The Longest Winter

Box Score

NC StateFour FactorseFG%39.0Turnover Rate28.8Off Reb Rate14.3FTM/FGA58.5DukeFour FactorseFG%58.5Turnover Rate15.8Off Reb Rate25.0FTM/FGA16.9











-- In the first half, Courtney Fells took 3-4 pullup jumpers in the early seconds of the shot clock, one of which practically coming from the scorer's table. I had to take a breather after that one. I haven't been angrier than that all season. Fells was the major culprit, but everybody took bad shots in the first 20 minutes--I don't think I've seen worse shot selection from an NC State team.

-- Kudos to Duke--not many teams have been able to force us to shoot poorly on two-pointers. We rank 4th nationally in 2FG% (58.5%) but only hit 10-of-30 (33.3%) twos today. Defensively, the Blue Devils did to us what they've done to opponents all season: held us to a low FG%, turned us over, and prevented us from grabbing offensive boards. That's why they've got a fantastic defense.

-- The game had 69.5 possessions, putting State's offensive efficiency at 80.6. My score Predict-O-Meter had pegged us for an OFF EFF of 87.2, so we actually weren't that far below expectation. Duke's OFF EFF was 113.7. In five conference games, NCSU opponents are averaging an OFF EFF of 111.9 (119.7 in the friendly RBC Center confines)--this is atrocious defense. But you knew that.

-- Nothin' pretty to see here.

 eFG% TO%

Costner 45.0 25.4
Fells 45.0 27.7
Grant 25.0 21.8
McCauley 25.0 31.8