NC State closes season with loss to UAB

09-10 Basketball Basketball Recruiting70

An unfortunate end to what had become an exciting little run for the basketball team.

NC State never really came to play against UAB Saturday, falling behind by 20 early and never getting close for the rest of the game. In his final game with the Wolfpack senior Dennis Horner scored 23 and pulled down eight boards. Fellow senior  Farnold Degand scored just two points.

Here’s a couple of recaps.

ESPN: Millsap goes for 27 points, 15 rebounds in Blazers’ victory

Elijah Millsap had 27 points and 15 rebounds, and UAB never trailed for the second consecutive NIT game in beating North Carolina State 72-52 on Saturday.

UAB (25-8), which tied the school record for wins in a season, will host North Carolina on Tuesday in the tournament quarterfinals.

The Blazers made eight of their first 11 shots while jumping out to a 19-5 lead. They extended their advantage to 26-7, as the Wolfpack committed nine turnovers in the first 12 minutes.

UAB led 37-17 at halftime. It was the fewest first-half points scored by NC State (20-16) this season.

WRAL: Millsap leads UAB over NC State 72-52 in NIT

Elijah Millsap had 27 points and 15 rebounds, and UAB never trailed for the second consecutive NIT game in beating North Carolina State 72-52 on Saturday.

UAB (25-8), which tied the school record for wins in a season, will host North Carolina on Tuesday in the tournament quarterfinals.

The Blazers made eight of their first 11 shots while jumping out to a 19-5 lead. They extended their advantage to 26-7, as the Wolfpack committed nine turnovers in the first 12 minutes.

UAB led 37-17 at halftime. It was the fewest first-half points scored by NC State (20-16) this season.

Against Coastal Carolina in the opening round, the Blazers went up 8-0 and led the whole way.

Millsap scored 16 points in the first 11 minutes of the second half, helping UAB build a 60-33 cushion.

Despite losing handily to the Blazers Saturday, NC State did finish the season on a bit of an upswing which could give the team a bit of momentum heading into the off-season and 2010-2011. Poster NCStatePride got the conversation going after the game about the season-ending run. With incoming freshman Lorenzo Brown and Ryan Harrow adding back court depth and the potential addition of CJ Leslie to the front court, next season does have a chance to be much better. Whether or not it will be better is yet to be seen, but the potential — much of which has been on display during the last two weeks — is certainly there.

And despite the loss today, Wolfpack basketball is not yet over. The Wolfpack Women take the court Sunday evening at 9:30 p.m. against UCLA. The game will be on ESPN2 or ESPNU, depending on the market.

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09-10 Basketball Basketball Recruiting

70 Responses to NC State closes season with loss to UAB

  1. packfan03 03/23/2010 at 12:15 PM #

    Barely exceeding unacceptably low predictions is not overachieving.
    Squeezing into the NIT twice in four years is not overachieving.
    It is underachieving and unacceptable by any reasonable standard.

    Well, based on what “overachieving” actually means, it is. But your point is noted. It would be more relevant if our expectations remained the same next season. However, we do have some talent coming in which will raise the expectations, considerably. I would be surprised if we didn’t finish in the top half of the league next season.

  2. VaWolf82 03/23/2010 at 1:47 PM #

    Since when does the press get to set expectations for our fanbase? Exceeding the media’s predictions DOES NOT constitute overachieving.

  3. mk4dpak 03/23/2010 at 5:06 PM #

    Packfan03 what you call overreacting, is merely the facts. Harper came to state as a winning head coach at the Division I level, and Sid brought nothing to the table to show he was a credible head coach. He wasn’t even in the running til our bumbling AD, wasn’t capable of securing his other prospective coaches. Sid had better talent his first year, than Coach Harper, and did not make the NCAA tournament, close only counts in horseshoes, and grenades. How do you excuse the worst record of any men’s BB coach at State, when it comes to conference play? I’m tired of being the joke of the ACC, and the bar has not been set high enough to change that. No one is trying to attack Sid, but when you don’t do your job, you get replaced. He is a great guy, but will never succeed as a head coach in the ACC. I am sure the other schools like Duke, UNC would not mind at all if Sid stays, just some more victories for them. So maybe we beat them 1 or 2 out of 10 times. Not a good record to boast about. When we fire Lee Fowler, and find an agressive AD, who wants our athletics to be the absolute best, then we will see change and success, but not til then. We are all rooting for the same team, just have different perspectives on how to succeed. I do not base this decision on just the UAB game, I base it on the last 4 years, and the direction the program has gone. Down, down, down!

  4. packfan03 03/23/2010 at 9:39 PM #

    I can assure you, facts are not a part of your argument. It’s entirely emotional.

    But, everyone is entitled to their own opinion. What will it take for you to be satisfied with next season? I’d like for you to write something substantive so we can come back next year and see if your expectations were met.

  5. packfan03 03/23/2010 at 9:47 PM #

    I agree completely about Fowler, but you can’t compare apples to oranges (women’s to men’s bball). I still am optimistic about next year.

    I refuse to take 20 years of disappointment out on Lowe – he has a chance have a great season next year, and I’m encouraged. With that said, if he can’t get it done with two stud guards, he should be held accountable.

  6. hball57 03/24/2010 at 2:45 PM #

    I find it interesting how narrow we make our arguements.

    It would be nice if all we had to do is to say “NC State” wants you to a top 5 PG and they would break your arm looking for a pen to sign their LOI. But that is not reality.

    It would be great to have a talent-fill roster of McD’s A-As so we can finish better than 9th in the ACC. But for this season, that is not the reality.

    It would be great to have finished 7-7 against NCAA tournament teams. Wait,that is reality.

    If you want to base your expectations on the history of this program except on what you have on your roster, go ahead. But i think that is an unreasonable way to judge this team this season.

    My excitement is based on what we have coming back and what we have coming in. It looks as if we are bringing in the final pieces to the puzzle.

    But that’s me. You can gloom and doom back in the last 20 years if you want.

  7. VaWolf82 03/24/2010 at 3:45 PM #

    But i think that is an unreasonable way to judge this team this season.

    My excitement is based on what we have coming back and what we have coming in.

    Let me get this straight…..You are judging this year’s team based on the recruits that are coming NEXT year?

  8. packfan03 03/24/2010 at 7:08 PM #

    VaWolf82,

    What he is saying, in very literal terms, is that you are judging this team based off of 20 years of losing. Not that he is “judging this year’s team based on the recruits that are coming NEXT year”

    VaWolf82, you are clearly an objective person. I have inferred this from your various posts since I have been paying attention to this site. However, it is equally obvious that your objectivity stops when NC State is the topic. I’m not saying I’m right, or that you are definitively wrong, but there is a gray area where fans can disagree and we don’t have to dissect (inaccurately, as you have done) every post.

    Can’t you even acknowledge that there is a chance Lowe can pull this together with the talent coming in? Acknowledge the GRAY AREA! Pretend like 20 years of misery hasn’t existed…

  9. VaWolf82 03/24/2010 at 8:32 PM #

    So how does ignoring 20 years of history make a 5 win season acceptable?

    I always try to be objective. 5 ACC wins is pitiful performance in my opinion. Averaging 5 ACC wins per season for four years is even worse. What might or might now happen next year in no way changes my opinion of this season or SL’s tenure.

    So while we’re “objectively” evaluating the future based on recruiting rankings, how’s SL’s 2011 class doing?

  10. whope90 03/24/2010 at 9:26 PM #

    And as i listened to the last sidney lowe basketball show, something scared me, Coach el sid actually talked about moving Tracy Smith to the 4 spot???
    Is that small forward because he can shot okay?? Is he nuts???
    and then he kinda blamed the fans for not getting to the game early but changed his thought saying that he meant that the RBC should open sooner???

    Here is a tip for you Sidney!! If you win, and do a good job and have an exciting team, then thye will come!! If you build it Sid, they will come,
    as they came for Everett Case, As they came for Norm Sloan and Jim Valvano,
    whose idea was it to build the dang place, (to rival the dean dome) they yes they will come Ray( i mean sid). But you have to win first and have some fun ball not the kind of 1950’s Hooiser ball we played at the end of the season. I mean yes the team player better, but taking the air out of the ball, is not exciting.
    God helps us if we have the great freshman and they dribble 20-25 seconds off the shot clock before they start to offense.

  11. whope90 03/24/2010 at 9:32 PM #

    And for all the coaching talk and the potential for gt hewit to st johns and virgina losing vanburg, the potential with the young guns is great.
    I mean, isn’t Rick Barnes upset at the end of his season and maybe if the right ad was in place, we could pull the trigger and get him and with md williams, coach k and old roy getting old, we would own this league and be a factor again. I just worry that the recruits won’t make the grade and we will be stuck in the nit or worse 16-14 and out of the ncaa;s
    i mean if he doesn’t make it and does the nit, he would have to be fired
    it will be a pressure off season for nc state basketball(men’s) and
    the wizard’s coaching assistant loss,might look around???

  12. mk4dpak 03/25/2010 at 3:04 AM #

    Pakfan03, glad you are on here to analyze me, with regards to emotion and fact, but you can’t unsubstaniate anything I said, because they are facts, and not emotion, I never was on the Sid bandwagon from the start, and as I said he wasn’t even under consideration, until our bumbling AD, wasn’t able to secure better candidates, but I am sure Sid is glad you are on board, so we can say WTNY, again. The bar has not been set high, so we will get what we ask for, and as for what it will take to satisfy me for next year, it would be a new coach. Oh well. And while I am it,let me thank UAB for defeating us soundly in the NIT, so I wouldn’t have to endure another loss to UNC.

  13. packfan03 03/25/2010 at 8:30 AM #

    So how does ignoring 20 years of history make a 5 win season acceptable?

    Five wins is never ideal, but most coaches struggle their first four years. Jimmy V, Coach K, Gary Williams, Sendek….they all struggled. Lowe is ever so slightly worse than these coaches in their first four years. In this context, it’s simply not as you make it out to be. I’m not arguing that Sid is the next Coach K – I’m simply a believer in the historical context of coaches in this league.

    Coach el sid actually talked about moving Tracy Smith to the 4 spot??? Is that small forward because he can shot okay?? Is he nuts???

    Tracy struggled posting up against tall centers this season – the PF position will suit him well and is where he’ll project to be as a PRO. I see no downside to this. Plus, he wants to develop a 12 foot jumper. Can you imagine how nasty he will be with this in his arsenal? This also doesn’t mean Tracy will NEVER post up down low.

    I just worry that the recruits won’t make the grade and we will be stuck in the nit or worse 16-14 and out of the ncaa’s

    I don’t begrudge this type of concern at all. It seems everytime there is an opportunity for good things to happen at State, something bad happens.

  14. packfan03 03/25/2010 at 8:39 AM #

    Pakfan03, glad you are on here to analyze me

    Thanks! Me too! Ok, enough snark 😉

    but you can’t unsubstaniate anything I said, because they are facts, and not emotion

    You’re comparing women’s basketball to men’s basketball. The assertion that Harper is a better coach than Lowe isn’t something I have a problem with. But, your cut-and-dry logic, I am concerned with. We can cherry-pick coaches that are great today that Harper would, by your theory, be better than. I hate pulling the Coach K card (because again, I think Coach K is perhaps the best coach of all-time), but he struggled more than harper.

    I never was on the Sid bandwagon from the start, and as I said he wasn’t even under consideration, until our bumbling AD, wasn’t able to secure better candidates, but I am sure Sid is glad you are on board, so we can say WTNY, again.

    I know it must seem as if I am on the bandwagon, but I’m not. I’m comfortable moving in a different direction if Sid fails next season. But it’s clear from your posts, that you aren’t willing to give him a chance.

    When your expectations will only be met if we have a new coach, you aren’t rooting for NC State. If we make the NCAA tournament next year, will you be disappointed?

  15. hball57 03/25/2010 at 10:45 AM #

    VaWolf, just so you understand me, I am judging this season based on the team we have and how they performed this year. I think we had the least talent in the league and we tied for 9th with teams that had a good bit more talent than we did. No i don’t want to always finish 9th but with the cards we have this year I think we did well. And if one possesion goes our way in five of the games we would have a chance to really have shown great improvement.

    And my excitement is for next year, which by definition would not be a judgement of this year.

    I hope that clears it up for you.

  16. mk4dpak 03/25/2010 at 9:04 PM #

    packfan03 for somebody you only message on here, you seem to think you know quite abit about me, key word being “think”, so I am a member of the wolfpack club and I pay to support a university you say I don’t root for. How absurd, you just have more tolerance for failure than I do. I have never pulled against state, for any reason, regardless of my feeling about the coach. We haven’t had a decent coach since Jimmy V. So if we make the ncaa next year, so be it, but I really don’t think Sid will get us there. So what if we have these great recruits coming in, does that mean all the other teams will be talentless. Hardly! Express your opionions, on how you feel, as I do, but don’t waste time telling other people how they think. We are all pack fans, but we don’t have to always agree.

  17. packfan03 03/26/2010 at 10:17 AM #

    I said:

    When your expectations will only be met if we have a new coach, you aren’t rooting for NC State. If we make the NCAA tournament next year, will you be disappointed?

    If this statement doesn’t describe your expectations, then I am suggesting nothing. If you agree with this statement yet contend you are rooting for NC State, I think you have a perverse sense of what “root” means.

    If I had to wager a bet, I would say you are rooting for the demise of Sidney (and therefore our basketball team next year) because you think his failure will ultimately help our basketball program. My opinion, while not “telling other people how they think”, is that this is contrived.

    Notice, the operative word “if” in the above statements. “If” dictates my opinion of your logic.

    I too am a member of the Wolfpack Club and make financial contributions to NC State.

  18. bradleyb123 03/26/2010 at 12:29 PM #

    packfan03, you make a lot of sense. I’m afraid your logic will fall on deaf ears, though. A lot of people have already made up their minds about Sidney Lowe.

    I stopped supporting Sid earlier this year. I also stopped calling for his job once I realized he had done enough (both on the court and in recruiting) to justify one more year. And once we know he’s going to be here next year, I don’t see the point in continuing the “Lowe must go” rants. IMO it can hurt recruiting, because recruits DO read these blogs. And it’s pointless, because we’re not going to change anything anyway, at this point.

    My position on Sidney is I think he CAN or MIGHT get it done with the returning players and the incoming players. I think it’s worth a look-see instead of throwing him out with the bathwater. We’ve stayed with Lowe for four years now, what’s so wrong with just ONE more year, when he might just be this close to turning this ship around?

    I’m giving Sidney just ONE more year to show substantial improvement. For me, that means a .500 or better conference record, and an NCAA tournament bid. Not the NIT, but the NCAA. A good coach (IMO) could pull that off with the players Sid will have next year.

    I’ve tried to support Sidney here, but at some point, we DO need to see some results we can be proud of.

  19. packfan03 03/26/2010 at 1:06 PM #

    I’m giving Sidney just ONE more year to show substantial improvement. For me, that means a .500 or better conference record, and an NCAA tournament bid.

    I agree, completely.

  20. mk4dpak 03/26/2010 at 6:13 PM #

    Packfan 03, Oh well, I guess you lose the bet, I have rooted for the BB team the last four years, and have not wanted Sid as coach, because we have not progressed. I pulled for State against UAB, but after they embarrassed us, and then lost to Carolina. I would have much rather lived with the UAB loss, than a third loss to UNX. You call it preverse rooting. You should start your own comedy show. Lots of people are Americans, and support this country, but that don’t mean they like the President, I guess they are preverse Americans, too. The fact is, you like Sid, and you have more tolerance, than me, I don’t, and he is welcome to prove me wrong, but until then my opinion will not change about his coaching ability. So a .500 will make you happy, after 5 years. Not me. But keep wasting your time dissecting my comments, cause your BS, will not make any difference, and I have read enough of other comments from others on here, who totally agree that Sid will not succeed as head coach at NC State, and needs to be released. But WTNY! Sure, why not? Can’t you just agree to disagree and get over it. Obviously not. Oh well.

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