Big Resume building victory at Tennessee for the Wolfpack

The Wolfpack just seems to be getting better and better. The chemistry this team shows is excellent. Tonight, they went to Knoxville as an eight point underdog and had an extremely impressive victory over a Tennessee team that is expected to be in the NCAA Tournament in March. NC State lead wire-to-wire in a 65-58 victory that had TJ Warren lead the Pack with 21 points.

The Pack jumped out to first half leads of 6-0, 19-11, 30-15, and lead 37-20 at the half. It was the best first half I have seen the Pack play on the road since February 16, 2012 at Cameron Indoor. We won’t discuss the last 11 minutes of that debacle though. Nor will we discuss Dan Dakich’s obsession with last year’s team. Hey Dan, that was last year. Let’s try to stay on point and talk about this year’s team.

The previous road game had the Pack unable to come through in the final minutes against Cincinnati. Tonight though was different. Mark Gottfried’s team would not be denied. Each player that played for State played well.

    TJ Warren – 21 points and 11 rebounds in spite of dealing with good defense by the Vols’ Josh Richardson.
    Cat Barber – 12 points and 4 assists. 4 of his buckets were big time as Warren was on the bench and the Vols were threatening to make the game close.
    Jordan Vandenberg – 4 blocks in 12 minutes. Early foul trouble didn’t stop him from making his presence felt against the bigs for the Vols.
    Lennard Freeman – 9 rebounds in 20 minutes. Continues to be a Dennis Rodman type rebounder for the Pack.
    Desmond Lee – 10 points. Slashed and drove the ball to the rim early and often.
    Beejay Anya – 5 blocks and one mean half hook for a bucket. Between Vandenberg and Anya, the Pack dominated the much more celebrated frontcourt of Stokes and Maymon.
    Kyle Washington – 5 points, 7 rebounds, and abundant energy. Freeman and Washington would not let anyone else get a rebound. Washington brought a great motor tonight.
    Ralston Turner – 5 points. Made a couple of big shots.
    Tyler Lewis – Ran the team well when called upon.

The defense was outstanding tonight. Tennessee only shot 29% from the field, and was a horrendous 3-24 from behind the arc. Part of that was the Wolfpack defense for sure. 12 blocks (9 by either Vandenberg and Anya) was inspiring. Having seen Tennessee play several times this year, and a lot last year, the key in my opinion was to jump out to an early lead on Tennessee. When that happens, they stop going down to the post and start jacking up threes. Outside of Jordan McRae (who should have been the SEC Player of the Year last year), there is not yet another trusted outside shooter. The statistic ESPNU put up early in the 2nd half was prescient. When the Vols shoot more than 15 3-pointers in game, they are 0-3 (now 0-4). When shooting 15 or less 3-pointers, the Vols are 6-0. Tonight it was 3-24. Therefore, a Wolfpack win.

Tonight was a great win for the Wolfpack for several reasons:

1. Goal every game is to be 1-0 when the clock strikes 00:00.
2. Now have a 6 game winning streak.
3. Confidence soars with road win against a probable NCAA Tournament team
4. Resume building win for hopeful NCAA berth

This tweet by @NCStateFootball sums up the evening.

ourstate

About ruffles31

1996 NC State graduate who is still waiting on his first ACC conference championship in any of the four main revenue sports (football, men's basketball, women's basketball, and baseball) since enrolling. All I want is a ACC Champions t-shirt.

13-14 Basketball

Home Forums Big Resume building victory at Tennessee for the Wolfpack

Viewing 25 posts - 1 through 25 (of 63 total)
  • Author
    Posts
  • #34333
    ryebread
    Participant

    Big, big win in a must have early season game. Warren had a rough game (amazing that a guy can have 21 and 11 and shoot 50% and it’s a rough game) and the rest of the team picked up the slack.

    That was our best interior defense that I’ve seen in years. When Vandy went out with two quick ones in 3 minutes, I thought we were in trouble. Anya, Washington and Freeman played great down on the blocks.

    Dakich runs his mouth, but I actually think a lot of his points are valid. I was in the minority that I thought they were last year as well.

    We need to maintain our focus against ECU and resist looking ahead to Missouri. That’s sometimes tough for a young team coming off of a nice win.

    #34334
    tjfoose1
    Participant

    Whoa. That was waaay too positive. You need to put more in there for the negative nancys to bitch about. You know, something to show Gottfried is in over his head, can’t build a team, doesn’t know defense…. something like that.

    #34335
    wufpup76
    Keymaster

    LOL @ foose and State football. Hahaha

    Hope to see some real focus against Ecu.

    #34336
    rthomas44
    Participant

    Very nice effort and victory. This team is better every time they play. Beejay is shot blocker!

    #34337
    Wolfman 9806
    Participant

    Not sure how good we will ultimately be, but I really like the personality of this team.

    #34338
    Tuffy2
    Participant

    It makes all the difference in the world when the players like one another. In that one game last night I noticed more communication going on the court then all of last year.

    The chemistry on the court is something to behold. For a bunch of young guys they sure do pass the ball better than last years team also.

    Remember they are young and will make mistakes but last night I saw this team really enjoy playing defense and that is very exciting. When you play great D two things come from it most of the time. Offense and Wins.

    #34339
    choppack1
    Participant

    Rebound, rebound, rebound. We held our own on the boards last night so we won.

    We are better defensively this year at almost every position… and these guys play d hard.

    I also think the officiating was great last night… they let them play but it wasn’t a slug fest.

    The boys in blue shot 47 foul shots. That is just scary…I am not looking forward to the one-sided foul line parade that will be acc basketball.

    #34340
    BJD95
    Keymaster

    The players like one another, and I like all of them. Both are a refreshing change of pace.

    We have enough talent to potentially be dangerous in March.

    #34341
    redcanine
    Participant

    I love that kind of spirited play. Excellent job, team.

    #34342
    blpack
    Participant

    So nice to get a road win vs. a BCS conference team. Let’s see how the Pack focuses on Saturday. Roll Pack!

    #34343
    Texpack
    Participant

    These guys are fun to watch. Everyone of them is flawed in some way, but they understand their limitations, play together, and allow each other’s strengths to shine. The freshmen big guys have already improved from the first of the year. That is the most encouraging thing about this team.

    Vandy didn’t allow the foul trouble to take him out of the game mentally. When he came back in he was able to contribute right away. The fact that Tennessee made a run, we were on the road, and we didn’t fold is huge going forward.

    #34344
    howlie
    Participant

    So much for chemistry.

    Tyler pulls a Purvis with a stupid postgame tweet after our biggest victory of the season.

    #34345
    DRW
    Participant

    ^What the hell did he say?

    #34346
    Deacon Blues
    Participant

    Tyler Lewis ?@tylewis_12 7h
    I put my heart and soul in this game, I’m feelin’ drained
    Unappreciated, unalleviated #theSIDELINEstory #jcole

    #34347
    Deacon Blues
    Participant

    But he also said:

    Happy to see @BAnya_Allday have a great game tonight. Took advantage of the opportunity. Proud of you fam

    #34348
    Fastback68
    Participant

    There was a thread the other day about Reynolds and I thought back to the 1985 game against a highly ranked team in SMU led by Jon Koncak. State won that day as I sat in the front row. I marveled at our team’s just plain out simple toughness in a close game to the wire. I was hoping this year’s team could eventually show some grit and last night they sure did! Whit, I hope you are raising hell with these players in a positive way with regards to being lean and mean. Now let’s go shoot some pirates.

    #34349
    wolfonthehill
    Participant

    God, I hate Twitter. I really do. Nothing constructive – only destructive….

    #34350
    JohnGalt78
    Participant

    I don’t understand TL’s twitter comments, much less why he would post feelings like that. Geez son, talk it out with your coach instead of tossing your whole team and staff under the bus. Posts like that CAN and WILL be used against us, damn it!

    On the bright side….tis’ a beautiful morning to read about a super effort from the Pack and resulting victory AND the Smurf’s “we vomit after big wins” loss at home to unranked TX. Really, unless it’s us beating the cheaters, it doesn’t get much better.

    #34351
    PoppaJohn
    Participant

    * The Wolfpack just seems to be getting better and better.
    * The defense was outstanding tonight.

    I believe if you assigned the vast SFN research staff the task of finding either of these two sentences in a post about Pack hoops … well, you’d have to dig a long time. And if you looked for both sentences in one article, I don’t think you’d find them.

    And I agree with both statements.

    #34352
    PoppaJohn
    Participant

    This team keeps getting better and better, and the defense was outstanding tonight – may be two sentences never before uttered in the same SFN post.

    And I agree with them. Great game.

    #34353
    Adventuroo
    Participant

    A Poem for the Season…..

    T’was seven days before Christmas and all through the State,
    Wolfies and Rams were at very high levels of ANTICIPATE
    The light blue fans were cloistered before the big screen TV
    With visions of Hairston and McDonald wrapped under their tree….
    The red clad bunch had trepidation and a lot of fear..
    As the sound of Rocky Top was deafening in their ear.
    Coach Gott arrived in the land of Orange with a mission.
    To have a road win against some formidable competition.
    He shouted and called his team by name
    On TJ, on Cat….and to the big guy, Vandy
    Go out and play like your posteriors are not made of CANDY
    So the lads hit shots and got more than one rebound
    Until the strains of Rocky Top was a diminishing sound.
    The Wolfies were victorious in the land of Orange.
    BUT in the Dome….Evil lurked all dressed in Orange.
    McDonald was greeted with a thunderous roar
    The team played with a tempo that most would abhor
    Smiling Ricky was also there on the floor
    If Dean had been there, he, too, would have been restrained all the more.
    The crowd was stunned as Karl and his clowns tweeted
    The atmosphere in the dome soon overheated
    At the end, old Roy was laughing….in spite of his ire
    Defeated and mad as HECK to the presser he would retire
    Old Roy was furious and did not mince or mutter…
    Saying things that even Barry Hinson (hint – SIU) dare not utter.
    Suggesting his lads should be playing lady’s soccer ball
    Rather than the once vaulted UNC Basketball
    In the end it was not a pretty nor glorious site.
    He even wanted to start practice at Midnight.
    To heck with Santa…..I really hate RED
    Because at 5 AM we must spring from our Bed.
    With that not a word more did we hear…
    But, under his breath, “I need a beer”
    As he left the room, he turned and yelled….
    “I’m not happy, guys. I am not in the dadgum Christmas spirit.”
    Happy Christmas to all Wolfie fans and to all a Wolfpack GOOD NIGHT….

    We retirees have WAY too much time on our hands…..

    #34354
    TheCOWDOG
    Moderator

    Roo…With that kinda time, step away from the keyboard, stroll down to the mall, and buy poor Tyler Lewis a freakin’ Care Bear for Christmas.

    #34355
    13OT
    Participant

    This game last night was mainly about good coaching vs bad coaching.

    Tennessee looked like our “road kill” teams under the previous two coaches. UT’s 3-point prowess looked like a less-than-memorable performance of a HWSNBN team at Boston College several years ago (3 or 34 from behind the arc?). The Vols continued to make the same mistakes over and over, while their opponent, with less talent and much less experience, repeatedly made them look bad by picking them apart.

    If Tennessee wants to improve their football program, they need to take the millions they’re wasting on Cuonzo Martin and put it toward hiring a real football coach.

    The jury may be out on whether or not NCSU has a real football coach, but I do believe we may have found us a real basketball coach. Now that Gott finally has an OOC road win, maybe we’re getting on track.

    As for our players, I continue to be impressed by the play of our bigs, Kyle Washington and BeeJay Anya.

    #34356
    Adventuroo
    Participant

    TheCOWDOG…

    I guess that Tyler is wandering around in a state of “Tiny Tim”….but that turned out OK…

    I don’t think giving him such a present would be approved by Coach Lutz…

    I’ll let others adopt him from the “Angel Wolfie Tree”

    #34357
    wufpup76
    Keymaster

    Well, I was feeling good … until I read about Lewis’ Twitter-capades above. Kind of deflating.

    He didn’t seem the type to put forth something so selfish. I understand venting, etc. – but that stuff is out there for everyone to see. Keep it behind closed doors, please.

Viewing 25 posts - 1 through 25 (of 63 total)
  • You must be logged in to reply to this topic.