Monday Musings

12-13 Basketball College Basketball Multimedia26

Brett Friedlander (starnewsonline.com)
Wolfpack still learning to play with a bullseye on its back

If last week’s win against Duke was a celebration for the N.C. State basketball team, then the two games that followed it have been an education.

So what’s the lesson the Wolfpack has learned from Wednesday’s one-point loss at Maryland and Sunday’s closer-than-it-should-have-been 66-62 win against Clemson?

Here’s Richard Howell with the answer:

“We’ve got to bring it every night,” said the senior center, whose dunk and three-point play in the final 2:41 helped hold off the gritty Tigers. “I feel like every time we go somewhere the team is getting up to play us. We need to start expecting that so we don’t come out like we did against Maryland and Oklahoma State and lose games like that.”

[snip]

“We’re just going through a little slump right now, but coach has got us,” point guard Lorenzo Brown said. “He’ll get us straightened out. We should do well next game and get back on our feet.”

That confidence is more than just wishful thinking. If ever there was a place and opponent ripe for State to emerge from its post-Duke doldrums, it’s Wake Forest at Joel Coliseum.

The Wolfpack beat the Deacons by a combined total of 47 points in two games last season, including a 76-40 blowout in Winston-Salem.

While it’s doubtful State will be able to match that level of dominance when it returns on Tuesday, even if it plays its absolute best, the opportunity is clearly there for Gottfried’s team to pick up the pace and get itself running again.

So long as it learns to live with that bullseye on its back and remembers the lessons learned from these past two games.

Akula Wolf (BackingthePack.com)
NC State Fends Off Clemson, 66-62

There was no real cause for alarm at that point. But State went cold in the second half, shooting just 38% (eFG) over the final 20 minutes. Clemson, meanwhile, heated up and hit nearly 59% from the field. Thus the teams eventually found themselves tied at 57 with two minutes and change remaining.

[snip]

There were two big keys for NC State in the second half given the shooting disparity: 1) the Pack limited Clemson to a 20% offensive rebounding rate; 2) NC State did not commit a single turnover. If NC State doesn’t do those two things, Devin Booker’s fantastic performance might just be enough to lead the Tigers to an upset win.

Joe Giglio (N&O)
N.C. State holds off Clemson 66-62

Lorenzo Brown’s mood matched his black jersey on Sunday.

Yes, N.C. State did end up beating Clemson 66-62 with a late surge from senior Richard Howell and free throws by senior Scott Wood.

Still, Brown said, there was something amiss even in victory.

“We didn’t play our best, I’m not very excited about that,” Brown said. “I mean, who would (be)?”

[snip]

Brown finished with a respectable final line — six points, seven rebounds and five assists — but it wasn’t enough.

“It’s always about a win, but at the same time, we can do better than that,” Brown said.

N.C. State coach Mark Gottfried, who turned 49 on Sunday, bottom-lined the win.

“Part of being in a league like this, you have to grind some out,” Gottfried said. “It’s not always going to be glamorous, you just got to find a way to keep winning.”

N.C. State had led by nine early in the second half, with freshman forward T.J. Warren (21 points) as its main source of offense.

But Brown, forward C.J. Leslie (six points) and Wood (11) couldn’t quite find a rhythm against Clemson’s defense. The Pack scored a season-low 50 points in Wednesday’s loss at Maryland.

Brown called it a slump, but Gottfried was more philosophical.

“It’s hard to stay at a high, high level offensively all the time, every night,” Gottfried said. “On those nights, you’ve got to find a way to win.”

Caulton Tudor (N&O)
Wolfpack needs freshmen to keep playing big

If N.C. State’s basketball team is going to have a special February and March, the team’s freshmen will need to contribute a lot more than was the case in a 51-50 loss at Maryland last week.

In that vein, Sunday’s 66-62 escape against Clemson in the PNC Center was an encouraging development for the 14th-ranked Wolfpack.

Coming off the bewildering offensive performance at Maryland and already zeroing in on upcoming games at Wake Forest (Tuesday) and against North Carolina (Saturday), the Wolfpack (15-3, 4-1 ACC) was in a potentially dangerous situation against the Tigers (10-7, 2-3).

And had it not been for rookies T.J. Warren, with 21 points and six rebounds off the bench, and Rodney Purvis (11 points, nine in the first half), the Wolfpack would have taken a second straight hit –and on coach Mark Gottfried’s 49th birthday at that.

[snip]

Warren, who did not score and missed all six field-goal attempts at Maryland, said he spent a lot of time Thursday, Friday and Saturday working on his shot.

“If I’d made one shot, we would have won at Maryland. Just two points,” the 6-foot-8 second-generation Wolfpack wing player said.

“I know I have to get more consistent. We (freshmen) know what we have to do. We’ll get better.”

Stephen Schramm (FayObserver.com)
N.C. State survives an off night to beat Clemson

Make no mistake, things weren’t all that great for N.C. State against Clemson on Sunday night.
Lorenzo Brown had a season-low six points. Teammate C.J. Leslie had the same amount.

A cold had Wolfpack center Richard Howell feeling like he might pass out while running up and down the PNC Arena floor.

Meanwhile, Clemson’s Devin Booker spent most of the evening looking unstopp- able.

But the Wolfpack walked off the floor with a 66-62 win, avoiding what would have been a second-straight loss and a setback against one of the league’s less-threatening teams.

For No. 14 N.C. State (15-3 overall, 4-1 ACC), it wasn’t fun. But the Wolfpack will take it.

“I feel like I got away with a win,” N.C. State guard Scott Wood said. “It wasn’t pretty. You’re going to have games like that in the ACC.”

N.C. State knew it had one of those nights. You know, the kind where it seems as if the stars are aligned against you.

Stephen Schramm (FayObserver.com)
Freshman shakes off rough outing to torch Tigers

“The shots were definitely not going down, (I was) kind of frustrated,” Warren said. “Luckily I was able to bounce back today. So that was good.”

Warren’s redemption came in the form of a 21-point night against the Tigers. He hit 9-of-11 shots and grabbed six rebounds.

“Sometimes when you’re a freshman, you go through big games and then you struggle, you’re up and down a little bit,” Wolfpack coach Mark Gottfried said. “That’s not uncommon.”

Jacey Zembal (TheWolfpacker.com)
Pack grinds out win over Clemson

NC State senior small forward Scott Wood and junior point guard Lorenzo Brown weren’t worried about the statistics or if the Wolfpack played pretty.

The veteran duo have been around long enough and played in enough close games to know that he only worries about the final outcome in ACC action.

Clemson put itself in position to pull off a victory against No. 14 NC State, but the Wolfpack made enough plays and free throws down the stretch to pull out the 66-62 victory Sunday in front of a sold out crowd at PNC Arena.

“I could really care less how many points I have or could really care less how many points someone else has,” Wood said. “If I’m on top, that’s all that matters.”

Brown called the Wolfpack’s combined loss to Maryland on Wednesday, and follow-up win over Clemson part of a mini-slump.

“We got the W, so that’s all that matters,” Brown said. “Coach [Mark Gottfried] will get it straightened out. We should do well next game.”

Andrew Jones (FoxSportsCarolinas.com)
Warren, No. 14 N.C. State edge Clemson

But once Warren stepped onto the PNC Arena floor, it was almost immediately apparent he was a different player than in the previous point-less performances. He nailed a jumper while drawing a foul and converted the free throw for a conventional three-point play with 7:27 left before halftime. He hit a 3-pointer a minute later, had a tip-in 45 seconds after that and scored on a layup for his 10th point with 4:30 left in the half.

Warren put 10 points on the board just like that.

The explosiveness NC State has lacked coming off the bench arrived at a time when the Wolfpack was in need in its 66-62 victory. With leading scorers C.J. Leslie and Lorenzo Brown netting just six points apiece and Scott Wood converting only two field goals, Warren’s 21 points may have been the difference between victory and defeat for the Wolfpack, who improved to 15-3 overall and 4-1 in the ACC.

“He makes those mid-range shots that are hard to make,” said Clemson coach Brad Brownell. “Eight-foot banks; 12-footer on the baseline. He’s just an opportunistic guy. He got an offensive rebound late when it was an important basket. He’s really good.”

As noted, Warren’s offensive array was quite impressive, and how he goes about it is, too. Fundamentally sound, especially for a freshmen, Warren properly squares to the basket when he must, uses the glass (as Brownell noted) and he possesses the natural gift of terrific fingertips.

Neil Morris (IndyWeek.com)
N.C. State (finally) holds that Tiger for 66-62 win over Clemson

The knock all season on No. 14 N.C. State has been their inability/unwillingness to play as well to start games and they do to finish them. The Wolfpack sought to change that Sunday evening against Clemson, breaking out their black kits for the first time this season and jumping out to an 8-point lead over the opening five minutes, a margin they would hold into halftime. N.C. State, the third-best shooting team in the nation, converted 53.8 percent of their field goals during the opening stanza, led by T.J. Warren’s 14 bench points.

However, the Wolfpack was held to only 33 percent shooting in the second half, and the score was tied with 3:30 left in the game and again with 2 minutes remaining. A 3-point play by Richard Howell and five late free throws by Scott Wood enabled N.C. State (15-3, 4-1 ACC) to hold on for a 66-62 win over the Tigers (10-7, 2-3 ACC).

Bryan Kilpatrick (SBNation.com)
NC State’s crowd scares Clemson into losing

The NC State Wolfpack held off a furious rally from the Clemson Tigers on Sunday, notching a hard-fought 66-62 win.

While some credit should go to the Wolfpack players, particularly T.J. Warren, who scored 21 points off the bench, it’s clear to anyone who watched the game that the biggest reason NC State pulled out the win is because the team’s unbelievably creepy fans probably scared the ever-loving crap out of Clemson’s players.

[snip]

Not shown here is the guy in the mullet wig and red-and-white-striped overalls getting noticeably pervy with ESPNU’s sideline reporter, who was interviewing the NC State fan who took a tumble while rushing the court in a wheelchair last weekend.

With that group of fans, NC State clearly has the best home-court advantage in college basketball. I’d hate to see what happens to anyone who disagrees.

anthony lenahan (RantSports.com)
No. 14 North Carolina State Survives Against Clemson as Offense Struggles

As a team that averages above 80 points a game, the Wolfpack have been unable to reach that mark lately. Only putting up 66 points tonight, the Wolfpack’s lack of offense may be a cause for concern.

With so much talent on their team and so many scoring options, it’s amazing how they can’t put up their season average night in and night out.

North Carolina State shot 50% from 3-point range, but only managed to shoot 45% from the field. They are knocking down shots, but they don’t seem to be getting enough shot attempts on offense that would allow them to put up more points.

Michael Roberts (RantSports.com)
North Carolina State Wolfpack Bounce Back From Loss With Ugly Win Over Clemson

Brown finished with six points, seven rebounds, five assists, two steals and three turnovers, however, his stat line doesn’t show his true performance . The junior guard is one of the best point guards in the nation, but every game has a moment or two that leaves you scratching your head. Brown is capable of controlling a game on his own, given all the different ways he can contribute, but his decision making is questionable at times.

One moment he plays too quick and rushes a pass that leads to a turnover, then the next he’s stolen the ball back on his own and dished out a pass for an assist. Brown plays at a fast pace which is no doubt one of his strengths. However, he’s too prone to forcing a pass into a small window of opportunity with minimal chance of success. If he can learn to dial it back a notch and remove those brain cramp errors, there would be little debate as to who the best point guard is in the country.

Another factor that plagued the Wolfpack in this contest was C.J. Leslie’s lack of field goal attempts. He finished with only six points after shooting only seven attempts from the floor, three fewer than his season average. That is unacceptable for one of the most talented players in the country. For N.C. State to be successful they need to put the ball into Leslie’s hands. Instead the team is putting more focus on forcing up three-pointers than using their advantage in the post with Leslie and Howell. That is something that must change or poor performances like the one against Maryland will be duplicated in a hurry. It nearly was with the Wolfpack hosting Clemson.

N.C. State has the most talent at every position than any other team in the conference but they are still struggling to get everybody involved. They’ve seen multiple game-by-game scoring leaders, but that will only spell trouble come March. Leslie needs to be the main guy on offense for the Wolfpack to have success this season and for the past two games he’s finished third on the team in field goal attempts.

It’s hard for a team with championship aspirations to achieve their goals when two players are shooting more than the team’s most talented player.

ElTigre09 (shakinthesouthland.com)
Tigers Fall to the Pack, 66-62

Tonight was brutal. A 10-0 run to start the game doesn’t breed much confidence, especially when the opposition goes 3 for 3 from the arc in the first 5 minutes. To be fair, it took a lot for this team to fight back and tie the game with 3 minutes left. But in the end, the Tigers couldn’t take care of the ball or foul the right players, and lost 66-62.

So what did we learn? I think one major positive is that Devin Booker may be turning a huge corner. We’ve asked for consistency and leadership from somebody, anybody, and Booker has led the team in all five games of conference play so far. He may not lead vocally, but he’s let his play speak volumes. Unfortunately, it seems that for every good thing Booker is doing for this team, the other senior in this group either can’t catch a break or just doesn’t understand what it takes to compete and succeed (all the evidence pointing to the latter).

PackPride.com
Clemson vs NC State Box Score

WRALSportsfan.com
Gottfried: They’re not all going to be glamorous

N.C. State Head Coach Mark Gottfried said it might not have been pretty, but when it comes to the ACC, a league win is all that matters.

WRALSportsfan.com
Howell: I felt like I was going to pass out

N.C. State forward Richard Howell says he was under the weather on Sunday when he collected 12 rebounds and 11 points against Clemson.

WRALSportsfan.com
Wood: They’re gonna knock some teams off

N.C. State sharpshooter Scott Wood thinks the Wolfpack’s opponent on Sunday, Clemson, will upset a few teams in the league before season’s end.

WRALSportsfan.com
Warren: We just want to contribute

N.C. State freshman forward T.J. Warren says if he and Rodney Purvis can make regular contributions like they did against Clemson on Sunday, the Wolfpack will be tough to beat.

About 1.21 Jigawatts

Class of '98, Mechanical Engineer, State fan since arriving on campus and it's been a painful ride ever since. I live by the Law of NC State Fandom, "For every Elation there is an equal and opposite Frustration."

12-13 Basketball College Basketball Multimedia

26 Responses to Monday Musings

  1. ADVENTUROO 01/21/2013 at 9:42 AM #

    after reading the entire game thread yesterday after we got home last night and all the articles this morning, there are a few simple, at least to us, conclusions.

    First, when all of our players are having GOOD games, we can beat about anybody.

    If one or two of them are having OUTSTANDING games, we are really a top four team.

    You can figure out the converse.

    It also shows how much we miss DeShawn Painter. His big body and his ability and his on-floor leadership are sorely missed this year. Watch the reaction when Vandenberg comes in. It is like, “Oh NO….don’t screw up…”. In all fairness to Vandy, he is improving and is making fewer mistakes. He needs game experience, but we get hurt as he gets it.

    DeThaey was never able to fill that.

    Much has been posted here about them leaving. The stories vary as does the memory or how close one has followed it.

    My version is that Painter made his decision primarily based on Aimele Jefferson’s (Duke # 21) initial decision to the coaches and the team to play for us. That would have severly impacted DeShawn’s PT. Couple that with his family situation and he made his call and we can not blame him.

    Don’t know anymore about DeThaey other than what he tweeted and what was posted. He seemed to be miffed and had some family issues, so the rationale was there.

    Bottom line….we need a BIG Warren/Purvis to sub for Howell. That AIN’T gonna happen this year.

    We will have to play what we got and hope for no major injuries.

    I doubt that we embarass WF on Tuesday and also hope that we don’t. I would rather have a nice win by a reasonable margin and let Vandy and Lewis get some good minutes than blow them out.

    I never felt we were going to lose yesterday, but the drama of the win was a bit more than what I paid for….and I paid a lot for my seats….so I guess I got my money’s worth.

    As one article stated, the crowd was with us.

    I SHOULD point out that we have NOT had a game called by Messrs Hess or Dorsey of FSU/Googs/Corchiani fame. Natili has called a couple, but they have been OK.

    The ratio of fouls in the first half gave me concern yesterday, but it evened out.

  2. sjmac11 01/21/2013 at 10:09 AM #

    Wake Forest has been playing better, we seem to be sleep walking again. I’m not excited about Tuesday, even as bad as the Deacons are on paper. These “bad” guys seem to have the nights of their lives against us.

    That being said Wake should have absolutley no answer for CJ, hell should have no answer for any of the kids.

    Still nervous

  3. DC_wolf 01/21/2013 at 10:10 AM #

    When is the Athletics Dept. going to figure out that the black unis just aren’t makin’ it. The Pack just historically struggles in that awful color… from the 20 point collapse @ duke last year to the 20+ point thumping up in Maryland back in the late 90’s… they ought to just retire that color from consideration.

    & even in football this year – the team puts on back jerseys (for homecoming, no less) & promptly gets taken to the woodshed by 1 of the worst teams in the league. I know the kids like ’em but they’re not an official color & the results speak for themselves.

  4. Lunatic Fringe 01/21/2013 at 10:28 AM #

    I find it funny that SBNation has article about the over-the-top fans that is sponsored by Workaholics.

    If you have never watched Workaholics, let’s just say those guys would fit right in. 🙂

  5. Hawkeye Whitney 01/21/2013 at 10:33 AM #

    “It also shows how much we miss DeShawn Painter. His big body and his ability and his on-floor leadership are sorely missed this year.”

    You are so right Adventuroo. I kept thinking we needed to put a guy on Booker with instructions to simply keep a body on him and not leave him to give defensive help on any other Clemson player. Painter would have been the guy for the job.

    I always try to look for the positives after every game, and I think we should all have warm fuzzy feelings about Warren and Purvis. If Purvis is becoming a real three point threat and if Warren keeps performing like a scoring machine, we have a lot to look forward to.

  6. Wolfman 9806 01/21/2013 at 11:10 AM #

    The black unis rock! And if it helps with recruiting and merchandise sales, then I’m all for it.

  7. Hawkeye Whitney 01/21/2013 at 11:18 AM #

    The only problem I have with the black uniforms, is that I wish the numbers were white, or at least outlined in white. As a practical matter, red on black is a little hard to see.

  8. wolfbuff 01/21/2013 at 11:46 AM #

    “Coach [Mark Gottfried] will get it straightened out. We should do well next game.”

    I think we’re still seeing the effects of a lack of leadership on the team. One of the players needs to take this team by the ear and get them out of this “slump”. Otherwise, we’re going to continue to struggle. Yeah, there are several slow-it-down, good defensive teams in the ACC. But we should be winning these games by comfortable margins and not letting them hang in there with a chance to win in the end. You don’t see Duke doing that. Take out a couple of Clemson turnovers in the last seconds of yesterday’s game and it could have been similar to Maryland. We have to play smarter with the basketball, be more efficient on offense, focus on our free throws, and buckle down on defense.

    And, I agree with DC. Burn the black unis.

  9. packof81 01/21/2013 at 11:51 AM #

    Let’s stick with the traditional red and white uniforms.

  10. DC_wolf 01/21/2013 at 12:03 PM #

    So 9806… I guess the beat down we took in Maryland in ’98 or ’99 in the black unis really paid off in recruiting? Why don’t you tell that to Herb…

    If you want to sit through more 20-point beatings or collapses (or ugly @s$ wins like last night) in both fball & bball just so you can look good in black merch… that’s you.

  11. sjmac11 01/21/2013 at 12:15 PM #

    And why are we breaking out “special” uniforms to play sh*tty Clemson??????? We do have the holes coming soon. I also agree that black is cool, however, whomever approves the design for our uniforms needs to be at the house. The red should have been outlined.

    This talk of teams “bringing it” against us because we have a target on our backs is a true statement however no one has yet other than OK State. Maryland couldn’t throw it in the ocean (not bringing it) and beats us. Clemson couldn’t score with a lady of the night downtown Raleigh (not bringing it) and comes awfully close to beating us. Maybe we should “bring it” more than one night a month and beat the brakes off some of these horrible teams. The doors are wide open for us to win this conference. The kids just have to understand that and play or CARE to play up to their talent levels every game.

  12. Wufpacker 01/21/2013 at 12:19 PM #

    As crappy as we’ve played the past two games, and we’re worried about the uniforms? Well OK…I’ll play. I dislike the black bb unis, but not because of any perceived superstition. I’ve seen us look just as bad or worse plenty of times, in both bb and fb, while wearing red or white.

    Bottom line…the black basketball unis are ugly. The ones for football aren’t terrible I guess, but since the school colors are red and white, I’d prefer we just stick with that.

    And I don’t buy the recruiting angle.

  13. ppack3 01/21/2013 at 12:24 PM #

    I just want to say that those two guys with the chin strap beards are creepy and I wish someone would tell them that it isn’t funny. The first time we saw these guys were during the post-game interview with Coach Gottfried, after the Red/White game. For some reason, they surrounded Gottfried and portrayed this creepy, children of the (Amish) corn, persona. Please, just stop it.

    The guys with the mullets and swords are playing right into the stereotypes that our friendly neighbors like to ram down our throats. Is it too hard to keep it classy? Or, at least clever?

    Maybe I’m in the minority, here. But, then again, I think that dressing up in the full-body stocking, or dressing up like a banana is pretty stupid and creepy, too.

  14. ppack3 01/21/2013 at 12:40 PM #

    Oh, about the black uni’s…we probably brought these out for the Clemson game because bringing them out against big (and highly ranked) opponents is asking for getting beaten in them. My point is, if you want some better karma, or a better reputation, for your black uniforms, play shoddy teams in them!

    Personally, I don’t think that the uniforms are cursed.

  15. 61Packer 01/21/2013 at 1:00 PM #

    The black uniforms are attractive, I guess, but we’re the RED AND WHITE, not the BLACK AND RED. Can’t we simply wear our school colors instead of trying to be Oregon or Maryland?

    I was there last night and it was a good win. What I don’t understand is all the analyses on why we aren’t doing this or aren’t doing that, blah blah blah.

    The answer is simply this- POOR AND UNTIMELY FREE THROW SHOOTING! Last night’s game wouldn’t even have been close at the end had we made our free throws. How can we lead the nation in FG shooting and miss seemingly every other free throw attempt?

    Missed free throws cost us the Maryland game. A repeat of last night’s foul shooting in Winston tomorrow night might cost us again. If you struggle against BC, you’re not going to be safe anywhere, especially on the road.

  16. wufpup76 01/21/2013 at 1:01 PM #

    Thanks for the rundown.

    Lotsa credit to Howell for playing while under the weather … No wonder Booker was so dominant for long stretches.

    “We didn’t play our best, I’m not very excited about that,” Brown said. “I mean, who would (be)?”

    ^God Bless you laddie. At least the kids know there’s room for improvement and see it for themselves. While I agree about not having one be-all leader – the veterans (Wood, Brown, Leslie, Howell) certainly have good heads on their shoulders. They’re willing to learn and set good examples.

    I still have a lot of faith in this team … If we can just put all together by the beginning of March – man, we could be scary (depth or no).

  17. ADVENTUROO 01/21/2013 at 1:02 PM #

    WOW….interesting that color and style are being discussed here. I had NO idea about the uniforms, but when I drove up and all the students were wearing the black T shirts, I KNEW.

    From the 200 level, it looked pretty cool and the students seems to stay with it and had a LOT of enthusiasm….

    So, one vote FOR the uniforms….they seemed to me to be motivational….and God KNOWS, we needed motivation.

    NOW…the numbers, as HW pointed out SUCK. If you OUTLINE then in white (like the FB unis), the eye plays a trick on you and the numbers look PINK….NOT COOL.

    SO, use RED trim on the Unis and put the numbers in ALL WHITE. We with bad eyes have diffictulty.

    If you want to know WHAT ONE THING WENT WRONG…

    My wife and I BOTH looked at the score board when Booker was taking a Foul shot…

    BOOKER – 27 POINTS……Clemson TEAM – 47 Points….

    That, in OUR opinion, is what went WRONG and we finally corrected…..but it TOOK a while…..

    As to the WHY…..I think that Black was chosen to sort of COLOR COORDIATE with the Military Appeciaton day. During the opening, which was NOT televised, some Army Rangers, dressed in Black…like they would if they parachuted in, rapelled down ropes as well as regular “camos”. The Black was to match them.

  18. graywolf 01/21/2013 at 1:12 PM #

    *Going to the 2-3 helped for a while.
    *Finally putting pressure on the ball and getting the clock moving helped on the last 2 Clemson possessions. Why we did not do this earlier is baffling.
    * How teams play better defense than we do with weaker athletes is a concern.

  19. FergusWolf 01/21/2013 at 2:12 PM #

    Personally I thought the Black Uniforms were a nice change of pace. I do agree that on TV the numbers were a little hard to read, but by now I can tell our players apart (for instance, Vandenburg is taller than Wood and has longer hair).

    Our defense does seem to make a superstar out of someone every time out, but I agree with the majority of the posters that say that having Howell and Leslie back off a little on defense so they can still be in the game at the end (remember, that’s how we lost the 20 lead to Duke last year) is really a big deal.

    Honestly, I agree with the 61packer…I weep a little every time Purvis goes to the line. Can’t believe that even Wood missed on last night to help keep the game in suspense.

    All things considered, I’d rather be working out these sorts of issues now than in March.

  20. wilmwolf80 01/21/2013 at 3:41 PM #

    What you guys don’t understand about the black uniforms is this- the players and students are young people, and they have different tastes. I hear many people talk disparagingly about Adidas, and our lack of “flashy” uniforms. There is still a good sized portion of our fan base that yearn to be sponsored by N*ke so that we can get all the cool uniforms. While most of us would love to wear throwback inspired all reds with State in block letters, part of selling the school to the recruits has to be about a cool image. And I think if you showed most 17 year old kids pictures of uniforms from the DT era, they would laugh.

    Every time we do something different with uniforms, there is a chorus of people that come in with the “we are the red and white line”. No one is saying that we change our colors. It is called an “alternate” uniform. The Yankees are known for blue pinstripes, but they wear other colors too.

  21. PackerInRussia 01/22/2013 at 3:10 AM #

    “And why are we breaking out “special” uniforms to play sh*tty Clemson??????? We do have the holes coming soon.”

    Maybe they’ll break out chrome unis when UNC comes.

  22. PackerInRussia 01/22/2013 at 3:13 AM #

    I understand about getting Leslie the ball more. If he’s the best player, he NEEDS to have the ball. However, the comment in one of the articles about needing to get it to Leslie and Howell down low rather than looking for the 3…they didn’t seem to be doing so hot when they were getting the ball down low. They weren’t able to get the ball up over top of their bigs and they were missing from close up. Leslie was shooting while falling away. And they weren’t getting the fouls called, so they were often fruitless attempts. I’m sure Howell being sick had something to do with it. I think he’s the most consistent leader. 12 boards and 11 points while being sick. Not bad.

  23. Wolfacct 01/22/2013 at 5:55 AM #

    ^Agree. While CJ is very athletic, his ability to finish around the rim leaves allot to be desired. To be honest, while his offensive skill set is improving, he still has a long way to go. I don’t know what the NBA sees in CJ, other than a player with tremendous athletic ability and raw talent that can develop. When his head is on straight, he’s a good role player who can create around the rim and clean up some rebounds. He’s not the guy I want to see with the ball in his hands at the end of the game needing a basket to win.

  24. Wolfman 9806 01/22/2013 at 5:56 AM #

    DC – do you really think that the black unis were the reason that we played poorly in those games? That’s a little to superstitious for me.

    Watch out for that black cat and don’t step on the cracks! Lame.

  25. wolf8895 01/22/2013 at 7:56 AM #

    My 9 year old son saw the black uniforms and said “Cool! I want one of those jerseys!” He also has seen Oregon’s unis and said he would want to wear those as well.
    That’s why schools do the alternate uniforms. I personally can’t stand them, but younger people love them.

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