Backing The Pack, a N.C. State Wolfpack community

Sidney Lowe brought up plus/minus system for 1st time. Richard Howell and Tracy Smith have good +/- when playing together.

Lowe said Tracy Smith will be a game-time decision for tomorrow - Tweaked the outside of his knee going for a loose ball

"I knew there was a pretty big chance I would not be able to attend any NBA workouts because of my classes, but if things were to have opened up I had to submit my name," said Smith. "Now I am absolutely focused on the upcoming season. With the talent we have returning, and the newcomers we have signed, we have a chance to have a special season."

"We were confident all the way back in February when Tracy said he would be returning for his senior season," said NC State head coach Sidney Lowe. "There was perhaps no better recruiter for our incoming class than Tracy, and you can see how hard he has been working since the season ended that he is looking forward to next year."

Tracy Smith will play basketball for N.C. State next season, his mother said Thursday.

The Wolfpack junior is among the 103 underclassmen on the NBA's list of early entrants but he's not going anywhere, LaShawn Lester said.

"There's nothing to worry about," Lester said Thursday. "He's going to be at N.C. State next year."

Smith showed up at Tobacco Road Sports Cafe Friday night to watch some NCAA Tournament games and chat up highly touted prospect CJ Leslie.

Smith was asked if he is putting a press to keep CJ Leslie in Raleigh, "That's what I am trying to do right now, I'm trying to get CJ. If we get CJ, we are going to have an all-star team. I mean Ryan (Harrow) and Lorenzo (Brown) we're going to have a good team next year."

N.C. State's leading scorer Tracy Smith banged up his right knee late in the second half of Saturday's win at Miami. He was helped to the bench to receive treatment but he did come back in the ball game before it ended. Smith did have some soreness in the knee on Sunday. He didn't practice today, but did take part in some light drills.

Smith said he will spend the upcoming summer working to improve his stamina and his jump shot.

"I just have to get my conditioning better and get stronger," Smith said. "My 15-foot jump shot, I plan on shooting that more."

Smith said he is already excited about the arrival next season of freshmen Ryan Harrow and Lorenzo Brown after sharing the court with them during pickup games last off-season.

"I can’t wait," Smith said. "I played with them over the summer. We played pickup basketball in the gym and shot around. Ryan Harrow’s a good kid. Him and Lorenzo, I’m definitely looking forward to playing with them next year."

Not surprisingly, junior Tracy Smith was NC State's biggest scorer in Thursday night's preseason exhibition game against St. Paul's at Reynolds Coliseum. The 6-foot-9 forward was, after all, the tallest starter on the court.

He had 21 points in less than 25 minutes of action to lead all scorers in the 84-42Wolfpack victory.

Ten of Smith's points came in the first 10 minutes of the second half, when he completely out-sized and out-classed the smaller Division II opponent, which did not have a player taller than 6-foo-4 on its roster.