Offense goes cold in 59-47 loss to ‘Hoos

09-10 Basketball ACC & Other College Basketball Sidney Lowe91

If NC State fans thought the 27-point first half effort against NCCU Saturday was cringe worthy, hopefully they didn’t watch the second half of tonight’s game against Virginia. NC State could do little against Virginia’s impressive defense, going scoreless for more than seven minutes in the decisive second half in its sixth ACC loss of the season.

When Tracy Smith left the game in foul trouble, so too did NC State’s offensive identity. The Pack could never recover when Smith reentered the game and Virginia put the game away late with a couple of clutch buckets and free throws.

I’ll defer to other publications for game recaps because I didn’t get a chance to watch the entire game.

WRAL - Scott’s 13 lead Virginia past NC State 59-47

Sylven Landesberg always attracts a lot of attention on offense, and on a night when he couldn’t shoot, he found Virginia teammates that could. The whole team then made it really hard on North Carolina State to do the same in the second half.

Mike Scott had 15 points and 11 rebounds and Virginia held North Carolina State scoreless for more than seven minutes in the second half on the way to a 59047 victory Wednesday night.

Pack Pride - Offense silent as Pack falls to Cavs 59-47

Another game, another costly scoring drought.

A week after an eight-minute stretch without a point cost NC State a chance at beating North Carolina, the Wolfpack repeated the feat. This time on the road against Virginia, the Pack did not score from the 17-minute mark of the second half until the 10-minute mark. In that stretch, the Pack’s three-point lead turned into an eight-point deficit en route to dropping its third-straight ACC contest 59-47 on Wednesday night.

The scoring drought was just the low point of an abysmal offensive game for the Pack. Scoring its lowest point total of the season, the Pack shot 38 percent from the floor but was just 2-of-11 from behind the arc. And while they got to the free-throw line, they still couldn’t turn it into points, shooting just 56 percent from the charity stripe.

Here’s the box score.

09-10 Basketball ACC & Other College Basketball Sidney Lowe

91 Responses to Offense goes cold in 59-47 loss to ‘Hoos

  1. Judge1986 02/04/2010 at 11:13 AM #

    I don’t think anyone mentioning ANY candidate for this job (especially a candidate that has a winning percentage of over .650 in Division 1) is “losing credibility”. Especially in talking about a program that has been at the bottom of it’s conference the last few years. The issue is whether there are candidates out there that are better than what we currently have that we could get if we decided to make a change.

    I believe there are many others besides BG however, he does deserve some consideration again based upon his “body of work” and not just what happened at Kentucky- although that has to be looked at as well. The point is that potentially he could be better (along with other coaches previously mentioned) than what we have now. BG is relevant for discussion.

  2. ncsufan13 02/04/2010 at 11:24 AM #

    We need an AD who is willing to shell out big money to a big time coach with a successful coaching record in order to fix this program. Sidney Lowe’s coaching has left so much to be desired that it’s almost crazy not to be looking for a replacement at this point. His unique relationship with the university shouldn’t cloud people’s judgement of his job performance.

  3. jbpackfan 02/04/2010 at 11:29 AM #

    Brad Bronwell vs. Greg Marshall. Either of these guys would come here tomorrow if we asked. Anyone have any info, pros and cons of each?

  4. packbackr04 02/04/2010 at 11:37 AM #

    ^^”The issue is whether there are candidates out there that are better than what we currently have that we could get if we decided to make a change”

    are you serious?

  5. Judge1986 02/04/2010 at 11:50 AM #

    Not really I think we all know that answer ;-). I do think you have to add the “Lee Fowler” factor into the mix though. With that said I do believe Marshall or Anderson would be great choices.

  6. Thinkpack17 02/04/2010 at 12:02 PM #

    The key is Fowler has to go FIRST. No need in looking for a new coach if it is Fowler who is doing the looking. He’d can Sid and hire Archie Miller for 90K a year. Or better yet, he’d just slap the opening up on Monster.com and go fishing.

  7. 61Packer 02/04/2010 at 12:17 PM #

    The ultimate repeating Groundhog Day for a Wolfpack fan:

    1- 8am: Pick up morning paper and see story on the late-breaking Lee Fowler scandal, complete with graphic pictures involving large farm animals and UNC players.
    2- 8:30am: hot shower while listening to local sports shows promising big announcement on NC State sports at 9am.
    3- 9am: Massive buffet breakfast in front of HD tv, while ESPN reports Lee Fowler fired as NCSU AD; indictments to soon follow.
    4- 9:30am: ESPN reports Sidney Lowe has been named the new head coach at Arizona State, and Herb Sendek to Duke.
    5- 9:45am: WRAL reports Lowe to take entire staff with him to Tempe.
    6- 11am: Word comes on the 3rd hole that UNC basketball coaches linked to the Fowler scandal.
    7- Just after a hole-in-one on the 16th, caddy relays word that Karl Hess has suddenly retired.
    8- In the clubhouse, ESPN reports that Wolfpack Club president named intermin AD, and interested coaches for the b-ball vacancy include Mark Turgeon, Mark Few, Bob Knight, Coach K and Bryce Drew.

    After an afternoon nap, however, fan wakes up to discover that it was really just a dream, that nothing has changed, that Lee Fowler is still our AD, Sidney Lowe is still our basketball coach, and that nothing will ever change.

  8. thekind 02/04/2010 at 12:27 PM #

    I too am impressed by Mark Turgeon. He should be a strong candidate if Lowe is canned.
    Sorry Lowe, but you have had your turn and we are aweful.

  9. thekind 02/04/2010 at 12:27 PM #

    I also like Jamie Dixon at Pitt.

  10. WolftownVA81 02/04/2010 at 12:27 PM #

    I put this on the live blog thread late last night: My wife and I were at the game tonight eight rows back from the court so we had a pretty good view. A few observations in no particular order:

    1. Still can’t figure out Sids subsitution patterns. Haven’t we seen that we can’t score with Javi and Farnold on the bench at the same time.
    2. We lack heart. Virginia played a lack luster first half but came out fired up – we came out flat – again.
    3. Penalties were pretty balanced. It got very physical under the basket and the refs let them play.
    4. Tracy is a beast down low but doesn’t get enough help.
    5. I can count on one hand the number of drives to the basket or moves to the basket w/o the ball (Degand had a couple and so did Howell).
    6. The JPJ was very quiet for the most part and only about 80% full, not very intimedating at all.
    7. Nobody looked like they wanted to shoot an open shot.
    8. We make the weave and heave look like an active offensive strategy. At least the weave part implies movement. We have 4 guys standing around the perimeter and Tracy under the basket.
    9. I’m sick of watching our guards walk the ball up the court, pass the ball around for 20 seconds, then take a crappy shot.
    10. Our players look like they are just going through the motions. Even when we were ahead, I saw no passion on the floor. This was another winable game – just doesn’t look like we care.
    11. It’s clear to me that our coach can’t motivate his team or has successfully managed to de-motivate them. Maybe that’s why no floor leader has emerged.
    12. Hope Javi is ok for next game. He looked like he was in a lot of pain when a UVA player stepped on his foot while he driving down court.

    Sorry if all this has been stated above but I haven’t had time to review all the comments yet.

    Added today:
    13. Howell was playing at the top of the key because Mays would consistantly motion for a player to come out and take the ball after he had picked up is dribble 30″ from the basket. As soon as he comes up the court, Mays is looking to pass to anyone to get rid of the ball. I did think he looked scared when he had the ball. He also consistantly passed up open shots – no value added.

  11. leewolf 02/04/2010 at 12:29 PM #

    Gregg Marshall has been a winner everywhere he has coached. He is from the area (born in SC, went to college in VA)and has coached/recruited this region very well at a variety of smaller schools. In fact, his coaching track was all regional until he made the jump to Wichita State in 2007.

    Anyhow, to hard numbers. Marshall had a record of 194-83 at Winthrop, notching the most wins of any coach in school history. Under his lead, Winthrop won the Big South conference tournament seven times, finished no lower than third in his nine seasons in Rock Hill, and notched 20+ wins in 6 of 9 seasons. The Eagles also knocked off 6-seeded Notre Dame in the 2007 NCAA tournament. To compare, since Marshall left, Winthrop has promptly fallen off the map and finished 5th in the Big South last year.

    At Wichita State, Marshall has rebuilt a program gutted by graduation when Mark Turgeon left for TAMU and has taken the Shockers from 11 wins and 9th place in the MVC his first season to a current 18-4 record and tied for 2nd in the league.

    This guy is a coach. He can recruit. He knows the area. He knows how to win championships. It amazes me that he didn’t get serious consideration in 2006 when the likes of Lavin et al were.

  12. jbpackfan 02/04/2010 at 1:01 PM #

    From Gregg Marshall’s press conference when hired at Wichita State:
    On Marshall’s style of basketball…
    You’re going to get nothing but tremendous energy, passion and hard work from my staff, my team and myself. We will play hard or we will not be playing. You’ll be watching more than you’re playing if you aren’t prepared to give it your all. We’re going to defend. We’re going to mix up defenses. We’re going to sometimes pressure full-court, sometimes pull back to three-quarter court and sometimes just play slap the floor, half-court defense. We’ll play a mixture of zone and man-to-man. We’re going to let our defense create some scoring opportunities and if not, we’re going to run some set plays that have been very beneficial to us and steal a couple of baskets here and there. If that doesn’t work, we’ll go into a motion offense. Against zones, you do a little bit different attack and we’ll be prepared. Preparation will not be a problem. Hard work will not be a problem. Playing with passion and intensity will not be a problem. I can’t guarantee that every shot is going to go in and I can’t guarantee that we will win every night. But you will get an honest effort and you will get something that you will be proud of on the that court night in and night out.

  13. patientwuf 02/04/2010 at 1:10 PM #

    jbpackfan great post.

  14. Rochester 02/04/2010 at 1:11 PM #

    If we wait long enough, someone else (Miami?) can hire Marshall and sweep us in a home-and-away series next year and for several years to come.

    As far as all the fears about losing the recruiting class if we can Sid, that doesn’t have to happen. If we do the coaching search right, strike quickly and hire a good coach, these kids might be plenty enthused to play for him and honor their LOIs. That only happens if Fowlup calls Nienas or someone else to run the search, of course.

  15. wingatewolf 02/04/2010 at 1:11 PM #

    I agree folks, LF is the ultimate problem and has been for years. But when the RBC Center is half empty then that’s the telling sign of a failing program.

    I think any coach who looks at us with incoming talent and also what’s left will certainly be energized. SL’s only winning record was a player. What frustrates me further is that we sit here in year 4 with two of the best point guards in the history of college basketball and we continually have the WORST guard play in the country. To think that Atsur was the best point guard to date says a lot.

    I told friends that you should give your new coach 4 years to turn things around. It’s year 4 and we are stuck in the mud. And I do not see any progress next year. Last week when SL pulled Smith, Horner and Degand from the game against UNC, Ol’Roy immediately went to a zone and it shut down any offense we had. Enough is enough. SL please go back to the NBA because my memories of you are too fond right now but the fondness is rubbing off too fast.

  16. Rick 02/04/2010 at 1:20 PM #

    We went from the weave and heave to the “post and toast” ofense

  17. leewolf 02/04/2010 at 1:26 PM #

    LOL. So true Rick.

    Marshall is far from the only attractive mid-major candidate out there. He is just the one that I pegged back in ’06 as a viable tier two candidate that was apparently shunned for a bunch of retreads until we landed on Lowe. Considering what he has done at Wichita State, he has now shown the ability to win at two different schools and this one is in an area completely foreign to him in terms of recruiting, etc. Like someone else said, if you struck quick enough with the hire you could keep Brown/Harrow on board. And if not, well there are others out there to be had.

  18. BJD95 02/04/2010 at 1:29 PM #

    Deadspin stole my jokes from last night’s game thread:

    http://deadspin.com/5464270/louis-farrakhans-grandson-picks-himself-up-by-his-bootstraps-and-self+reliantly-dunks-on-guys-head

  19. HPWolf 02/04/2010 at 2:04 PM #

    Sid is developing a pattern where he seems to drain all life from his team at halftime. We come out flat with little or no energy and absolutely no confidence. Look at our kids and coaches and ask yourself if this is a team that is confident and having fun. What does he say to our boys at halftime? He kills the spirit of the players and there is no hustle or fight in them. I am just bewildered at the damage he does to the team at halftime. We would be a much better team if Sid and the rest of the coaching staff simply gave them water and said atta boy, keep it up. Bad coaching, and it doesnt matter who comes in next year they will still be poorly coached and nothing will change until we have a new leader of this basketball team. We are last as predicted and there will be no tournament of any kind and there shouldnt be. Sid has taken us to the bottom where we will dwell until a change is made. It is about coaching, always has been and always will be.

  20. whitefang 02/04/2010 at 2:05 PM #

    I really think this is it for old Sid. Of course I could be wrong because I know very little about what is going on inside NC State anymore, but I don’t think he gets next year. I only hope the administration, if it doesn’t fire Lee, at least sends him for a long vacation at the lake when the search is conducted.
    But I have to say this and I know its cold. Not only are there a number of coaches out there who have been named already who we could “go after” and would strongly consider taking this job. BUT could we really do worse than what we have with the current staff? It is hard to see how just about any successful mid-major coach wouldn’t be an improvement.

  21. packbackr04 02/04/2010 at 2:18 PM #

    can we get purdues coach? isnt that where randy is from?

  22. fullmoon1 02/04/2010 at 2:31 PM #

    With LF at the helm we could always do worse.

  23. ryebread 02/04/2010 at 2:32 PM #

    Here’s why I think mentioning BG damages the credibility of a coaching search. I’d love to see a dialog that goes something like this:
    – SFN: We should fire Lowe. He stinks. There are plenty of great candidates out there.
    – NCSU Admin: Okay, name one of those candidates.
    – SFN: We really like Billie Gillespie.
    – NCSU Admin: You mean the guy who inherited a program from a coach that won a national championship and then proceeded to put it into a death spiral which resulted in Kentucky missing the tournament for the first time in 30 years? You mean the guy who got DUIs and was quite possibly fraternizing with coeds? You mean the guy that was clearly in over his head, was run out of town on a rail and whose replacement currently has UK at 20-1? You mean a guy whose best teams employed a slow down style similar to HWSNBN whom you hated?
    – SFN: Yes. Lowe stinks. We like BG.
    – NCSU Admin: Lunatic fringe.

    If we’re going to have a coach who is in over his head, and is performing poorly, at least we have one that represents the school well. With BG, I think there’s a good chance that we’d end up with nothing we really want. It’s a gamble that I’m not sure we can make at this point. We rolled the dice last time with SL. Now we need a solid hire. Let’s let some other school take that risk.

    This one really should be pretty easy. Target Few and see if we can get him before Nike and Oregon do (Kent has to be a goner this year). If not, let’s go with a Marshall, Brownell, etc. who has a proven track record at several smaller schools and who has ties to the area.

  24. Broccoman 02/04/2010 at 2:41 PM #

    I have to agree. Sid should resign at the end of the season, and let the administration know now, and reassure the recruits coming in that they will get someone qualified.

    I feel about Sid the same way I feel about Chuck Amato right now. I like the guy, I want him around, I just don’t want him coaching anymore.

  25. rtpack24 02/04/2010 at 3:15 PM #

    As long as Fowler is AD we can not afford another coaching search under his command. BG is not the answer. He will never have a major D-1 head job again. Lot of stuff went on at A&M and Ky that was not reported. Does everyone remember Jed offering Steve Lavin? Even through extensive efforts on his part he has not been up for another job. That by itself should show why Jed can not be here. If handled properly and the proper resources were used we could have a big name coach. NCSU is a helluva job. Purdues coach played at Purdue and would not leave for our job. He did coach down the road at Barton. Maybe Sid turns it around down the stretch.

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