Annual Night of Accolades

Last night the NC State Basketball team held their annual year-end banquet at The State Club. Here is a breakdown of the awards that were handed out:





David Thompson Award: Courtney Fells

Most Improved Player: Tracy Smith

Best Teammate Award: Julius Mays (Voted by the team)

Jim Valvano Coaches Award: C.J. Williams

Practice Player of the Year Award: Ben McCauley

Big Ben, Julius, C.J., and Johnny T all recieved the Scholar Athlete Award for achieving a GPA of 3.0 or higher this past semester.

For a better description of each of these awards, check out the GoPack article.

Sharing the Wealth: Towe Opens Indiana Pipeline

The Chronicle-Tribune, an Indiana newspaper we are all familiar with these days thanks to their supreme coverage of Scott Wood, just ran a peice on NC State assistant coach Monte Towe, who went school in Indiana and now coaches at NC State.

Monte Towe, a former Oak Hill player has gone back to his roots to bring in some elite talent to NC State. Some say that Indiana is the top of the chain when it comes to high school basketball and Monte Towe agrees:

“Grant County sports takes a back seat to nobody,” Towe said at his induction into the Grant County Sports Hall of Fame on Sunday. “Schools in this area provide great platforms for kids to display their talents.”

The fact that NC State has a connection to that area is vital for the future of the program. The High School competition is feirce and players can come into college with a little less of a learning curve. See Julius Mays, who seemed to settle in just fine last season in minimal minutes, hitting a game winning buzzer beater against Miami and dropping 18 on Maryland in the ACC Tournament.

Towe made it be known that he isn't going to stop recruiting Grant County any time soon, either.

“I will always be looking to come up here and work this area,” Towe said. “As long as I am at N.C. State … — and I plan on being there forever — I am going to be around Grant County looking for players.”

Costner Signs With Agent Lance Young

As we all know, Brandon Costner will not be back with the Pack next season. He will be testing the NBA draft waters, and it is believed that he will play in Europe if he goes undrafted. He has signed Lance Young as his agent.

Lance Young also represents Chris Paul, David West, Rudy Gay and Joey Dorsey in the NBA. Young also represents a couple of other familiar faces that you might recognize in Kyle Visser and Justin Gray, who both played their college ball at Wake Forest, and Sam Young (Pitt) and Wesley Matthews (Marquette) who played in this years NCAA Tourney. We will keep you updated as we continue to track Brandon's progress.

Fells Dubbed P.I.T. All-Third Team

Courtney Fells was selected to the Portsmouth Invitational Tournament's All-Third Team along with Alonzo Gee (Alabama), Tyrese Rice (Boston College), Michael Bramos (Miami (OH)) and Diamon Simpson (St. Mary's).

Here is what DraftExpress had to say about Courtney's performance at the P.I.T.:

"Sitting near the back-end of our senior rankings, Courtney Fells came into Portsmouth with everything to gain. After seeing his productivity improve only marginally during his last three seasons at North Carolina State, the offensive minded guard needed a string of big performances to get his name back on the map. He came out extremely strong on day one, and while he had a very poor game to close the tournament, very few NBA decision-makers were in attendance to see it. Though he’s not much of an NBA prospect, Fells had a nice week and may have made himself some money overseas by standing out on the first day.

The biggest factor playing against Fells from an NBA perspective is his lack of elite athleticism. Though he has a strong, lanky, build highlighted by good upper body strength, he doesn’t have great speed, quickness, or leaping ability. In projecting his game to the next level, it becomes obvious that his lack of athletic ability doesn’t fit well with what NBA teams look for. While his limitations would be apparent in some settings, he looked entirely comfortable at the PIT, and shouldn’t have much trouble in the European game either.

Fells’s best asset is his sweet outside shooting stroke. A gifted catch and shoot player with good range and a smooth release, Fells shot the ball extremely well from the perimeter almost all week. Though he went 0-5 in a blowout on the final day of the Invitational, he went 5-7 in the first two contests, looking very comfortable hitting shots moving to his left and showing good footwork. His 1-14 performance in that last game wasn’t a great representation of the week he had, as he was making an obvious effort to get going by forcing some looks. Throughout his career in Raleigh, Fells had his share of ups and downs, and this week was another reminder of what can happen when he is trying too hard to get involved.

Fells did shoot the three well for a stretch this week, but the problems he’s had inside the arc have plagued him since he left high school. An extremely questionable ball-handler, Fells seemed to dribble into trouble nearly every time he put the ball on the floor. This was especially obvious in the last game, where he repeatedly looked to get to the rim, but failed to create any good looks for himself. Considering he’s not blessed with great quickness, his weak handle is holding back the rest of his game rather significantly at this point –since he can’t create separation when well defended. Fells did knock down a couple of shots off the dribble, seeming rather comfortable pulling up when he had time and space to operate –a sign that improved ball-handling could make his midrange game a weapon down the road.

That weakness could be viewed as a biggest problem when one considers that Fells isn’t a great passer or rebounder. Though he showed good court vision in the first contest of the week, Fells is simply not a playmaker. He did make an impact defensively, compensating for his lack of lateral quickness with consistent intensity. Not a prolific defender statistically, he didn’t take many risks this week and could be a very solid defensive presence in the right system.

If Fells had sustained his performance for the duration of the week, he very easily could have earned himself some buzz, but the fact that he was less and less effective as the week went on highlighted his weaknesses. Considering the fact that Fells could improve his ball-handling significantly over time, he certainly qualifies as a name to keep tabs on, but he’s not going to factor into the draft conversation this summer."


We are proud of Courtney and we look forward to following and supporting him wherever he goes.

McCauley Opening Eyes at the P.I.T.

Big Ben McCauley followed up his pretty solid P.I.T. debut with another respectable outing. Ben dropped a respectable 12 points and vacuumed up 7 boards, but it wasn't enough as his team "Portsmouth Sports Club" was defeated late Friday afternoon. The Norfolk Sports Club team was paced by Central Florida's Jermaine Taylor's 21 points.

Ben and his squad will be playing tomorrow at Noon against the Tidewater Sealants Crew:

Siler, Garret - Agusta State
Aboya, Alfred - UCLA
Downs, Micah - Gonzaga
Wilkinson, Gary - Utah State
Clinch, Lewis - Georgia Tech
Ewing, Brandon - Wyoming
Lowe, Chris - Massachusetts
Ruoff, Alex - West Virginia

Unfortunately, since Ben's team went down we all lost out on the chance to see a pretty cool site, both of our seniors (Ben and Courtney) on the same court, one final time.

Courtney on the other hand will be playing tomorrow at 2pm against the Norfolk Sports Club Team that defeated Big Ben's squad yesterday. Here is what Courtney's competition looks like for tomorrow:
Hicks, Russell Florida International
Atchley, Connor Texas
Cummard, Lee Brigham Young
Hill, Lawrence Stanford
Nivins, Ahmad St. Joseph's
Adams, Wink UNLV
Rochestie, Taylor Washington State
Taylor, Jermaine Central Florida

We'll get you the information on Ben and Courtney's games tomorrow night. We are at the Boo Williams Invitational currently and we will be filming all day tomorrow, and will be unable to get to a computer until tomorrow night.

April 11, 2009.

Fells Explodes at the P.I.T.

Courtney Fells was a man on a mission tonight. He exploded for 19 points to lead all scorers, and he was the only person on his team to reach double figures. He shot 7 for 12 from the field and a milky 3-4 from deep range. We are extremely excited for Courtney. This is a great chance for Courtney to get exposure and he took complete advantage of this opportunity. Despite Courtney's huge performance, his K&D Round's Landscaping team lost to Sales System LTD 70-63. Scott Vandermeer and Diamon Simpson had double-double performances to help carry the K&D Round's Landscaping squad (10 points and 11 boards; and 15 points and 15 boards respectively.

Courtney and crew will be back in action tomorrow afternoon at 3:15pm against the Tidewater Sealants team. Take a look at Courtney's competition:

Siler, Garret - Agusta State
Aboya, Alfred - UCLA
Downs, Micah - Gonzaga
Wilkinson, Gary - Utah State
Clinch, Lewis - Georgia Tech
Ewing, Brandon - Wyoming
Lowe, Chris - Massachusetts
Ruoff, Alex - West Virginia

The Tidewater Sealants fell victim to none other than A.D. Vassallo. He torched them for 21 goodies. Balanced scoring definetly wasn't the issue for the Tidewater crew as 6 players reached double digits, including ACC nemesis Lewis Clinch (10 points). Let's hope that Courtney can continue to raise eyebrows tomorrow.

April 8, 2009.

McCauley To Play in P.I.T.

Ben McCauley will be joining Courtney Fells in this years Portsmouth Invitational Tournament that begins tomorrow night. He will be playing for the Portsmouth Sports Club team. Here is the rest of the crew that will be suiting up with Big Ben:







Suton, Goran - Michigan State
Anderson, Antonio - Memphis
Efejuku, Weyinmi - Providence
Griffin, Taylor - Oklahoma
Lyons, Leo - Missouri
McCauley, Ben - N.C. State
Abrams, A.J. - Texas
Rice, Tyrese - Boston College

It should be fun to watch Ben team up with familiar face Tyrese Rice. Big Ben's squad will be playing the Norfolk Naval Shipyard team on Thursday, April 9th, at 9pm. Here is what the Norfolk Naval Shipyard has to offer:

Aminu, Alade - Georgia Tech
Fall, Bamba - SMU
Kinnard, Lawrence - UAB
Landry, Marcus - Wisconsin
Raymond, B.J. - Xavier
Fisher, Al - Kent State
Holston, David - Chicago State
Toolson, Ryan - Utah Valley

If Ben is victorious on Thursday, then he will play on Friday, April 10th, at 9pm. If he loses, he will be playing Friday afternoon at 3:15pm. We'll keep you posted on how Ben does.

April 7, 2009

Fells to Play in 2009 P.I.T.

The Portsmouth Invitational Tournament has been showcasing the cream of the crop from each year's Senior class year in and year out since 1953. The P.I.T. is a 4-day, 12 game tournament, that features 64 of the top college basketball players (Seniors) in the country. Representatives from every NBA team as well as representatives from professional basketball teams overseas come to watch what the Senior class has to offer. This year's tournament will be held at Churchland High School in Portsmouth, Viginia on April 8-11.
We are excited that Courtney Fells will be playing in this years P.I.T. on the K&D Rounds Landscaping team. Here is rest of the crew Courtney will be suiting up with:

Baynes, Aron - Washington State
Dozier, Robert - Memphis
Fells, Courtney - NC State
Jackson, Stefon - Texas-El Paso
Rogers, Kevin - Baylor
Baron, Jimmy - Rhode Island
Eaton, Byron - Oklahoma State
Steele, Ronald - Alabama

The action starts for Courtney and the gang on Wednesday night at 7pm as they face off against Sales Systems Ltd. Here is the roster of the competition:

VanderMeer, Scott - Illinois-Chicago
Bramos, Michael - Miami (Ohio)
Carter, Josh - Texas A&M
Pendergraph, Jeff - Arizona State
Rivers, K.C. - Clemson
Simpson, Diamon - St. Mary
Delaney III, Paul - UAB
McAlarney, Kyle - Notre Dame

If Courtney's team wins they will play on Friday, April 10th at 7pm. If they lose they will play on Thursday, April 9th at 3:15pm.

The tickets for this event are $10 for a day ticket, or $30 for all 4 days (12 games). The tickets for the consolation games on Thursday and Friday are FREE. You can buy the tickets via Ticketmasteror you can buy them at the gate prior to game time. The talent pool in this tournament is sick. If you live within driving distance, it would be well worth the price of admission to take the trip. Don't believe me...check out the rest of the players that will be there. We hope some of you get the chance to go support Courtney. We will keep you posted on how he does after each game, so stay tuned.

April 7, 2009.

Brandon Costner to Test the Waters; Will Not Return

We've received word from a source close to the Wolfpack program that "it seems as if redshirt junior Brandon Costner is not planning on returning next year". This is confirming what numerous media sources are also reporting. From what we understand Brandon may test the NBA and or the European waters. This would leave a hole in the Wolfpack frontcourt, soon to be filled by freshman big man Richard Howell and returning senior Dennis Horner.

His dad most likely has some connections in Europe, so he'll probably catch on with a team there. The question is what if he pulls out of the draft, and doesn't catch on with a team overseas? Does he attempt to come back to the Pack? Does Sidney allow that? It's most likely something that was talked about in the meeting they had last week, and something we may never know until it happens. As more comes out, we will pass it on.

Brandon had a truly peculiar tenure at NC State. He was dubbed the next big thing at NC State as a freshman, but after a knee injury and the addition of JJ Hickson his sophomore year, Brandon fell from grace a bit. He found himself a scape goat and target for criticism from the fans and media as his numbers dipped considerably.

Brandon will leave NC State with his degree and we at Wolfpack Hoops wish him all the luck in the world. Wherever you end up we will be following you and updating Wolfpack Nation on your progress.

Trevor Ferguson Will Not Return to Team

We've just received word that redshirt junior Trevor Ferguson will not be returning to the NC State basketball team next season. Trevor will most likely be attempting to graduate and will opt to forgo his final year of eligibility at NCSU. We'd like to thank Trevor for the hard work, hustle, and passion he exuded every time he stepped on the floor for us.

Trevor averaged 5.5 points per game and shot 35.4% from beyond the arc this season. Ferguson seemed to step up and step in whenever he was called upon. Whether it was running the point briefly last season, or stepping in at shooting guard when Sid had to go with a smaller line-up this season.

This news means that now Sidney Lowe has another scholarship available for next season, which is certainly good news for a thin frontcourt that could get much thinner if Brandon Costner decides to leave.

Thank you Trevor and good luck wherever life may take you!

Harris and Towe Head to JUCO Tournament

Assistant coaches Larry Harris and Monte Towe are in Hutchinson, Kansas today taking in the 1st round of the NJCAA Tournament which is the JUCO National Tournament. We're not exactly sure who they're there to see, but we'll keep you updated when we find out.

Pack Goes Out with a Wimper ; 74-69

And just like that, the season is over. NC State simply did not have what it took to beat the Terps tonight. On a night when all was on the line, when the seniors were on the clock, it was a freshman who took the team on his shoulders... a freshman who hadn't seen the floor in weeks. Mays led the Pack with 18 points, but it was not enough to stop Greivis Vasquez and Eric Hayes who combined for 38 points. It was defense that doomed the Pack, they were simply not quick enough to help on Vasquez and recover to the wing where Hayes and Neal were waiting to drown the Pack with 3 balls.

You really can't blame Sidney Lowe who pulled the right strings with the zone defense and Julius Mays. The upperclassmen did not play 40 minutes with a true sense of urgency. One thing is for sure, the losing culture of this team needs to go. There are far too many people on this roster who accept losing. Now, I'm not saying they want to lose, or they're not trying to win...what I am saying though, is that they accept losing as an option. Great teams and great players do not recognize losing as an option, they never lose the focus of the victory. Hate him if you will, but Greivis Vasquez is simply a winner. He does what it takes to win basketball games and the NC State upperclassmen should take notes, because when the going got tough it was Julius Mays and CJ Williams bailing them out.

I do want to thank our seniors for 4 years of hard work and loyalty. While these 4 years have not been the most pleasant, they were part of a bigger picture. If you take a close look you can see what Sidney is building. Game after game, his recruits prove to be gamers, guys that refuse to lose and play the game the right way...smart.

The next question is where will State land? We should all be hoping for an NIT bid, but of course, that is no guarantee. Post season play would surely benefit the young guys, but may be a simple waste of time for the seniors, although I hope that is not the case.

Another question is about Brandon Costner. BC is going to now have to decide whether or not he'll come back to play his senior year. From all I gather, Costner has no shot of being a 1st round NBA draft pick but could definitely hone his game in a European setting. That question will lurk until he makes an official comment about it.

Also all eyes are now on John Wall. Is it Memphis or State? Good question, but whatever the case with him, NC Sate has a top 25 class coming in, and looks to begin building a nationally respected program.

ACC TOURNY PREVIEW: Wolfpack Wants Revenge

NC STATE WOLFPACK vs. MARYLAND TERPS
Opening Round :: ACC TOURNAMENT

Game Time: 7pm
Location: Atlanta Georgia
Television: Raycom

I can't remember a season in recent memory where the Pack has been so close so many times, but as you know, close doesn't cut it when it comes to ACC basketball. The Pack enter the tournament with a record of 16-13 and coming off a heart wrenching defeat at the hands of Miami (who earlier in the day was decimated by Virginia Tech). Tonight State takes on the Terps, who, just a week ago with a blood thirsty Greivis Vasquez, diced up the Pack 71-60 and while it seemed to be just another close loss, there is an underlying theme that the Wolfpack hasn't seemed to be able to shake. Up eight, with less than a second on the clock Vasquez pulled, and sunk, a 3 pointer. And while the shot meant little to the outcome of that game, it's sure to have quite the impact in this one. "If this game was being played in Puerto Rico, I'd have punched him in the mouth," said sophomore point guard Javi Gonzalez. Vasquez responded by saying "When they say that stuff about me it gets me fired up, it makes me want to kill them." You can be sure that NC State isn't up for letting Vasquez get the last word. "It's still in the back of my mind, it was just disrespectful." So now, with the proverbial chip on their shoulder, the Pack are out for revenge and it may be just what they've needed. "I've got a good feeling about this one, the mood in the locker room, the way the guys are talking, we're just excited to be here."

See, there has never been a question about ability to win games, the Wolfpack have the talent, they've competed with every team they've stepped on the floor with. It's been the mental game, the mental toughness that has plagued the Pack all season, but this little show of disrespect might be what flicks the switch, the spark that lit the fire..."We've got a different attitude this time....we're GOING to win," said senior Courtney Fells (who WILL play tonight despite a sore groin)

Look for State to come out with Javi guarding Greivis Vasquez, a move that the Pack switched to later in the game which proved to be effective. Also pay attention to the guys that produce when playing with a chip on their shoulder, guys like Javi Gonzalez and Brandon Costner, as they may be in their element tonight. Overall though it will be the seniors, the guys with experience, the guys with their college careers on the line, to come up big. It may have been nothing more than a second thought when Vasquez shot that meaningless 3 in the RBC center last Sunday...but it very well could end up being the deciding factor tonight when the two square off.

A Solid Senior Send-Off ; Pack Takes Out BC on Senior Night 74-69

On a night where Ben McCauley and Courtney Fells would both put on their Wolfpack jerseys one last time in front of the Wolfpack faithful, the seniors put on an unforgettable show. McCauley and Fells came out blazing, scorching the net going 9 for their first 11. McCauley from the inside; drive, spin, finish. Fells from the outside, catch, release, swish. All cylinders were firing, just as they were supposed to have done all year long. McCauley complimenting Fells, and visa versa. The Seniors built a solid 9 point lead by the half. But that is when adversity struck.

Fells had to leave in the second half with a strained groin, placing the load squarely on senior Ben McCauley, who went about his business as usual. Ben responded with 20 points and 6 boards, and iced the game down the stretch with some key freethrows. It was as if a script had been written, with McCauley playing the lead role. Ben was huge, but maybe an even bigger story was the play of sophomore guard Javi Gonzalez. Javi was everywhere tonight...sinking big shots, distributing the rock, and even holding down one the ACC's best scorers well below his average. Javi was the difference in a game that could've swung either way. Every move Rice made, Javi was in front of him contesting his shots and Rice did not hit a field goal after the 15 minute mark.

A 1-2-1-1 half court trap that Sidney let loose was one of the main reasons Rice never got off...he simply did not have the ball in his hands as much as usual. Add in the fact that Javi Gonzalez was in front of Rice at every turn, and you can see why NC State took this game. It was Gonzalez who's deep 3, followed by a no look pass to McCauley for a slam, topped off by a held ball in which he baited Rice to spin right into him, was the run that really gave State the lift.

Overall State handled the pressure, only committing 9 turnovers, and they out rebounded and out shot the Eagles as they began what they hope is a win streak that they can ride into the tournament.

Seniors Look to Bow Out in Style against BC

NC State Wolfpack vs. Boston College Eagles

Game Time: 7pm
Location: Raleigh, NC
Television: ESPNU

Tonight will be the last time Ben McCauley, Courtney Fells, and Simon Harris put on the Wolfpack whites in an ACC matchup. For 4 years (3 for Simon) these men have pledged to give their all to the red and the white of NC State. They basked in the good times and fought through the bad and although this season may not have gone exactly as planned, it sure was an exciting ride.

The passion and intensity of Ben McCauley, night in and night out, will surely be missed. The pump fake, up and under that McCauley so often goes to will be just a memory. The tip slam to beat Wake, the 1,000 plus points, the no look back door passes will become stories of "remember when?"....

And Courtney Fells. The high flying, sharp shooting enigma. The stories will be told of the guy that when hot could light up 25 quicker than you could blink, who could bury deep threes with a hand right up in his face, who had the ability to turn the momentum with a single windmill slam. Fells will be remembered for a lot of great things, and also a few not so great things (backcourt turnovers), but all in all, Courtney Fells, Simon Harris, and Ben McCauley gave 100% of themselves to this team and for that we are very grateful. When a university goes out and recruits players to compete for their program they really are asking 2 things..."play hard and represent us well"...Ben McCauley, Simon Harris, and Courtney Fells did both of those things for 4 long years, and for that we are proud to call them part of the Wolfpack family.

Ben, Courtney, and Simon go out tonight looking to leave the RBC with a good taste in their mouths. Last time out against BC, things went sour as the Pack's first half drought was too much to overcome. Tonight they will be forced to slow down an opposing team's guard, something they've struggled to do lately. Tyrese Rice, who is averaging over 17 points per game, will be doing his best to keep BC in NCAA Tourney contention. It will be up to Javi and Fells if State is going to play spoiler, and prime itself for another ACC tournament run, circa 06-07.

One nagging question is whether or not this is your last live look at Brandon Costner. BC is only a junior, but there is rampant speculation that he's leaving for pro ball after the season. A "love him or hate him" type player, Brandon has always been a somewhat mysterious character. His mind-boggling ACC Tournament as a freshman which garnered him national recognition, followed by his disappearance as a sophomore has had fans wondering who he really is. Well, whoever he is, he is one of NC State's top 30 scorers of all time and if he does decide to leave early his production will be missed.

Greivis and Company Squash Pack's Post Season Dream; 71-60

Gary Williams has been running the "Flex" offense ever since he came to Maryland. It was created in the 1970's and is used by many different teams. It's a simplistic motion offense that begins when a player at the elbow, opposite the ball handler, down screens. The player on the block, being screened for, must read the defense and decide if he should curl of the screen towards the basket, or if he should fade (if the defender goes underneath the screen). If you have a smart player on the block who can score, that player can greatly benefit from this offense, as he'll receive an open shot almost every time, given he makes the right read. Greivis Vasquez was built for this offense. He is a heady player with a scorer's mentality. No matter who State put on Vasquez he was able to get open and score, thanks to his ability to read and react to screens being set for him. Fells eyes were being sizzled all night long, and it wasn't entirely his fault, Vasquez is just that good. He's the same guy that drizzled a clean 35 on the Tar Heels just a week ago.

Now don't get us wrong, this was certainly a winnable game. Had all of the players shown up for the Wolfpack they very well may have won. Again the underclassmen were forced to shoulder the load as Brandon Costner and Courtney Fells just did not seem to be all there. Tracy Smith and Javi Gonzalez were tough to stop and Ben Mccauley was solid as ever, but three players is not enough to win in the ACC, especially this late in the season.

This loss is very disappointing. A win last night would have put the Pack two wins away from 8-8 in the ACC. However, this loss puts NC State in a position where their only chance of making the NCAA's is winning the ACC tournament. The sad fact is that this was a must win game, and some of the State players did not play as if their season depended on it. There are still games left to be played, and there is still a small shot for the Pack, but the Seniors and Juniors are going to have to step it up if there's going to be any miracle runs.

Game Preview: Now or Never as Pack Takes On Terps

NC STATE WOLFPACK vs. MARYLAND TERRAPINS

Game Time: 7:30
Location: Raleigh, NC
Television: FSN

Well, the Wolfpack's back is officially up against the wall. At 15-11 and 5-8 in the ACC, the Pack NEED to win out. If they can do that, and win two games in the ACC tournament, they'll have an outside shot at an at-large bid to the NCAA's. As big of a task as that may seem, State is no stranger to pressure situations. Almost every game that the Wolfpack has played has been a close one. Heck, even when they get up by 20, they make sure to let their opponent ease their way back into the game. Tonight against Maryland we don't expect anything different.

The Terps have come on strong as of late, winning 3 of their last 5 (including beating UNC) and nearly taking out the Blue Devils. Powered by streaky and emotional junior guard, Greivis Vasquez, and wrangly forward Landon Milbourne, the Terps like to out execute you in the halfcourt set but can also push the tempo if Vasquez is feeling it. Maryland likes to run the flex offense, an offense that the Wolfpack is very familiar with, since they also occasionally run it.

For the Pack to be successful they're going need to stay focused. Against the flex, one lapse in concentration can, and usually will, lead to an easy basket. However, the main point is to stop Vasquez. Staying in front and frustrating the guard is important, as the Pack learned last year when Vasquez sliced and diced through the NC State defense. He dropped 15 dimes and was 1 rebound away from disgracing the Pack with a triple-double.

With the season winding down and the pressure heating up, it's going to be necessary for the upperclassman to step up. The past few games it's been Tracy Smith, CJ Williams, and Javi Gonzalez setting the pace for the Pack, but if NC State wants to make a valiant end-of-the-season run they're going to need guys like Courtney Fells, Ben McCauley, and Brandon Costner to step up. The upperclass trio have disappeared as of late, putting a lot of pressure on the younger guys. They have responded well, but late in the season, and into the ACC Tournament, it's experience that tends to trump all else.

Senior Profile: BEN MCCAULEY

Ben McCauley, hailing from Herminie, PA (population: about 2,000) is a small town kid with a big time game. McCauley scored over 2,000 points in his high school career, cracking the "Western Pennsylvania Top 20 All-Time Scorers List," and was a 4 star power forward (according to Scout), ranked 98 nationally.

Recruited by ex-coach Herb Sendek, Ben played sparingly as a freshman, but when Sendek departed for the desert (Arizona State) so did his top two post players (Ced Simmons -NBA, Andrew Brackman - MLB). Without 4 of the top 5 scorers from the year prior, it was time for McCauley to get his chance. Under new coach Sidney Lowe, Ben's game blossomed as he stepped in to average 14 points and 7 boards and helped lead NC State to the ACC tournament finals.

His junior year, the 07-08 season, was a season to forget for nearly everyone in a Wolfpack jersey. With the arrival of 5 star freshman center JJ Hickson, Ben was forced into a different position, and a lesser role, something that didn't sit right with the Junior, who was the team leader as a sophomore. The entire team struggled, as did McCauley whose totals dropped to a disappointing 6 points and 3 boards.

This year Ben has re-emerged as a team leader and true scoring threat for NC State. He has shown presence of mind, his soft touch around the hoop, and monster rebounding (he is currently the 8th leading rebounder in the ACC). Ben has quieted many of his Junior year critics by putting up 12 points and 8 boards, and has helped put NC State in a position to make a potential postseason push.

“I’ve gotten back into my comfort zone,” McCauley said. “It feels like two years ago, only better. I have more experience mentally. In my sophomore year I didn’t really know what to expect, and now I know what to expect out of myself and my teammates.”

As the season winds down, and each game is one step closer to the end of their college career, things start to sink in for the Seniors. As Ben McCauley acknowledged:

“I want it to keep going forever, but at the same time, every good thing has to come to and end,” McCauley said. “I’m looking forward to going wherever it is I’m going to go, but I’m not going to take these last few games for granted.”

At some point or another, the season will end and Ben McCauley will simply become another former Pack basketball player. But the fact is: those who got the chance to watch Ben will remember his intensity, his effort, and his loyalty to NC State. However this season ends up and wherever Ben's travels may take him, you can be sure that we'll be keeping you updated.

(Check out the Technician article on McCauley , where we found some of the quotes)

Pack Runs Into Buzzsaw; Loses to Wake 85-78

What can we say? State played a good game; however, Wake Forest played a great game. The Pack did a lot of what they wanted to do tonight:

Stop Jeff Teague: Check

Handle the Wake pressure: Check

Execute on offense: Check

Hold James Johnson to under 20 points......wait, that was on the checklist?

Well, it probably wasn't, but it very well should've been. James Johnson, a 4 star junior who lately has been white hot, was once again near unstoppable as he disgraced the Pack to the tune of 28 points and 18 boards. That was it, that was the story of the game. Johnson did what he wanted, when he wanted, and all the Pack could do was merely stand and watch.

The good news is that State played well. Let's be honest, taking down the #13 team in the nation in their house (where by the way they are now 13-1) is quite the task. State handled the pressure and only turned the ball over 8 times, but there was no overcoming James Johnson and his night of glory.

So what does this mean in the long run? Does State still have a shot to make the NCAA Tournament? They do, but it's going to take some work. They have 3 games left, 2 of which are at home. If they can win out, and pull in 2 tournament victories, that would put the Pack at 8-8 in the ACC with 20 wins, which looks like a resume that could very well get the Pack some serious consideration.

Sidney Willing to Learn and Adapt

The N&O ran two articles that we felt were extremely insightful, positive, and very telling about our current Coach Sidney Lowe. Many find that basketball and life can be very similar in many ways. To truly succeed in both you need discipline, passion, and the willingness to learn from your mistakes. Now, everyone makes mistakes from time to time, but the willingness to drop your pride, admit your mistake, and turn the negative into a positive may be the most important thing a person or a player can learn...and that is exactly what Sidney Lowe has done.

In an article published by the N&O yesterday, Lee Fowler was quoted as saying that this past off season Sidney approached John Cheney from Temple and two other coaches that have formally won national championships to pick their brains on how to run a successful college basketball program. Face the facts folks, Sidney Lowe might know as much about playing basketball as there is to know, but he has never had to deal with the ins and outs of running a college program. The fans, the school, the media, the players. These past two seasons Lowe has basically been learning on the job, in an unbelievably high pressure situation. These quotes tell me a few things. A)Sidney wants to win for his team, his school, and for us, and he's willing to do whatever it takes. B) He is willing to learn and adapt on the job, and that is something all great coaches do. Take a look at what Fowler had to say about Sid:

"Sidney did this on his own. I didn’t tell him to [talk to other coaches]," Fowler added.

Lowe spent 15 years in the NBA, where it’s crucial to keep the multimillionaire superstars happy.

"In college, it's important that the coach be happy," Fowler said. "Sidney decided to be happy...it's more about playing within the framework of the team concept, of playing hard, and we’ve done that. Sidney has settled into the situation."

The second article was just as uplifting as the first. It spoke of how all of Sid's tinkering is starting to finally pay off. He's settled on a line-up, given us an identity, and has picked up on what has given other programs advantages and implemented those things in his own way. Again, a very good write-up and a must read for doubters of Sidney Lowe. The guy can, and will, be an elite coach. Check it out:

* Switching defenses. Jim Valvano, who coached Lowe and N.C. State to the 1983 NCAA title, was famous for using gimmick defenses to frustrate opponents.

Lowe began the season running mostly man-to-man defenses, but he dusted off some tricks shortly after going to the big lineup. N.C. State mixes in a 2-3 zone on occasion, but it also used a box-and-one and a "1-3 and a chaser" to hold high-scoring Wake Forest guard Jeff Teague to 11 points in a Feb. 11 Wolfpack win at the RBC Center. Saturday, N.C. State used a triangle-and-two at times against Virginia's Sylven Landesberg and Jeff Jones.

Switching defenses and using zones also helps with matchup challenges, such as when Costner goes up against a much smaller, quicker wing player.

"It's so hard to play some of these teams strictly man-to-man all the time," Lowe said. "Even some of the great teams, they'll go to zone sometimes, or come up and trap you, just to keep you off balance. Sometimes it really gets us going."

It's nice to finally get a little positive press out of the hometown paper, the same one that was calling for Sid's head just 3 weeks ago, while we were trying to calm everyone down and let it be known that we are in good hands. No matter who thought what when...You can't help but think NC State is on the verge of something special.

**cited for this article from the N&O:
http://www.newsobserver.com/sports/college/ncsu/mens_basketball/story/1419629.html
http://blogs.newsobserver.com/accnow/fowler-lowe-sought-offseason-advice