Well, it can’t really be Volmageddon (name coming from the de facto last game of TOB era), since even a 70-point loss wouldn’t be a punishing death blow to the season. But Tennessee is a legit NCAAT-caliber team, and to beat them in Knoxville would definitely boost the Wolfpack resume.
Dan Dakich is announcing, so my TV might be muted most of the way. The first LiveBlog of the 2013-14 basketball season is 75 minutes away. Woohoo.
7:01 – Twenty seconds in, I already want to stab Dakich with my pen.
7:03 – Awesome, offensive rebound and a bucket.
7:04 – Frenchie Le Nard SWISHES two FT. My brain just melted. Then Cat makes it 6-0!
7:06 – After a nice swat, Vandy picks up two very quick fouls (and yes, they really were fouls). King Hippo in da house…and he really will FILL that sherbet vomit orange paint.
7:08 – KH swat leads to a break and 12-5 lead. Very good stuff.
7:16 – State leads wall-to-wall, Dakich only praises Vols.
7:17 – Three games on the bench have made KH very hungry, hungry indeed. His footwork defensively is fantastic.
7:20 – TN pressures the ball with WBS running things, but he breaks it easily and finds Turner for three.
7:21 – Le Nard money from the FT line? Le Nard money from the FT line. 4-4.
7:25 – Turner made one, then got a little greedy. But gotta like the Pack’s energy. Everybody who’s played is bringing it.
7:26 – Under 8 timeout, 23-15 State.
7:30 – More good D by KH.
7:31 – Buckets doing what Buckets does best. Silky smooth.
7:32 – Lucky call for us there. Definitely should have been a block on Barber. Dork alert in the stands. Not happy, that dork.
7:34 – Double your pleasure, 30-15.
7:40 – Mini run by UT, need to get a bucket fast.
7:41 – And we gets one.
7:42 – Give it up for KH AND Washington. They have been kicking some ass tonight.
7:44 – Ugh, moving screen = 3 fouls on Washington.
Your halftime score – NC State 37, Tennessee 20. Amazing performance.
8:04 – Huge three by Des pushes lead back to 40-24. Well done, the team has great composure tonight.
8:05 – Vandy a little out of sorts.
8:07 – Choppy start to the half.
8:11 – Lead down to 11 by the first media timeout. Not a great sign.
8:16 – Down to 8, and State is in trouble.
8:17 – KH with a silly foul 40 feet from the bucket.
8:18 – Cat has decided to take over. I approve.
8:20 – McRae is drinking Ralston Turner’s milkshake. And hard.
8:21 – Turner is pissing me off.
8:22 – The two teams’ energy is exactly reversed from the first half, and it’s showing on the scoreboard.
8:24 – Lead back to 10, but Vols already in the bonus.
8:26 – @VaWolf – sometimes I think Canada is perfect. Then I remember they inflicted Celine Dion upon the world…
8:29 – King Hippo to the rescue!!!
8:31 – 48-43, loooonnnnng way to go. Even by NC State standards, this would be a pretty epic bed shitting.
8:33 – I don’t have a good feeling about this one. We just have no energy or rhythm anymore.
8:36 – BUCKETS!!!!
8:37 – Turner needs to sit down for a bit. He’s bad on both ends.
8:39 – Cat feeds the VandenSLAM. Thank f-ck.
8:40 – VANDY!!!! I think this game has been very well-officiated. Maybe not an A, but B+. The lead is 7 under 4 minutes.
8:42 – Raise your hand if you thought this team could block 11 shots in a game against a legit opponent. Liars.
8:44 – I could kiss Buckets right now.
8:45 – Des does. Pack by 11!!!
8:46 – Will UT play hack a Le Nard?
8:47 – Think Buckets just broke their will.
8:48 – But that was a bad, no good, horrible turnover. Can’t have that shit.
8:50 – State showing no fear. Dakich doesn’t like it, but I do. Has he seen us shoot FTs??
8:51 – Buckets is the only guy I trust at the line. And he bricks it. Three UT shots, zero fall. The hay may be in the barn, kids.
8:53 – Pack bricks ALL THREE one-and-ones, and Vols only cut the lead to 9. Way too little, far too late.
8:54 – Another brainless turnover. Holy shitsnacks.
8:55 – Five State possessions. 1-5 FTs and we step out of bounds. UT finally makes a 3, lead down to 7. 25 secs left.
8:57 – FINALLY, Cat gets to the line and puts it away.
Your final score – NC State 65, Tennessee 58.
