Lowe Will Tell Flip Saunders No Thank You

From Andy Katz:

"I know I'm going to get the phone call," Lowe said. "But this is where I am. [Saunders] is not the only one who is going to call. One has already called. But there's so much here. I love working with young men, teaching them and preparing them for the world."

Lowe said he received another year on his contract so that means he has four years left on the original six-year contract with the Wolfpack.

"Flip is my guy but I've got a contract here and this is my first time really starting over here," Lowe said. "We've got a great opportunity now and we're moving in the right direction."

Think he'll change his mind if this upcoming season goes poorly?

Also in that post, a tidbit about the schedule:

Lowe is trying to upgrade the schedule. The Wolfpack host Florida in a return of a home-and-home series and do return a game at rebuilding Marquette and start a series at Arizona, which is going through a makeover project. Even though two of these three schools likely aren't headed for the NCAA tournament, the Pack need confidence early before ACC play begins. Lowe said he is also committing to the inaugural Diamond Head Classic in Honolulu in December with headline teams USC and UNLV.

Other teams that may be in the tournament field: Saint Mary's, Georgia, College of Charleston, and Hawaii. (Update: State's not going to Hawaii after all.)

Florida, Marquette, Arizona, Northwestern, Rutgers, plus the tournament in Honolulu--that's a significantly improved OOC slate. One that--if we have any sort of success--should put us in good shape with the RPI heading into conference play.

A few more quick items:

-- Q&A with Kellie Harper. Harper says that as of right now, no one is planning to transfer.

-- Coming soon.

-- This is interesting: representatives from the Raleigh-Durham market "have requested to be considered as [World Cup] hosts in 2018 or 2022." World Cup soccer at Carter-Finley? (hat tip: Soccer Insider) (Update: more on this from the N&O)