that you start fouling and try to extend the game versus letting them burn 30 seconds knowing that Vasquez in going to take a shot. Can some one explain coach Lowe’s strategy????

  13. LKNpackfan 03/01/2009 at 9:37 PM #

    Our staff had no answer for their 1-2-2 zone. none. We have no dribble penetration whatsoever, and against that zone, we couldn’t get the ball inside to Smith. the result was our players simply passing around the perimeter for 30 seconds followed by a missed 3pt attempt or a turnover.

  14. BassPacker 03/01/2009 at 9:39 PM #

    This season can’t end soon enough. We will make a piss poor effort senior nite, roll into Atlanta and get our butt kicked.

  15. GAWolf 03/01/2009 at 9:39 PM #

    I’m going to bed. Surely God won’t disappoint me with his chance to give me a day off of work tomorrow in return for this mess of a basketball game.

    Later fellow Pack fans. It’s a tough life we lead.

    Bring on the snow…. please.

  16. saspack 03/01/2009 at 9:40 PM #

    I don’t see how we can win another game if we play like this. Change, we need change!!!

  17. GAWolf 03/01/2009 at 9:41 PM #

    LKN: Degand’s penetration would have helped there, but unfortunately Degand apparently had car trouble and never showed up for the game.

  18. BJD95 03/01/2009 at 9:42 PM #

    Is this the worst game we played since January? I’m thinking yes. Maybe we got our bed shitting out of the way and will take it out on BC. Or Tyrese Rice will go off for 50.

  19. redfred2 03/01/2009 at 9:44 PM #

    I don’t know, but it really seemed that Lowe is hammering on Javi. He isn’t a stand on the perimeter, wait on your lazy teammates to just move for once, kind of a player. And, he doesn’t pass well playing in that format, nor is he as effective at running the offense or getting anything started.

    I’d rather see him turning it over while at least trying to put some pressure on the defense with penetration. Maryland was packed in, but I still do not understand what I saw tonight.

  20. Wulfpack 03/01/2009 at 9:46 PM #

    It’s always two steps back and then a step forward with this team. We beat Wake and throttle GT, play pretty well against UNC, suck against UVA but enough to get the win, and then play like crap against Wake and Maryland.

    BC and Miami will have their way with us if we don’t get in gear because they are actually playing for something. Our NCAA hopes are dashed barring an ACC Tourney championship, and our NIT hopes may have just gone out the door.

    Sad state of affairs. At least Smith is a beast and we have him to look forward to next year. Aside from that, I don’t see a whole lot of positives on this team.

  21. TheCOWDOG 03/01/2009 at 9:47 PM #

    I gave the “experienced” ones a 2 week respite, even though they really were not the keys to the wolfcookies we were fed with the improvement angle.

    As sorry ass as I am to express it, I’m right back to where I was in early Jan.

    Right there with you Redman. Please exit yourselves. Like now.

    This is not like TheCOWDOG, but shit, damn, they embarass me as much as this tirade does.

  22. turnoffthetv 03/01/2009 at 9:47 PM #

    This looks like the first half of the ACC season Team. NOT GOOD!

    In the words of Simon Cowell from American Idol, “That was absolutely Atrocious.”

    The Effort was unacceptable. I thought the pack had turned the corner a while back.

    It is absolutely unbelievable how Costner has Totally Regressed since his Frosh Year.

    These are the kind of games you hate to admit you are an NC STATE WOLFPACK FAN!

    But I will once again find the strength to pull for my Team the next game, just like I have since the early 80’s.

    Damnit! I dont know what else to say! Just Damn!

  23. Greywolf 03/01/2009 at 9:49 PM #

    I turned it off when Vasquez hit the jumper with 13 seconds left so I’ve calmed down a little. I don’t fault the guy for taking a jumper to beat the shot clock. It’s not like he tried to pour it on. Md ran the shot clock down to nothing.

    We got beat tonight by a pretty good team with a shooting guard who has been hot for a few games. He knocked down 35 against the Holes. But whoever said it about our seniors has it right. I wouldn’t say too much about Ben and Courtney but Costner just doesn’t have any heart in the game.

    I saw enough to not give up.

    Alpha, although we COULD, I don’t think we SHOULD EXPECT to win many more. 😉

  24. 61Packer 03/01/2009 at 9:51 PM #

    Tonight was simply another bump in the Lowe road to success. Probably a misplaced brick. Don’t worry ’bout it.

  25. turfpack 03/01/2009 at 9:53 PM #

    Look our older guys just gave up after the WF game not much to play for now and you could tell it .
    Someone was saying we might be worse next year-HOW? YEAH YEAH- we”ll be younger- but a hell’va lot more athletic-with more hustle (THAT’S the disappointing part about the older players)

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