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Glenn Wilkes Classic Preview: NC State vs. Akron

NC STATE WOLFPACK vs. AKRON ZIPS
When: 3:30pm
Where: Daytona, FL
Records: NC State (1-0), Akron (0-1)
Television: None (Online Streaming from GlennWilkesClassic.com)
Where To Watch In Raleigh: The Brickhouse Sports Bar and Grill (3801 Hillsborough St.)

On Friday afternoon the Wolfpack will take on the favorite to win the MAC, the Akron Zips. Sporting a senior laden line-up, the Zips are an experienced squad looking to notch their first win of season. Last week, Akron fell to Austin Peay (whom the Pack will play on Saturday) in true heartbreaking fashion. With 5:26 left to play, Akron held a 12 point advantage, only to see Austin Peay reel off the next 17 points, en route to the victory.

With the Zips, it may not be the starting five you need to focus on. In their opening game, the bench players out-scored the starters 47-30, led by junior guard Steve McNeese with 14, and the infamous three point threat, 'Humpty' Higgins with 12.

Friday will mark the third time NC State has faced Akron. The Pack has won the first two contests rather handily (in 1947 and 1969). NC State also owns a 3-0 record against all MAC teams.

The Wolfpack will most likely be without senior Farnold Degand (coaches decision- grades) according to head coach Sidney Lowe at his weekly radio show. The absence of Degand, the fastest player on the squad, could certainly hamper the Pack's attempts to push the pace. This will mean finding ways to score out of the half court set, when forced to do so. Lowe is tinkering with a few ideas, including moving the sharp shooting freshman, Scott Wood, to the two, enabling him to get more floor time. He also mentioned allowing Tracy Smith to operate out of the 4, meaning freshman Jordan Vandenberg could see extended time this weekend. Vandenberg has been a shock to fans who figured his lack of recruitment equated to a lack of talent. That theory has been put to rest as Vandenberg is now a fan favorite thanks to his presence in the middle, his intense nature and his sneaky athleticism.

Another reason you may see a bit more of Vandenberg is to off-set Akron's 7 foot freshman, Zeke Marshall. Marshall, a heralded freshman who shunned schools such as Pitt, Virginia and Virginia Tech for Akron. Ranked as the 7th best center in the nation, he chose Akron, in part, because he wanted to bring a small school to national prominence and doesn't think you need to play in a power conference to get drafted.

"A lot of high-ranked players are starting to go to smaller schools," Marshall said to ESPN. "You can make The League without going to a big school."


Although, at the end of the day, the team with the most baskets win, limiting turnovers and pressure defense will certainly be a deciding factor in this one, as usual for NC State. The Zips only committed 9 turnovers in their first contest, a number expected for an experienced roster. The Pack also, surprisingly, only had 9 turnovers in their opener. A surprisingly low number, taking into consideration the amount of freshmen logging minutes for State.

The Glenn Wilkes Classic will certainly be a test for this young NC State team. Playing three games in three days away from home will tell a lot. It will help head Coach Lowe get a gauge of who to play and when to play them. It will tell if this young team is ready for to compete against the big boys, and it will test the togetherness of a team that swears by their chemistry. It should be an exciting weekend. Stay tuned, as we're in Daytona covering it every step of the way.

2012 Center Uchebo Commits To NC State!

With the 2010 recruiting class already solidified as a Top-10 class, Coach Lowe reached a couple years into the future, and received a commitment from 7-foot center Joseph Uchebo in the 2012 class.

Joseph Uchebo is a 7-foot, 220 pound sophomore center in the 2012 class. Originally from Nigeria, Uchebo played for Mt. Zion in Durham last season. Currently, he is at Oak Ridge Academy, but his transfer papers have been submitted, that could land him at Word of God Academy in the near future. Uchebo is supposed to be a tremendous soccer player, making him much more athletic and agile than most 7-footers. This young man's game is raw, but ESPN states that he has a skilled inside presence and quickness. Uchebo's ceiling is very high, and many believe he could end up being one of the top players in his class before it is all said and done.

Uchebo was at NC State's Red Rally at Reynolds and has been up to practice on numerous occasions. This coaching staff continues to show that they have an eye for talent early on in the recruiting process.



Uchebo is #25.

Wolfpack's Weekend Tournament To Be Televised At "The Brickhouse"

We just wanted to give everybody a heads up, and let them know where they can catch the Wolfpack on TV this weekend, since the games are not televised by any cable companies. The Pack is playing in the Glenn Wilkes Classic in Daytona Beach, Florida, on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. We have spoken with the guys over at "The Brickhouse: sports bar and grill" in Raleigh, and they have let us know that they will be hooking their big screens into the live internet feed provided by GlennWilkesClassic.com.

"The Brickhouse" is a NC State friendly sports bar and grill, located off of Hillsborough St, in Raleigh. It sits in the shopping center directly across from the entrance to Meredith College. It's a great place to watch a game, and has some of the best wings Raleigh has to offer.

We invite everybody to come out and cheer on the Wolfpack as they face their first true test of the young season. We will be covering it on location in Daytona and giving you game updates, so feel free to bring your laptops (they have free wi-fi.)

GAME TIMES:
NC State vs. Akron (Friday, 3:30pm)

NC State vs. Austin Peay (Saturday, 8:15pm)

NC State vs. Auburn (Sunday, 8:15pm)


The BRICKHOUSE
The Brickhouse: Sports Bar and Grill
3801 Hillsborough St
Raleigh, NC 27603

Recap of Coach Lowe's Radio Show (11/16/09)

-Coach Lowe talked about how this weekend's three-game stint in Daytona, FL, is a good chance for the team to spend time together and to gel a little more. He anticipates it being a great experience.

-Question: "What have you learned about this group?" Coach Lowe described this group as eager to learn and puts forth consistent effort in practice. There is a great team attitude and atmosphere amongst the group.

-He stressed the fact that they worked hard on defense this off-season. From day one they worked on their defensive set first, and then their offensive set. They want to dictate the game from the defensive end.

-Coach Lowe talked about how he put all of the new guys on one side of the court early on to help them get familiar with the offense. He specifically noted that Wood and Vandenberg were quick learners. He said that he can deal with one mistake, but he doesn't want to see the same mistake repeated. When Coach Lowe came to NC State as a player, he was prepared well at Dematha, and therefore had a head start. His mother also taught him to strive to please his elders, especially his coaches.

-Coach Lowe has been vocal in the past about wanting to have a point guard who knows what to do without looking to coach. He mentioned that Javi has really improved and is doing a better job pushing the ball up the court.

-He said that they wanted to run an "inside-out" offense. This team is very unselfish. Tracy Smith is coming along, but he still needs to be more patient. He had a great summer and works on his free throws every day in practice. Smith is going to get fouled a lot.

-Degand will probably not play this weekend. Coach Lowe is still not satisfied with his academic effort.

-Coach hinted at the fact that he might mess around with the lineup a little bit. Wood could see some time at the '2' and Smith could see some time at the '4'.

-Richard Howell practiced for the first time this Monday and is looking good. He could be ready to go by next week.

-Coach Lowe said Ryan Harrow is a 'special player.' He came all the way to Raleigh to sign his letter of intent so the fans could be a part of it. He then drove back in the rain so he wouldn't miss class. That's the type of kid he is.

-He also talked about how Josh Davis contributes in a lot of ways besides scoring that keep him on the floor.

-This team likes each other...they listen to each other. There is no single leader for the team at this point. Horner leads by example and has a tremendous work ethic. Smith has become more of a vocal leader this year.

-Coach Lowe talked about watching Lorenzo this past weekend in Lousiburg. He said that he made some electrifying plays and glides when he moves. Brown is deceptively quick.