College basketball is back.

Finally. Those exhibition games just didn't cut it. NC State opens the season in the BCA Classic (which we're hosting) against the University of New Orleans. UNO is coached by former Wolfpack great Monte Towe, who was a important piece of NC State's 1974 national championship team.

Here's a nice article on Towe from the Times-Picayune in New Orleans: Small Wonder

The BCA tourney is a wonderful collection of cupcakes, so the Wolfpack should have no trouble winning it and starting the year 3-0.

In related news, NCSU has sold 14,200 basketball season tickets for 2004-2005, which means they are sold out. Attendance has really lagged the last few years thanks mainly to a lack of excitement surrounding the program despite a few consecutive NCAA tournament appearances. It hasn't been that bad during conference home games, but games against OOC cupcakes have been horrible--10,000 fans or so on a good night. Hopefully the renewed faith in the team means more attendance at these OOC games. There's no excuse for empty seats.

Thank goodness for the preseason NIT ... I don't know what I'd be watching if not for college basketball. Wake Forest looked awfully good against a tough George Washington team ... they'll score a lot of points this year, but defense still appears to be an issue (in other words, it's the same old Wake Forest).