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CHAPEL HILL _ N.C. State’s disastrous play Saturday means this season could get away from the Wolfpack quickly.
State was picked third in the ACC – and second by this reporter. State returned four starters and, based on its run to the ACC title game and its NIT efforts, appeared ready for a return State to NCAA play.
But now State is reeling after yet another poor performance.
“This is it. This is how the conference is going to be played,” coach Sidney Lowe said. “These types of environments exist in our conference and we have to be ready to play.”
State is headed toward just such environments, playing at Clemson Tuesday.
After that comes home games against Miami Saturday and Georgia Tech Jan. 23 followed by games at Florida State Jan. 26 and at Duke Jan. 31.
N.C. State might be fortunate to win two of those five. If it loses four, it goes into February with a 12-8 record that includes bad losses to New Orleans and East Carolina. The Pack would have almost no chance of finishing with a winning record in the ACC.
Here it is January, and Lowe is still talking about how the Wolfpack misses point guard Engin Atsur, who was a senior last season.
“This is still a young team. It’s a young team, a new team,” Lowe said. “We miss Engin’s calmness. We’ll get there. I don’t know when, but we’ll get there.”
State is without Farnold Degand, who won the starting point guard job but injured a knee and is out for the year. But Degand wasn’t a great player and his loss shouldn’t force a team to unravel.
If the State team that played on Saturday is a true indication of where this team ranks, this could become a long season fast for Wolfpack fans.
It may sound hard to believe the season has reached a critical stage so early, but State’s NCAA chances could disappear before February arrives.
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The team is just not recognizing how BAD they are. And it goes all the way up to Sidney Lowe, himself. He still smiles with that pencil-thin mustache of his and acts like it's no big deal.
Until they make it a big deal, they will not fix anything. That is why State will have the worst season in recent memory when the dust settles on this 2007-2008 season.
And it's sad and pathetic. They have so much TALENT (hate that word, but it's true). And we get mediocre performance after mediocre performance out of them.
January 14, 2008 12:28 p.m.
Turheel, it's great that you have so much confidence in the Pack. But the fact is, it was not just one game. It has been just about every game this year. State has the depth and talent to do GREAT things. I think that's where you get your confidence, and I agree. The problem is, the New Orleans and ECU losses SHOULD have been the wake-up call that State needed and they were not.
State has severe chemistry problems, and they just aren't being worked out. If they were going to be, they would have been by now. State needs to hit rock bottom (the ECU game SHOULD HAVE BEEN rock bottom!) The first half of the Carolina game should now be rock bottom, but it WON'T be. That is because State played so well in the second half that they will be able to find some positives and move on. I was hoping State would lose by 60 so there would be no way to avoid calling this rock bottom.
January 14, 2008 12:23 p.m.
January 14, 2008 10:32 a.m.
January 14, 2008 10:22 a.m.
This title should be "State Reeling BEFORE, DURING, AND AFTER Blowout".
This is what we get for hiring untested, unproven coaches that happen to be State graduates (remember Amato?) When you shell out the big buck, you get a great coach like TOB.
I say give Sidney his chance to right the ship (all new coaches should get at least 3-4 years to start making improvements). When he fails go after Rick Barnes to replace him.
And NO, I do not regret letting Herb go.
January 14, 2008 9:37 a.m.
January 14, 2008 9:34 a.m.
Which NC State player has NBA scouts looking at him?
January 14, 2008 9:30 a.m.
That is what I asked for Sendek, but we all know who won that, the same Lunatic Fringe that is now calling for Lowe's head.
"I think Sidney is still dealing with the fallout of his predecesor."
Prove it! After a season + Lowe should have his system installed. Herb Sendek had asolutely nothing to do with the abysmal showing in the first half of Saturday's game.
January 14, 2008 6:25 a.m.
January 13, 2008 9:29 p.m.
January 13, 2008 7:12 p.m.