With the score 72-69, Javier Gonzalez missed a jumper with 33 seconds to play. He also tried an 18-footer with 6.5 seconds left with the Pack behind 73-71, and he missed that as well.
Finally, with 1 second left, Julius Mays put up a 3-point attempt for the win from the top of the key, and it missed, too. "The first one went halfway down, it looked in," Gonzalez said. "The next one, the last one I took, felt good, too."
Gonzalez let out a big sigh and leaned against a wall outside the N.C. State locker room. It was the fourth straight ACC loss for the Wolfpack (14-10, 2-7) since shocking Duke on Jan. 20.
2 days ago
Akula Wolf
7 comments
0 recs
Georgia Tech 73, NC State 71
by Akula Wolf on Feb 6, 2010 10:30 PM EST
5 comments
| Four Factors | NC State |
Ga Tech |
| eFG% | 39.7 | 58.0 |
| Turnover Rate | 28.3 | 28.3 |
| Off Reb Rate | 46.7 | 33.3 |
| FT Rate | 32.4 | 58.0 |
| Pts | Poss | OFF_EFF | DEF_EFF | |
| GT | 73 | 77.6 | 94.1 | 91.5 |
| NCSU | 71 | 77.6 | 91.5 | 94.1 |
Seven points in the first 10 minutes of the game, 10 points in the first 10 minutes of the second half. Twenty-three points in the last seven minutes of the first half, 21 points in the last seven minutes of the second. That...was strange. As things were unfolding in poor fashion at the start, I was thinking, hey, why not get the scoring drought out of the way right off the bat? Y'know, trying to stay glass-half-full. Naturally the second half began the exact same way.
I'd already filed the game away as another lackluster defeat and didn't think much of it when we cut the lead back to single digits. But the press kept working. I can't remember the last time an opposing team was so clearly flustered down the stretch. Tech's lead went from 14 to one in two minutes, and when we had the ball with a chance to take the lead, I pretended I didn't already know how it would end. This never happens; it would have to be different this time.
Scott Wood missed a wide open three, Javi grabbed the miss but turned it over. D'Andre Bell missed two free throws at the other end, Javi squandered another possession. More damned empty possessions leading to more what-ifs.
I don't doubt that Sid stormed off the court because he was upset with the no-call at the end. But he also looked like a man boiling over with frustration after another in long line of almost-but-not-quites. I'm not going to endure this for one more second than I have to. Yeah. I would've done the same thing.
5 comments | 0 recs |
Previewing Georgia Tech
by Akula Wolf on Feb 5, 2010 4:44 PM EST
0 comments
2009 Scouting Report / 2009 Game Plan / 2010 Scouting Report / 2010 Game Plan
2010 Stats (pdf)
2010 Roster
2010 Schedule
| Four Factors | Percent | Nat'l Rank |
| eFG% | 47.9 | 214 |
| Turnover Rate | 22.6 | 285 |
| Off Reb Rate | 35.0 | 94 |
| FTA/FGA | 35.6 | 195 |
| Four Factors | Percent | Nat'l Rank |
| eFG% | 51.0 | 89 |
| Turnover Rate | 22.4 | 266 |
| Off Reb Rate | 40.0 | 15 |
| FTA/FGA | 37.1 | 186 |
Last season's Georgia Tech offense was a disaster in every respect. They were competitive defensively, finishing league play sixth in defensive efficiency, but their futility at the offensive end doomed them to a 2-14 record. The 91.7 points they averaged per 100 possessions was impressively awful, the worst ACC offense I've seen since I started tracking these stats back in 2005.
| GT Offense (in conf play) | OFF_EFF | eFG% | TO% | OR% | FTR |
| 2009 | 91.7 (12) | 46.8 (10) | 23.5 (12) | 31.7 (11) | 32.1 (9) |
| 2010 | 100.0 (5) | 48.6 (4) | 21.9 (10) | 38.2 (4) | 32.2 (12) |
So there was no where for this year's team to go but up, and up they've gone, though they remain deeply flawed. They could stand to take better care of the ball and make a few more twos, but at this rate they're doing enough things right to get themselves back into the NCAA tournament conversation.
The key so far, aside from the improved offensive rebounding, has been their added diversity. They still don't like to take a lot of threes, but at least when they do they have more options at their disposal. Guarding this Yellow Jackets team isn't quite the straightforward task it was a year ago. Mfon Udofia, Brian Oliver, and even Iman Shumpert have been reliable from outside in conference play, and there are several other guys who've proven effective if infrequent contributors from beyond the arc.
If NC State hopes to reclaim some lost momentum on Saturday, it has got to start turning opponents over again. They also need to avoid a flat effort on the glass, lest the Jackets pound away and use second opportunities to turn the game into a laugher. That's effort, something Lowe's teams have lacked on the road far too often.
Starters:
Iman Shumpert (6-5, 209) -- It's amazing to me that this guy was a McDonald's All-American. I see it, I guess--I'm sure his size did him all sorts of favors in high school--but come on, we aren't selling jeans here. His lack of shooting touch and propensity for turnovers made him a symbol of Tech's offensive struggles last year. He's still turning it over in bunches, he still can't make twos, and he's taking a bigger chunk of the shots this season.
Mfon Udofia (6-2, 187) -- His outside shooting seems to be coming around after a slow start, but he's made just six of 25 two-point attempts in conference play while turning the ball over at a 31.1 percent clip.
D'Andre Bell (6-6, 222) -- Generally a light contributor at the offensive end, he makes a solid percentage of his twos and will step outside for the occasional three.
Gani Lawal (6-9, 234) -- Lawal is as steady as they come, and although he remains the focal point, this offense spreads the ball around such that they don't often need him to carry them. His eFG% the last three seasons: 56.9, 55.5, 55.6. Offensive rebounding percentages over the last three years: 11.1, 13.0, 13.1.
Derrick Favors (6-10, 246) -- It isn't necessarily the case that Favors couldn't have the impact that a DeMarcus Cousins has had, but rather that Favors simply hasn't been afforded the same opportunities. Favors, to his credit, is not a selfish black hole and remains deferential to his more experienced front court mates. He's made 59% of his twos but takes a modest 20.5% of the shots. He is an outstanding shot blocker and offensive rebounder, though his effectiveness is hurt by turnovers and a low free throw percentage.
Bench:
Zach Peacock (6-8, 235), Brian Oliver (6-6, 220), Glen Rice (6-5, 195), Maurice Miller (6-2, 189). Oliver is a three-point specialist, and with an average of 11.8 3FGA/40, he is not shy. Nor should he be considering he's made 40% of his threes. At 6-6, he's a tough guy to try to limit. Peacock is bouncing back nicely from a tough 2009, though his interior scoring has cooled in conference play. He'll hit a three if left alone and should be a major factor off the bench.
Miller is a decent but spotty contributor, while Miller has for whatever reason never been the same since a good freshman debut two seasons ago.
| Four Factors | Percent | Nat'l Rank |
| eFG% | 47.1 | 80 |
| Turnover Rate | 21.5 | 102 |
| Off Reb Rate | 32.4 | 156 |
| FTA/FGA | 38.0 | 216 |
| Four Factors | Percent | Nat'l Rank |
| eFG% | 42.8 | 12 |
| Turnover Rate | 22.5 | 84 |
| Off Reb Rate | 32.3 | 155 |
| FTA/FGA | 35.1 | 129 |
Tech's FT% defense is holding up in ACC play but they've been unable to keep conference foes off the glass or turn them over. If the Wolfpack are committed to playing hard, which may be a dubious proposition after their recent slide, they can create opportunities for themselves. I worry about their state of mind, though.
Pomeroy Predictor likes GT by 10.
0 comments | 0 recs |
Wwwoooowwwww, NC State. Powerhouse, baby! I hear they're looking to improve to 6-6 in 2010, baby!!! Oh well - at least the cupcakes didn't follow Kelly to Notre Dame.....
-- Some jerk on the internet. Or an unusually surly Dick Vitale. THIS IS AN OUTRAGE.
4 days ago
Akula Wolf
2 comments
0 recs
2010 Football Schedule Released
by Akula Wolf on Feb 4, 2010 2:29 PM EST
14 comments
Two Thursday night home games:
Sept. 4 WESTERN CAROLINA
Sept. 11 at Central Florida
Sept. 16 CINCINNATI (Thurs-ESPN) 7:30 pm
Sept. 25 at Georgia Tech
Oct. 2 VIRGINIA TECH
Oct. 9 BOSTON COLLEGE
Oct. 16 at East Carolina
Oct. 28 FLORIDA ST. (Thurs- ESPN) 7:30
Nov. 6 at Clemson
Nov. 13 WAKE FOREST
Nov. 20 at North Carolina
Nov. 27 at Maryland
-- This is the fourth consecutive home game against Florida State that will be played on a Thursday. That's kind of strange. Haven't played them on a Saturday in Carter-Finley since 2002.
-- The Thursday games are advantageous from a rest perspective. At a cost of one short week, we get extra time to prepare for Georgia Tech (though that probably won't matter), Florida State, and Clemson.
-- A division foe has been placed back in the Thanksgiving weekend slot. TOB will be pleased.
-- I'm seeing five, six wins tops. Breaking even at home would be a surprise to me.
14 comments | 0 recs |
Virginia 59, NC State 47
by Akula Wolf on Feb 4, 2010 12:33 AM EST
12 comments
| Four Factors | NC State |
Virginia |
| eFG% | 39.6 | 46.3 |
| Turnover Rate | 12.9 | 14.7 |
| Off Reb Rate | 25.0 | 38.2 |
| FT Rate | 33.3 | 24.1 |
| Pts | Poss | OFF_EFF | DEF_EFF | |
| UVA | 59 | 54.4 | 108.5 | 86.4 |
| NCSU | 47 | 54.4 | 86.4 | 108.5 |
Killed by the sort of second half performance that's been a pattern of late. It's too bad--this game was certainly there for the taking. While NC State was busy going ice cold, Virginia went on the slowest run in the history of basketball to take control of the game. And once it was a three possession game, State panicked before ultimately resigning. One of those nights where you could tell that, no matter the time remaining, no matter how manageable the deficit, it wasn't gonna happen. Damn shame.
12 comments | 0 recs |
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Wolfpack Basketball Schedule
Next 5 Games
Virginia Tech
|
Wed 02/10 | 9:00 PM EST |
|
@
North Carolina
|
Sat 02/13 | 9:00 PM EST |
|
Maryland
|
Wed 02/17 | 9:00 PM EST |
|
Wake Forest
|
Sat 02/20 | 2:00 PM EST |
|
@
Miami
|
Sat 02/27 | 4:00 PM EST |
Last 5 Games
|
@
Georgia Tech
|
Sat 02/06 | L 71 - 73 |
| @ Virginia | Wed 02/03 | L 47 - 59 |
| N.C. Central | Sat 01/30 | W 77 - 42 |
|
North Carolina
|
Tue 01/26 | L 63 - 77 |
|
@
Maryland
|
Sat 01/23 | L 64 - 88 |
Next Game
Atlantic Coast Conference Standings
(updated 2.8.2010 at 2:55 AM EST)
| Conf | Overall | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| W | L | W | L | |
| Duke Blue Devils | 7 | 2 | 19 | 4 |
|
Maryland Terrapins
|
6 | 2 | 16 | 6 |
|
Wake Forest Demon Deacons
|
6 | 3 | 16 | 5 |
|
Virginia Tech Hokies
|
5 | 3 | 18 | 4 |
| Virginia Cavaliers | 5 | 3 | 14 | 7 |
|
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
|
5 | 4 | 17 | 6 |
|
Florida St. Seminoles
|
5 | 4 | 17 | 6 |
|
Clemson Tigers
|
4 | 5 | 16 | 7 |
|
Boston College Eagles
|
3 | 6 | 12 | 11 |
|
North Carolina Tar Heels
|
2 | 6 | 13 | 10 |
|
Miami Hurricanes
|
2 | 7 | 16 | 7 |
|
N.C. State Wolfpack
|
2 | 7 | 14 | 10 |
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