McCauley Closes Out in Style

08-09 Basketball84
BC (20-10) 34 35 69
NCSU (16-12) 43 31 74

Playing his last regular season home game (don’t expect a home game in the NIT, either), Big Ben walks off the court a winner – with his rebound and free throws sealing the deal. His final numbers? 20 points and 6 rebounds, with each rebound being crucial.

The other stat we can feel great about is 6:1 – that was Javi’s assist-to-turnover ratio (Edit: Fixed the TO number.). Got to tighten up on those free throws, though.

Fells played well before his injury, and quasi-senior Brandon Costner at least played hard (but in no way did he play smart). Kudos to the veterans for not laying down. Next up is Miami, in a faceoff for the 9 seed.

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

84 Responses to McCauley Closes Out in Style

  1. ktoh 03/05/2009 at 9:33 AM #

    Spring break no break that is not an excuse in any other “so called” big time program! And certainly not one that moved into an off campus sterile arena.

  2. ktoh 03/05/2009 at 9:36 AM #

    ^ “first time I can remember using our TO on the last possession of the first half so as not to lose it.”
    I guess Sid is learning it only took him 3 years to figure out that 30 second time outs do not carry over?

  3. BJD95 03/05/2009 at 9:41 AM #

    Attendance is based on the laws of supply and demand. There is an excess of supply and multiple factors reducing demand. Attaching a moral component to it (or suggesting that significant donors get penalized for not showing up) is asinine.

  4. zahadum 03/05/2009 at 9:54 AM #

    If you take out the 3, our FT % for the year drops from 71% down to 68%.

    A bigger potential concern for next year is that the 3 account for a little over half of our FT attempts. Will Brown and Howell get any calls as frosh next year, or will Tracy be the only one who can draw fouls?

  5. Rick 03/05/2009 at 10:26 AM #

    “A bigger potential concern for next year is that the 3 account for a little over half of our FT attempts. Will Brown and Howell get any calls as frosh next year, or will Tracy be the only one who can draw fouls?”

    I bet that is in line with the number of minutes they play.
    Color me shocked.

  6. GAWolf 03/05/2009 at 10:44 AM #

    GCPack: I wasn’t complaining about the coach. Where on earth did you get that from? The bottom line is that you’d much rather win and win and not have to play an extra 9 innings two days before you play at one of the conference power houses for a 3 game series. Avent didn’t ask for that. He didn’t schedule an 18 inning game. I agree that playing down there (during spring break) was a good idea before the series at Miami, completely. It just sucks the guys had to play “3 games” instead of 2 as planned.

  7. Greywolf 03/05/2009 at 10:57 AM #

    ^^
    “I guess Sid is learning it only took him 3 years to figure out that 30 second time outs do not carry over?”

    Is every improvement going to be met with a backhanded slap? I have “learned” to read the blog after a loss with some degree of charity for the upset and frustrated StateFan, but for the life of me I don’t understand the point of digs at our coach when he coaches a win out of a team many on this same board expect to mail in the remainder of our season. We had senior night last year and lost, so Senior Night is not a guaranteed win.

    A good day for a coach is when everything goes your way and you win. A great day for a coach is when nothing goes your way and you win.

    There are an awful lot of comments about players and coaches “learning” things. If “learning” something was all it took to impact man’s actions, then we would all be perfect husbands and wives, be at an ideal weight, etc. Knowing something and executing that knowledge are two entirely different matters. Everybody knows how to lose weight: don’t eat so much and exercise. A hell of a lot of people are obese who know how to lose weight.

    It isn’t a matter of “knowing” about 30 second TOs, it’s a matter of experiencing those types and similar situations and calling the 30 sec TO intuitively. BTW it is incumbant on assitant coaches to advise the head coach of situations like the 30 sec TO.

    It’s the same for players. Smith and Javi didn’t just “learn” by being yelled at, threatened with pine time or other dubious methods advocated by some of us, that TOs are a bad thing to happen if you want to win. Javi can’t just go out and play to prevent TOs. He and others have to have the freedom to play full out and develop under game conditions. And so far as I can tell, game conditions cannot be duplicated in practice. We can come close, but that’s it.

    Skills are taught through a progression. First it’s solo, then 1 v 1, then in small groups then in full side practice — then with opposition that progresses. Concurrently skills are taught at demonstration speed, 3/4 speed, full speed without significant opposition and at game speed and game conditions. When trainging breaks down and progress stops, you have to back up the training and restart at a success point. Wouldn’t it be grand if all a coach had to do was tell his players what he wanted. Wouldn’t it be great if a college coach had unlimited time with his players.

    When we see Javi execute, we are seeing the result of a progression of practice situations and coaching. Most individual moves are picked up at a young age on the playground or I suspect seen on TV, practiced at home alone, then, perhaps, with a benevolent adult or older sibling, a competing sibling or friend, honed in Jr Hi and Hi School and lastly brought with the recruit to college. It is likely that Javi has dribbling skills, shooting skills, etc. One of your football asst coaches said, you don’t coach effort, you recruit effort. Players get better skill-wise on their own with effort. Injury significantly reduces the opportunity to get better.

    I said all that to say this: Sid and the coaches are getting it done. And there is still a pot full of coaching to be done. And Sid IMO is passing the test. And yes, he has a lot to learn that can only be learned under pressure and with live ammo.

  8. Rochester 03/05/2009 at 11:03 AM #

    Greywolf, you are dead on. This hire required a learning curve that set us back, but the learning is taking place. Sid is improving and the teaching that is going on is at last evident. I’m encouraged about the future.

    In addition to Javi, I’ve seen Dennis Horner take some great strides from a guy that looked like he didn’t belong on the court to a guy I can envision averaging 12-14 points a game next year as a senior.

  9. Alpha Wolf 03/05/2009 at 11:38 AM #

    Bullseye post, Greywolf. VERY well said.

  10. zahadum 03/05/2009 at 11:46 AM #

    Rick, I suppose I was being Obvious Man a bit there. But what I’m thinking has more to do with style of play than total minutes.

    Look at it this way. So far this year, Fells averages 1 FT for every 18 minutes played. No surprise, given how seldom he drives. I’m confident that the combo of Williams/Brown will be able to match or exceed that. So the real question is with Ben and, assumming he leaves, Brandon.

    Ben averages 1 FT for every 6 minutes, Brandon is right behind at 1 for every 7. (Tracy averages a whoping 1 for every 4) Baring any pleasant recruiting surprises (i.e. Cousins), Horner probably figures to get the majority of Brandon’s minutes next year. But Dennis only averages 1 per every 13 minutes. And I don’t see his game changing that drastically between now and next year. Likewise, I think Howell and whoever else gets Ben’s minutes will have a tough time matching his rate.

    So it seems to me that our guards will need to get to the line a lot more next year. Otherwise our opponents are going to have significantly more attempts than we will.

  11. Greywolf 03/05/2009 at 11:48 AM #

    Thanks Rochester. You too, Alpha.
    I write for my own enjoyment and it’s nice when someone notices. And I am with you and others, were there not steady, significant improvement, I would be very concerned. Unfortunately you can’t improve everything at the same time. I also question if it is a matter of just Sid “bringing in his players.” When the evaluation and coaching can start at the freshman year, depth can be developed out of 2 and 3 star recruits. Fells went down last night early. That’s when the coaching showed up. We didn’t get a chance to “see what it’s going to be like when Fells is gone,” we got a chance to see how well the staff is developing depth.

    Sid apparently is a teacher. College coaches better be good teachers as well as recruiters, tacticians, program managers, personell managers and big-donor ass kissers. We are beginning IMO to see why Sid had the respect amongst his peers in the pros that he has. The unimformed can only see his record as a pro HC as the defining evidence of his ability. Those who can only cite statistics remind me of the bean counters in business who have all the statistical answers but couldn’t grow a business if their life depended on it. We should be more like the Japanese who have 500 year plans for their businesses. That’s not a typo. (Five hundred year plans) Americans are fortunate if we have a 5 year plan. Most of us talk like we have a 5 month plan and are going to pull the trigger if shit don’t happen in the first year. And brag about being intolerant of failure when what we really are is intolerant period. We are going to have to work with all our coaches to get better, get trained, get coached in coaching. TOB is at the head of the class and others could learn from him.

  12. ppack3 03/05/2009 at 11:56 AM #

    Greywolf- Your post is one of the more rational I’ve seen on this blog. There has been a lot of bashing going on when emotions run high, and this is a great place to vent. The fact is, everyone thinks that they can see the areas that need improvement. But, hind-sight (or spectator-sight) is 20-20! None of us knows what happens behind the scenes, only what we see on the court.
    Having said all of that, the one thing that bugged me about the previous regime, is that a lot of players came through the system, and were no better than the first game that they played as freshman. Progression. I am finally seeing some progression with our current, and especially with our younger players. There are some exceptions, but overall we are seeing these guys get better within the system.
    The only thing that I see that bugs me about Sid, right now is that he continually sits guys RIGHT after big plays. Like the offensive rebound that Javi got, and dished to McCauley. This was a game changing play. We come back from a time out, Javi’s on the bench? This has happened after big, lead changing moments for the past few games. And, not just with Javi, but with Tracey, Courtney and Ben. Tracey was even asked about it after the Maryland game, and he admitted that it was very frustrating. Horner came in cold, missed shot, picked up a cheap foul and had a turnover. I would just like some insight behind the rationale with this strategy.
    That having been said, I believe in Sid, and as I posted previously, I think that Sid MAY be a tournament coach (ala V). So, watch out. This thing could get very interesting.
    Sorry about the long-windedness. I usually only have time to post once, so I have to get it all out. Go Pack!

  13. Ed89 03/05/2009 at 11:58 AM #

    Good stuff, Greywolf. And speaking of the future, this kid is a Sophomore and looks like a player:

    http://rivalshoops.rivals.com/viewprospect.asp?pr_key=86296&sport=2

  14. ppack3 03/05/2009 at 12:02 PM #

    Excuse the technically inept. Sorry.

  15. CannonballJunior 03/05/2009 at 12:03 PM #

    Wolfpack_1995
    March 5th, 2009 at 8:58 am

    I am hearing that BC may come back. We can use his firepower but we cannot rely on him to rally the team.

    ——————————

    I also expect BC to be back next year. How would it benefit him to give up his senior season? The NBA is out of the question – period. His best option is to play himself into contention for a spot in a decent Euro/Other Int’l league – and he clearly is not there now. He might as well play another year and get started on a Master’s degree. And IF he does rediscover his 2007 form next year then he could play in Europe. Certainly worth a shot and I’m sure Lowe wants him to stay.

    I think any ideas that BC himself had about leaving this year were based on the expectation of having a big 2008-09 season and clearly that did not happen.

  16. ppack3 03/05/2009 at 12:14 PM #

    One other observation:
    Brandon may have found his role…as a rebounder and a spot up shooter. Sure, when he played 40 minutes a game, he had to try to create his own shot, but he absolutely can’t do that anymore, especially when he is keyed on by other teams as one of our scoring big men. If Sid can get Costner’s ego to fit into a team mentality, then he gets an ‘A’ in my book. He still needs some work on the defensive end, though.

  17. Greywolf 03/05/2009 at 1:02 PM #

    I’m on a roll today writing useless opinions:
    We are going to have to work with all our coaches to get better, get trained, get coached in coaching. TOB is at the head of the class and others could learn from him. Sid could be the next kind of coach we are going to have to have at this point in time here at NCSU. IMNSHO our AD should take a page from that assistant football coaches book (if he isn’t already doing it.) Recruit coaches to NCSU with a set of qualities like our football coaches have created for football recruits. I wish I had a list of qualities handy to cite but I don’t. Whatever TOB & SL are doing to develop talent, is working.

    Let’s face it, our Chancellor and BOT are not committed to athletic excellence. We will NOT buy excellence, i.e., hire succcessful coaches to bring excellence to NCSU athletics. IMO NCSU must have a minimum 10 year plan for excellence in all sports that does not entail coach searches for already successful coaches. We will lose out in some cases to other programs. We will not be able to afford others. We will mis-identify others as being successful when they actually aren’t.

    I’m not the AD and that’s pretty obvious, but the next thing on my agenda would be to gather my most successful coaches and brainstorm what constitutes successful coaching. I would establish criteria for hiring coaches who were likely to succeed and use that criteria in my hiring. I would select an associate AD to manage and implement a coach’s quality and success assurance program. This academy would have nothing to do with the specifics of any sport, but would focus on the fundamentals of coaching. In essence this would be a coaching ‘academy’ to coach and train new coaches or coaches identified as in need of assistance in being successful. This would serve as a resource for all coaches. Using Head Coaches like TOB and SL as “visiting lecturers” would lend credibility to the program. There’s more but this would be a plan to elevate the status of ALL NCSU atheletic programs, geared to distinguish all Wolfpack athletics as models of excellence. I would not be surprised if ultimately bright young coaches started contacting NCSU inquiring about coaching at NCSU and asking to be “put on the waiting list” for consideration of future openings in their sport.

  18. ppack3 03/05/2009 at 1:17 PM #

    Greywolf – Have you been to any seminars lately? You are pumped up. If this were a Democracy, you’d have my vote. I say talk to Purcell. He may be interested in financially backing The Greywolf Academy of Credible Athletics.

  19. frankiepack 03/05/2009 at 1:27 PM #

    If, lets say Sid was let go(relax it is not going to happen) do you think anyone would run to hire him?
    And what if any goals there are here for next year? What are the expectations?
    If Ben,BC and Fells are gone does the blame still lie with Herb?
    It was a great win last night but lets not get carried away once again if all things fall into place we grab 9th place. We continue to slip of the basketball map is all I am saying.
    It is great to hope dook and the holes lose but is that all we have?

  20. Greywolf 03/05/2009 at 1:57 PM #

    “The only thing that I see that bugs me about Sid, right now is that he continually sits guys RIGHT after big plays…. I would just like some insight behind the rationale with this strategy.”

    ppack3,
    It may not be strategy, it may be scripted substitution. Just as football coaches, especially the pros, script the first 12 or some number of plays, maybe Sid scripts his substitutions. It may be based on any number of things — conditioning of players, keeping players fresh, etc. As far as a player coming in cold is concerned, who knows if a player is going to be cold when he comes in.

    It does have Sid appear to not know what he is doing, especially when the substitute throws up a brick or the outgoing player drains a trey.

    Sid may want to tweak his script (which if he is scripting, he is likely doing) but I like the idea of using a script. I would consider having the players knowing what the script is, going in the back corridor and warming up a little when it was their time to come in instead of sitting there and getting up and coming in. One of the managers could manage the time and have the player back in in time to get his head in the game.

  21. Greywolf 03/05/2009 at 2:11 PM #

    frankiepack
    March 5th, 2009 at 1:27 pm
    “If, lets say Sid was let go do you think anyone would run to hire him?”
    Absolutely!!

    “And what if any goals there are here for next year?”
    Only Sid and LF would know.

    ” What are the expectations?
    Unreasonably optimistic or pessimistic as usual

    “If Ben,BC and Fells are gone does the blame still lie with Herb?”
    blame? Do you mean responsibility? All the teams since he got here are Sid’s responsibility.

    “It was a great win last night but lets not get carried away once again”
    Is it OK to look for signs that areas are being improved or are progressing in getting Wolfpack basketball back where we think it belongs.

    “We continue to slip of the basketball map is all I am saying.”
    I strongly disagree that Wolfpack basketball is continuing to slip. See my posts above.

  22. Greywolf 03/05/2009 at 2:15 PM #

    Scripted substitution addendum: At some point the scripting is off just like the football script runs out.

  23. burnbarn 03/05/2009 at 3:08 PM #

    I thought the second half was our best defensive effort of the season..in fact, we probably gave the best overall effort of the season.

    I was really proud of the guys last night b/c late in the 2nd, the ball was not bouncing our way… the ball saved right to DHorn and it goes off his leg.. Rebound that was going to go out of bounds on BC and the ball just happened to bounce right to one of our player’s extended hand…Degand losing the potential steal onthe sideline.. They still managed to find a way to win.

  24. Alpha Wolf 03/05/2009 at 3:11 PM #

    “If, lets say Sid was let go(relax it is not going to happen) do you think anyone would run to hire him?”

    He would certainly have a job as an NBA assistant pretty quickly.

  25. Greywolf 03/05/2009 at 3:12 PM #

    ppack3
    March 5th, 2009 at 1:17 pm
    Greywolf – Have you been to any seminars lately? You are pumped up. If this were a Democracy, you’d have my vote. I say talk to Purcell. He may be interested in financially backing The Greywolf Academy of Credible Athletics.”
    ”
    ppack3, This is a democracy and I ain’t running. 😉 (Who was it who said, “If nominated, I will not run; if elected, I will not serve.”)

    No seminars, but I did go to national soccer coaching school in 1979 or 80; I knew that my players had passed me by with regard to development and I had to do something. I learned more about coaching in that one week than I did the rest of my entire life.

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