No Rest For Weary Wolfpack
By Tony Haynes
Raleigh, N.C. ? Many thought that NC State was facing the supreme basketball test when it tried to win for the fourth time in as many days when it faced North Carolina in the ACC Championship game on Sunday. The supreme test, in fact, may come Tuesday night when the Wolfpack hits the road for a first-round NIT game (8 p.m.) against Drexel.
While the Pack appreciates the opportunity to continue playing, the NIT selection committee didn?t do coach Sidney Lowe?s team any favors by asking it to play its fifth game in six days away from home.
Following Sunday?s title game at the St. Pete Times Forum in Tampa, NC State?s cramped lockerroom looked more like a mash unit. On one side of the room, senior point guard Engin Atsur?s aching left hamstring was wrapped in ice. In another corner, center Ben McCauley wore an ice pack on one of his knees. Later, forward Brandon Costner, who played brilliantly for four days in Tampa, limped slowly down the hallway on the way to the bus.
The scene only re-enforced the notion that NC State (18-15) had put together one of the gutsiest, courageous runs in the 54-year history of the ACC Tournament. Through four emotional, draining and physical days of basketball, the Wolfpack somehow had enough left to cut a 16-point second half deficit down to one and push the top-seeded Tar Heels to the limit before finally falling short, 89-80.
?I?m so proud of our guys and the way we performed all weekend,? Lowe said. ?I told our guys that you can be hurt, but don?t be disappointed because there?s nothing to be disappointed about. These guys were absolutely amazing. What they did, I don?t think too many people thought they could do.?
Soon after NC State?s charter flight arrived back in Raleigh on Sunday evening, Lowe and his staff learned that their players would have just one night to sleep in their own beds before hitting the road again.
A No. 6 seed in the NIT?s East Regional, the Pack will be facing a well-rested Drexel team that received consideration for an at-large bid into the NCAA Tournament after posting a 23-8 record for coach Bruiser Flint.
Drexel may not be rated as high as North Carolina, but given the fact that the Dragons will be playing on their homecourt against an NC State team that will have virtually no time to rest and catch its breath, the challenge for the Wolfpack may be as great as or more so than it was on Sunday.
Playing in the Colonial Athletic Association, Drexel had won seven of eight games before losing in the league?s tournament semifinals to VCU, 56-53, a week ago.
The Dragons haven?t played a game since.
Drexel, which finished fourth in the final CAA standings, led the league in field goal percentage defense (39.9 percent), blocks (5.28 per game), steals (8.17) and ranked second in scoring defense (60.8).
Frank Elegar, a 6-9 junior, is Drexel?s leading scorer (15.8 ppg.) and No. 2 rebounder (6.7). The Dragons second leading scorer spent one year at NC State before transferring. Guard Dominick Mejia, who left the Wolfpack following the 2003-04 campaign, averages 11.9 points per game.
Tuesday?s match-up could pit strength against strength with Drexel?s tough to penetrate defense trying to slow down NC State?s efficient offensive sets, which were, at times, unstoppable during stretches of the ACC Tournament.
Costner, in particular, was effective in Tampa, setting a new school record by scoring 90 points in four games of the tournament.
?He had a great tournament, and this is a redshirt freshman,? Lowe said. ?He did it all. He played inside for us, he popped out and knocked down some shots, he rebounded and he played defense. Obviously, he?s a very important part of our team. He?s had a great year.?
As has been the case much of the year, the health of Atsur could again be an issue Tuesday night. Tweaking the hamstring that caused him to miss 12 games in Saturday?s semifinal game against Virginia Tech, Atsur admits that he was limited during the Carolina game.
?Obviously, I don?t feel great but I was just out there trying to compete and do whatever I could to slow the tempo down and be a leader out there,? Atsur said. ?Coach told me to just set up some shots for my teammates and that was what I was trying to do. I wasn?t in a position where I could just go out and score, so I was just trying to find my teammates.?
Atsur and his teammates earned a lot of respect and perhaps some new admirers during their inspiring performance in Tampa. Now, with only one day off between tournaments, a similar run through the NIT would be perhaps even more startling.
NC State in the NIT: This will mark the Wolfpack?s 10th appearance in the nation?s longest running postseason tournament. With a record of 13-11 overall, the Pack made its only appearance in the finals when it lost to Texas in 1978. NC State also advanced to the semifinals in New York in 2000 before falling to Wake Forest?.Costner?s father, Tony, played college basketball with Flint and Drexel assistant coach Geoff Arnold at St. Joseph's.
Playing:
Pack +5.5:shrug:
By Tony Haynes
Raleigh, N.C. ? Many thought that NC State was facing the supreme basketball test when it tried to win for the fourth time in as many days when it faced North Carolina in the ACC Championship game on Sunday. The supreme test, in fact, may come Tuesday night when the Wolfpack hits the road for a first-round NIT game (8 p.m.) against Drexel.
While the Pack appreciates the opportunity to continue playing, the NIT selection committee didn?t do coach Sidney Lowe?s team any favors by asking it to play its fifth game in six days away from home.
Following Sunday?s title game at the St. Pete Times Forum in Tampa, NC State?s cramped lockerroom looked more like a mash unit. On one side of the room, senior point guard Engin Atsur?s aching left hamstring was wrapped in ice. In another corner, center Ben McCauley wore an ice pack on one of his knees. Later, forward Brandon Costner, who played brilliantly for four days in Tampa, limped slowly down the hallway on the way to the bus.
The scene only re-enforced the notion that NC State (18-15) had put together one of the gutsiest, courageous runs in the 54-year history of the ACC Tournament. Through four emotional, draining and physical days of basketball, the Wolfpack somehow had enough left to cut a 16-point second half deficit down to one and push the top-seeded Tar Heels to the limit before finally falling short, 89-80.
?I?m so proud of our guys and the way we performed all weekend,? Lowe said. ?I told our guys that you can be hurt, but don?t be disappointed because there?s nothing to be disappointed about. These guys were absolutely amazing. What they did, I don?t think too many people thought they could do.?
Soon after NC State?s charter flight arrived back in Raleigh on Sunday evening, Lowe and his staff learned that their players would have just one night to sleep in their own beds before hitting the road again.
A No. 6 seed in the NIT?s East Regional, the Pack will be facing a well-rested Drexel team that received consideration for an at-large bid into the NCAA Tournament after posting a 23-8 record for coach Bruiser Flint.
Drexel may not be rated as high as North Carolina, but given the fact that the Dragons will be playing on their homecourt against an NC State team that will have virtually no time to rest and catch its breath, the challenge for the Wolfpack may be as great as or more so than it was on Sunday.
Playing in the Colonial Athletic Association, Drexel had won seven of eight games before losing in the league?s tournament semifinals to VCU, 56-53, a week ago.
The Dragons haven?t played a game since.
Drexel, which finished fourth in the final CAA standings, led the league in field goal percentage defense (39.9 percent), blocks (5.28 per game), steals (8.17) and ranked second in scoring defense (60.8).
Frank Elegar, a 6-9 junior, is Drexel?s leading scorer (15.8 ppg.) and No. 2 rebounder (6.7). The Dragons second leading scorer spent one year at NC State before transferring. Guard Dominick Mejia, who left the Wolfpack following the 2003-04 campaign, averages 11.9 points per game.
Tuesday?s match-up could pit strength against strength with Drexel?s tough to penetrate defense trying to slow down NC State?s efficient offensive sets, which were, at times, unstoppable during stretches of the ACC Tournament.
Costner, in particular, was effective in Tampa, setting a new school record by scoring 90 points in four games of the tournament.
?He had a great tournament, and this is a redshirt freshman,? Lowe said. ?He did it all. He played inside for us, he popped out and knocked down some shots, he rebounded and he played defense. Obviously, he?s a very important part of our team. He?s had a great year.?
As has been the case much of the year, the health of Atsur could again be an issue Tuesday night. Tweaking the hamstring that caused him to miss 12 games in Saturday?s semifinal game against Virginia Tech, Atsur admits that he was limited during the Carolina game.
?Obviously, I don?t feel great but I was just out there trying to compete and do whatever I could to slow the tempo down and be a leader out there,? Atsur said. ?Coach told me to just set up some shots for my teammates and that was what I was trying to do. I wasn?t in a position where I could just go out and score, so I was just trying to find my teammates.?
Atsur and his teammates earned a lot of respect and perhaps some new admirers during their inspiring performance in Tampa. Now, with only one day off between tournaments, a similar run through the NIT would be perhaps even more startling.
NC State in the NIT: This will mark the Wolfpack?s 10th appearance in the nation?s longest running postseason tournament. With a record of 13-11 overall, the Pack made its only appearance in the finals when it lost to Texas in 1978. NC State also advanced to the semifinals in New York in 2000 before falling to Wake Forest?.Costner?s father, Tony, played college basketball with Flint and Drexel assistant coach Geoff Arnold at St. Joseph's.
Playing:
Pack +5.5:shrug:
