by request of NyM410



[Edited on September 23, 2010 at 5:53 PM. Reason : this is not my desktop/background and i didnt make this pic, btw]

9/23/2010 5:52:59 PM

My school years:

Rivers/Hodge
Atsur
Smith/Wilson
Tramain Hall (even though he didn't really amount to much, loved watching him play)
Scooter

[Edited on September 23, 2010 at 5:59 PM. Reason : ...]

9/23/2010 5:58:51 PM

to go with the trend:

1. Hodge
2. Rivers
3. Cotch
4. Atsur
5. can't find a Bennerman.

9/23/2010 7:30:58 PM

I forgot how Atsur lead us to the quarterfinals of the NIT, FURTHEST IN MY LIFETIME!

and lol at hodge/rivers in the same breath.

again

How is hodge doing in the nba?

system star.

basketball nostalgia.

9/23/2010 7:38:06 PM

I would argue that he was a college start and not a system star.

Evtimov was a system star, but Hodge was legit talent that not many other teams had.

Hodge could jump in the air, turn it into a triple axel, release the ball at his peak and watch it magically go in.

He may not be doing well in the NBA but damn he was great in college

9/23/2010 7:43:06 PM

Heck, Hodge often did his best work when the "system" broke down and he could ad lib and make a play.

9/23/2010 7:52:18 PM

For the record, when white people hate on Hodge, I just assume that they are racist.

9/23/2010 8:21:39 PM

Quote :

"How is hodge doing in the nba? system star. basketball nostalgia."

Success in the NBA has NOTHING to do with how good of a college player you were. The examples are too numerous to list.

Shut the fuck up, you are a stupid ass troll.

9/23/2010 8:36:39 PM

No one outside of NCSU would say Hodge was better than Rivers in college. Pro career has nothing to do with how good you were in college but it is a great indicator of if a guy was a system guy or not.

Hodge was not even a top 5 player of the acc decade. Maybe not even top 10. Take your blinders off.

9/23/2010 8:58:33 PM

HOW ABOUT A MOD GROWS SOME FUCKING BALLS AND SUSPENDS THE ALIAS ALREADY

9/23/2010 9:00:46 PM

^

also what a little conversation i've started. very proud of myself itt.

9/23/2010 9:37:55 PM

Just watched the end of the Vanderbilt video again

Down two, shot clock off, bring the ball up the court and Evtimov stands with his back to the basket 30 feet away. Atsur dribbles scared, from five feet behind the arc he throws up a prayer at the buzzer that misses everything. All after leading by 10 with two minutes to go.

<3 Herbball

9/24/2010 2:00:43 AM

Rivers and Koren Robinson ftw

9/24/2010 2:26:02 AM

Quote :

"How is hodge doing in the nba?"

Screw your shortsighted opinion of what you prefer because I rated the people that I liked to go see when I was in college. Hodge could win a damn game by himself, while Kiker (and the defense) showed time and time again that no matter how hard Rivers tried he it wasn't meant to be.

Besides, I was listing my preference for who I enjoyed watching play sports the most, and hell yes Rivers and Hodge were in the same league when they played here. What transpired after they left has little bearing on their time at State.

9/24/2010 3:13:34 AM

i'm not going to officially hate on Rivers, he was legend, but ever since TOB implemented the yearly gathering of former pack players, Rivers hasn't come back once.

Hodge is in the bball center training current players, and he isn't some rich ass pro-athlete. so far, he's bleeding ncsu blood more than anyone except sidney and corch (he might be passing corch though, Hodge is front and center in person and on the web)

In my lifetime, seminal years, it was

Corch
Monroe
Googs
(our badass LB back in the late 80's early 90's, Jesse something)

9/24/2010 4:00:12 AM

Tonight I went to a grocery store and I looked at the Sporting News' and Athlon's preview books. These idiots all made a big deal about Tracy Smith putting his name in the NBA Draft. One made it seem like it was a dumb move for Tracy, and another made it seem like Lowe dodged a bullet by him coming back. Can no one do any research anymore, especially on an ACC team? Tracy Smith always said he was coming back, and it was a smart move by him b/c it got his name out there.

Also they are putting way too much stock in the UNC freshman trio. One book, Athlon I believe, had them ranked #9 in the country. Sporting News had them at #12 iirc.

9/24/2010 10:09:21 PM

Quote :

"Hodge could jump in the air, turn it into a triple axel, release the ball at his peak and watch it magically go in."

While getting fouled

9/24/2010 10:12:46 PM

UGA and NC State set for breakout seasons

Quote :

"If you're looking to predict which programs-in-a-rut are primed for a long-awaited breakout season, look no further than North Carolina State and Georgia. Both have an infusion of talent. Both finished well enough last season to create a positive vibe going into the offseason. And both have a preseason buzz that has created even more bounce around the programs. Whether that translates into a run through what will be a difficult nonconference slate has yet to be determined. What can't be disputed is that there is an attitude adjustment at these upstart programs. Both head coaches -- Sidney Lowe at NC State and Mark Fox at Georgia -- say it's palpable. "It's been a great atmosphere," Lowe said. "Everyone is having more fun right now. The talent is definitely there and the atmosphere is good and the other guys are excited to be having more guys come in. I would say there is a great buzz, and you can feel it from when they stretch to how they talk to each other every day." The buzz in Raleigh is attributable to the arrival of Lowe's most heralded class in guards Ryan Harrow and Lorenzo Brown and forward C.J. Leslie, who went to nearby Word of God Christian Academy. They join a unit that will be led by senior forward Tracy Smith and sharpshooting sophomore forward Scott Wood. Those two were part of a Wolfpack team that posted the same number of conference (5) and overall wins (20) as North Carolina last season. Georgia, which knocked off NCAA-bound teams Georgia Tech, Vanderbilt, Tennessee and Florida last season (along with bubble team Illinois), brings back two of the most talented players at their respective positions in the SEC in forward Trey Thompkins and guard Travis Leslie. The Bulldogs also are debuting highly productive transfer guard Gerald Robinson (Tennessee State) and forward Marcus Thornton, a one-time Clemson signee. "The mentality is different here," said Fox, entering his second season after moving to the South from Nevada. "They are now functioning like successful people. We don't have to baby-sit academics or behavior. We can focus on the basketball, and we've got more pieces to the puzzle. We're older, and we can start upperclassmen." Lowe is entering his fifth season in Raleigh. And even though the Wolfpack are younger at key spots, this is easily his best chance to make the NCAA tournament for the first time. The timing is right with the ACC -- save Duke -- facing plenty of questions. Moving up from the bottom toward the top has never been more attainable in this league. A new athletic director, former Maryland AD Debbie Yow, is in place after the departure of Lee Fowler, the man who hired Lowe. The coach has favored-son status because he played for the Pack and, like associate head coach Monte Towe, won a national championship at the school. But getting to the NCAAs in Year 5 probably would be a good idea if he wants to stave off further scrutiny, especially considering that Herb Sendek took NC State to five straight Big Dances before leaving for Arizona State. Lowe said Friday that the team's freshmen are starting to understand how hard they have to work but that they are still trying to pick up the speed and strength of the college game. It will come at them fast in the nonconference run with a challenging schedule that includes a trip to the Charleston Classic (and a possible title game against Georgetown), back-to-back road games against Wisconsin (Dec. 1) and Syracuse (Dec. 4), and a home game versus Arizona (Dec. 19). Within the ACC, the Pack will have to play Duke and North Carolina twice each. "The buzz is real around town," Lowe said. "But we have to get ready to play. It's good to have this, though, rather than the other way." Fox is just in Year 2 as he tries to survive the brutal SEC East, where five of the six teams have realistic shots at the NCAA tournament (Florida, Kentucky, Vanderbilt, Tennessee and UGA). Thompkins (17.7 ppg) and Leslie (14.8 ppg) are projected by many as potential NBA first-round picks, but if the Bulldogs are to elevate themselves in the SEC and nationally, the newcomers will be key. Fox said that Thornton should be able to excel in the SEC and that Robinson's speed and quickness will be an asset the Dawgs haven't had. "There's no way he doesn't start," Fox said of the TSU transfer. And if preseason workouts are any indication, forward Jeremy Price will have an impact, as well, after averaging seven points a game last season. "I'm cautiously optimistic," Fox said. "We expect to be successful, and we're confident. We're going to have a good team. We won some games last year, so we experienced success. But we have to do that consistently." As with NC State, we'll know early whether Georgia is a serious contender. Home games against UAB and improved Colorado, road games at rival Georgia Tech and fellow upstart Saint Louis, and a tough field at the Old Spice Classic (opening with Notre Dame) certainly will test this team before SEC play begins. Hosting Xavier in the middle of the league schedule (Feb. 8) is another challenge that could come in handy for power-rating purposes. "The strength of schedule is there; we just need to win some of those games," Fox said. "I knew when I got this job that the division we're in would make rebuilding harder. But I also knew once we rebuilt it, that it could work to our advantage.""

http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/blog/_/name/katz_andy/id/5611110/uga-nc-state-set-breakout-seasons

9/27/2010 2:23:00 PM

Quote :

"Fox is just in Year 2 as he tries to survive the brutal SEC East, where five of the six teams have realistic shots at the NCAA tournament (Florida, Kentucky, Vanderbilt, Tennessee and UGA)."

[Edited on September 27, 2010 at 2:34 PM. Reason : V yeah I probably should have just bolded brutal, that's what made me ]

9/27/2010 2:25:58 PM

I wouldn't call the SEC East brutal, but all of those teams could easily make the tournament.

9/27/2010 2:31:46 PM

domestic abuse seems to be all the rage at small baptist schools this year

10/6/2010 3:26:32 AM

nc state was last ranked in the AP poll on nov 26, 2007 (#24)

10/6/2010 4:25:10 PM

Luke Winn says we have the 7th toughest non-conference schedule in the country

Quote :

"7. N.C. State ROAD 12/1 at Wisconsin 12/4 at Syracuse NEUTRAL 11/18 vs. East Carolina (Charleston Classic) 11/19 vs. Mason/Charlotte (Charleston Classic) 11/21 vs. Georgetown/Coastal Carolina/USC/Wofford (Charleston Classic) HOME 12/19 vs. Arizona 1/11 vs. San Diego In the first four days of December, we should find out whether this Wolfpack team -- newly loaded with elite freshman point guard Ryan Harrow and power forward C.J. Leslie -- is capable of playing its way onto the NCAA bubble. Wisconsin's Kohl Center is as difficult to win in as any ACC venue, and Syracuse has the front line (in Fab Melo, Rick Jackson and Kris Joseph) to do battle with State's Leslie, Tracy Smith and Richard Howell."

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/writers/luke_winn/10/05/schedules/1.html

10/6/2010 5:47:25 PM

Nice work, Jimbo!

[Edited on October 8, 2010 at 5:52 PM. Reason : f]

10/8/2010 5:51:42 PM

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/news/story?id=5662321

Good job by the university to try and shift blame away from Calhoun. They are no different than any other school out there, but they had a Calipari lackey who wanted to run them up. It happens and it will happen again.

And for anyone who thinks I'm being hypocritical I've been preaching on here for YEARS and YEARS that everyone cheats. Be it UConn, NC State, Duke, UNC, Arizona, Illinois, Tennessee or anyone else... It's just the people who get caught who are dirty when it comes to public opinion..

[Edited on October 8, 2010 at 9:22 PM. Reason : I mean it's not like Miles ever played like Maggette or Forte did.]

10/8/2010 9:21:56 PM

ugh, our basketball team made a cameo into my dreams last night. let's just say the dunk contest was a little less than successful. even my subconscious is pessimistic.

10/9/2010 11:24:30 AM

Quote :

"WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — Junior center Tony Woods has received a release from the Wake Forest basketball program. The school said Monday that Woods asked for a release so he could pursue other options. Woods was suspended indefinitely from the program last month after he was arrested on assault charges. He pleaded guilty to a misdemeamor charge of assaulting a female and was given a suspended 60-day sentence. Coach Jeff Bzdelik in a statement says that he met with Woods “a number of times and we felt this was the best course of action for him.” Woods averaged about five points and three rebounds in 31 games last season."

10/11/2010 5:36:12 PM

Quote :

"COACH AND PROGRAM If ever there was a coach in a do-or-die situation, it's NC State's Sidney Lowe. The former Wolfpack point guard enters his fifth season as the coach at his alma mater still looking for his first NCAA tournament bid after having taken over a program that made the field of 65 the five pre-vious seasons. Adding to the pressure is the arrival of a no-nonsense new boss in athletic director Debbie Yow, who while at her previous job at Maryland, publicly locked horns with popular coach Gary Williams. The good news for Lowe is that for the first time in his tenure, he'll have more than just a red blazer to get State's passionate fan base riled up. Thanks to a stellar freshman class that includes one of the nation's top recruits in C.J. Leslie and the first true point guard in Lowe's coaching tenure, optimism is running rampant among the always hopeful Wolfpack Nation. North Carolina State Wolfpack Last Season 20-16 (.556) Conference Record 5-11 (t-9th) Starters Lost/Returning 3/2 Coach Sidney Lowe (St. Paul's '06) Record At School 71-62 (4 years) Career Record 71-62 (4 years) RPI Last 5 years 51-72-103-110-88 "I'm certainly excited about bringing in a few more players we feel can help us," Lowe said. "Certainly the expectations are higher. "We still have to go out and approach it the same way. It's not like we're saying 'We're going to work harder now.' We try to work hard all the time. But we definitely feel good about the possibilities." Those possibilities center around the unlimited potential of small forward Leslie -- who chose NC State early in his high school career, de-committed, then ended up choosing the Wolfpack again over Kentucky last summer -- point guard Ryan Harrow and shooting guard Lorenzo Brown. All three figure to play prominent roles from day one, as they look to do for State what Leslie's old high school teammate John Wall and his talented rookie teammates did for Kentucky last season. Or more realistically, what Derrick Favors and his fellow freshmen did in getting Georgia Tech back to ACC respectability and the NCAA tournament while saving coach Paul Hewitt's job. "You know, you'd like to think that they could come in right away and help you, help you a great deal," Lowe said of his newcomers. "I think we all know how tough it is, especially in our conference. We've seen some pretty talented teams with big-time players, but young, [but] it's always a learning curve. Very few guys come in and dominate as a freshman. Special guys do." As special as Leslie, Harrow and Brown might be, they won't have to carry the Wolfpack alone. With second-team All-ACC big man Tracy Smith leading the way, State returns a solid core of talent that weathered some rough times, stayed together and made a late run into the NIT last season. The Wolfpack should also benefit from an ACC in which many of the top teams other than Duke, North Carolina and Virginia Tech figure to take a step backward. Now all Lowe and his team have to do is live up to all that potential, something that might not be as easy as it seems given all that's being expected of it. "[We] will be young, some of those guys, and they are going to take some bumps, but I think they will do more good things than bad," Lowe said. "They're going to be great for this program for years to come." PLAYERS PG-RYAN HARROW (6-1, 156 lbs., FR, #12, 31.4 ppg, 6.0 apg, 3.1 spg, Walton HS/Marietta, Ga.). The two best point guards in State's program for the last four years have been Lowe and his assistant coach Monte Towe. Unfortunately for the Wolfpack, both ran out of eligibility years ago. That, however, should change now that Harrow has arrived onto the scene. A slender youngster with a high-pitched voice, Harrow is a five-star prospect point guard. Though thin and in desperate need of adding some size and strength to handle the rigors of a long ACC season, Harrow's playmaking skills should make everyone around him better from day one. And yet, his game is hardly one-dimensional. As his 31.4 points-per-game average as a senior on the way to being named Georgia high school Player of the Year suggests, he has the ability to be a prolific scorer both with the jumper and by using his quickness to get into the lane and to the basket. Although Harrow will make some aggressive mistakes early in the season, his positives should outweigh the negatives as long as Lowe is patient and doesn't try to reel him in too much. "Anytime you can have a point guard that can run the show, can create shots for other people, that just has a good feel for the game where you don't have to call a play every time, he has a feel for it and understands where to go to, it makes the game flow a little bit more," Lowe said. "I might be a lit-tle biased because I played it, [but] I think it's the most important position on the floor. Without a good one, it's tough, it's hard to win." SG-LORENZO BROWN (6-5, 186 lbs., FR, #2, 20.8 ppg, 8.0 rpg, 8.0 apg, Hargrave Military Acad-emy/Chatham, Va./Centennial HS/Roswell, Ga.). Brown was all set to come to State as part of last year's recruiting class before being diverted to Hargrave Military Academy when he didn't qualify. Brown posted a solid season at the Virginia prep school and is now back, ready to give the Wolfpack the steady perimeter shooting threat they've lacked in recent years. Like fellow freshmen Leslie and Harrow, Brown is a confident youngster who will help bring a badly needed swagger to State's program. He has a smooth style and a steady stroke with good range, but can also be dangerous with the ball in his hands thanks to the experience of having played some point guard at Hargrave. While Brown has proven his ability to be a big-time scorer in both high school and prep school, his biggest areas for improvement are on the defensive end of the court and in maintaining a consistent level of effort. Brown was chosen the Georgia 5A Player of the Year and a fourth-team Parade All-American after his senior season at Centennial. SF-C.J. LESLIE (6-8, 206 lbs., FR, #5, 23.0 ppg, 12.0 rpg, Word of God Academy/Raleigh, N.C.). By far the most prominent recruit signed by Lowe during his four-year tenure at his alma mater, Leslie arrives at State with high expectations that are exceeded only by his own confidence. Upon signing with the Wolfpack in June, Leslie asserted that his new team would win the ACC and be ranked among the nation's top five this season. While that's almost certainly overly optimistic, there is no denying that Leslie's presence on the floor will enhance State's position in the league standings and national polls. Blue Ribbon Previews ACC Take an Inside look at the ACC with Blue Ribbon's 2010-11 team reports: Insider Boston College Clemson Duke Florida State Georgia Tech Maryland Miami North Carolina North Carolina State Insider Free Virginia Virginia Tech Wake Forest He is a sleek, athletic small forward who gives the Wolfpack something they've lacked since the days of Julius Hodge -- a dynamic offensive threat who can score anytime he touches the ball and help prevent long offensive droughts. Leslie, a McDonald's and Parade All-American, is a natural finisher who can score in transition and loves to attack his man off the dribble. But he's also a good perimeter shooter, though his shot se-lection -- as well as his defensive intensity -- sometimes leaves something to be desired. If there's one thing worth watching, it's how John Wall's former high school teammate fits in with the chemistry of the Wolfpack and how quickly he matures on and off the court. PF-TRACY SMITH (6-8, 240 lbs., SR, #23, 6.5 ppg, 7.3 rpg, 1.2 spg, 1.0 bpg, 32.1 mpg, .524 FG, .654 FT, Mount Zion Academy/Detroit). Smith has evolved from a role player as a freshman to a ser-viceable starter as a sophomore to a full-fledged star during a breakout junior season in which he led the Wolfpack in virtually every statistical category. Now, after being moved from center to power for-ward, the Wolfpack's solidly built go-to guy will look to take the next step by becoming the best big man in the ACC. He's proven he has the size, ability and mentality to be a dominant inside force on both ends of the court. Just ask Duke. Last season, on his 21st birthday, he pounded the eventual national champions for 23 points and five rebounds in leading one of the season's biggest upsets. For all of his own ability, though, Smith's greatest asset could end up being the infusion of young talent that will bolster State's lineup this season. Not only will benefit from a dynamic, playmaking point guard for the first time in his career, the addi-tion of a stronger perimeter shooting game will greatly limit the ability of opposing defenses to sag down on him when he gets the ball on the low block. Because Smith no longer has to play exclusively with his back to the basket, he can show more of his skills off the dribble, which were considered his strength coming out of high school. "Nothing is easy, but hopefully, it will open it up for him and maybe he'll get a few more easy bas-kets," Lowe said. "He works for his [points] down there and he has done a great job for us. "We're expecting him to have a good year. He [did] great [during the] summer working out and get-ting ready, but I think with the new guys coming in, and the way they play, hopefully it's going to open it up a little bit for him.""

10/11/2010 7:07:16 PM

Quote :

"C-RICHARD HOWELL (6-8, 261 lbs., SO, #1, 4.9 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 13.6 mpg, .460 FG, .182 3PT, .574 FT, Wheeler HS/Marietta, Ga.). Howell's freshman season got off to a slow start because of a knee injury that required surgery and forced him to miss five of his team's first six games. Even after he re-turned, he struggled with conditioning issues and didn't start making significant contributions until early in the ACC season. Once he did, however, the solidly built Georgia native improved rapidly to become an integral part of State's frontcourt rotation. Howell is at his best when he's using his size and toughness to hit the boards and defend the post, but he also has a surprisingly good finesse game and better-than-average passing skills for a man his size. His season highlight came when he scored the winning basket with eight seconds remaining in State's first-round NIT victory against USF, a game in which he gave a glimpse of his expanded role to come by going 4-of-5 from the floor. How expanded that role ends up being is up to him. "I think Richard can be as good as he wants to be," Lowe said. "By that, I mean how much time he puts in, the work he puts in. I think we saw certainly at times what he's capable of doing. "The summer [was] very important for him -- getting in the gym, lifting, working and him losing some weight. We wanted him to lose a few pounds, and he's actually looking good right now. He's an excellent passer and has excellent hands. He knows how to play the game, and we're expecting him to be ready for us." G-JAVIER GONZALEZ (6-0, 176 lbs., SR, #10, 9.5 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 3.7 apg, 25.7 mpg, .393 FG, .370 3PT, .691 FT, Michael M. Krop HS/Carolina, Puerto Rico). Gonzalez has been the Wolfpack's starting point guard since being thrust into the position because of injury as an unprepared freshman. It's a role that has grown with him as the years have passed, having improved considerably in his ball-handling and shooting skills while becoming one of Lowe's favorite and most trusted players. Gonzalez's experience and a mental toughness that makes him an effective offensive rebounder for his size and dependable end-of-game leader will probably keep him in the starting lineup for the early part of the season until Harrow is ready to take over. Even when that happens, he'll still find plenty of minutes, perhaps even some at the same time as Harrow in a smaller, three-guard alignment. F-SCOTT WOOD (6-6, 177 lbs., SO, #15, 7.8 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 1.4 apg, 28.8 mpg, .395 FG, .373 3PT, .706 FT, Marion HS/Marion, Ind.). A pure shooter with an amazing court sense, he was the only State player to start all 36 games -- the most ever for a Wolfpack freshman. At his best when coming off screens or spotted up behind the three-point line, Wood proved his worth as a long-range zone buster with two memorable performances last season. On Jan. 12 at Florida State, he hit 7-of-11 three-pointers and scored 31 points in an upset victory against one of the nation's top defensive teams. Two months later, he victimized the Seminoles again by going 6-of-10 from beyond the arc in an 18-point performance that sent the Wolfpack to the ACC Tournament semifinals and earned him a spot on the all-tournament second team. F/G-C.J. WILLIAMS (6-5, 218 lbs., JR, #21, 4.3 ppg, 2.6 rpg, 1.2 apg, 19.6 mpg, .403 FG, .229 3PT, .714 FT, Jack Britt HS/Fayetteville, N.C.). Williams is a high-energy role player who started 16 games last season, mainly because of his willingness to do the dirty work while others get the spotlight. He is a strong defender at the guard and forward positions, rebounds, set screens and has great court presence. As aggressive as he is on the defensive end, however, Williams can be equally as timid when his team has the ball. He has the ability to score, mostly when he slashes to the basket, as he showed by scoring 14 points in a late-season win against Boston College. But he has showed that kind of asser-tiveness only on the rare occasion thus far in his career. F/C-DeSHAWN PAINTER (6-9, 227 lbs., SO, #0, 1.6 ppg, 1.2 rpg, 6.5 mpg, .364 FG, .643 FT, Hargrave Military Academy/Chatham, Va./Booker T. Washington HS/Norfolk, Va.). A highly rated prospect who came to State after originally signing with Florida, Painter was something of a disappointment as a freshman for the Wolfpack. He saw extensive action early in the season while Howell was recovering from his injury, but eventually was filtered back to the bench and playing sparingly during the ACC schedule. Though still wiry, Painter has picked up some bulk during the offseason and should get a chance to contribute this season, primarily as an athletic, shot-blocking defender who will be able to run the floor in Lowe's higher-tempo attack. "Deshawn is fired up," Lowe said. "When you see him, he's bigger, he's stronger. He is in here every day working out. It's going to be a great opportunity for him." C-JORDAN VANDENBERG (7-1, 248 lbs., SO, #14, 1.0 ppg, 1.8 rpg, 7.5 mpg, .321 FG, .556 FT, Australian Institute of Sport/Melbourne, Australia). A late signee who was taken on by Lowe as a project, Vandenberg ended up logging some meaningful minutes off the bench, mostly because of his presence in the lane. He blocked 18 shots, third on the team, which worked out to one rejection every 9.6 minutes on the court. With a full season of experience behind him and the loss of two frontcourt regulars, the hulking Aussie -- the first 7-footer to play meaningful minutes at State since Chuck Nevitt (1980-82) -- figures to play an even bigger role this season. Vandenberg gave a preview of things to come whenever he saw extended action last season. In 14 minutes at Florida State, he contributed four boards and two blocks. At Arizona, Vandenberg started because of a suspension to Tracy Smith and grabbed 11 rebounds in 25 minutes. He blocked three shots in seven minutes against New Orleans. G-KENDALL SMITH (6-6, 237 lbs., JR, #25, 0.5 ppg, 0.3 rpg, 1.5 mpg, Glenn HS/Winston-Salem, N.C.). Smith is a walk-on who has managed to find more than just mop-up action in four ACC games during his first two seasons. He is a solid, fundamentally sound player who was good to earn a spot in the N.C. East-West High School All-Star Game after averaging 18 points as a senior. With only 10 scholarship players on the roster, he could be called upon this season to play a larger role than in the past."

10/11/2010 7:07:43 PM

Quote :

"BLUE RIBBON ANALYSIS BACKCOURT: B BENCH/DEPTH: B- FRONTCOURT: B+ INTANGIBLES: B- Lowe is a passionate, popular NC State alumnus who is as convinced as he was the day he took the job that he can return the Wolfpack to the glory it enjoyed when he helped it win its most recent national championship in 1983. That kind of success won't happen overnight, even with the arrival of a recruiting class ranked among the nation's best. But in order to get the opportunity, Lowe is going to have to win now. For the first time in his four-year tenure, he finally has the talent on his roster to compete with the ACC's best. All he has to do now is find a way to mold those top incoming freshmen, all-league senior big man Tracy Smith and a solid nucleus of returning players into a cohesive unit that takes full advan-tage of its ability. That's not as easy as it sounds, as Lowe found out in 2007-08 with his first McDonald's All-American, J.J. Hickson. At times that season it seemed as though Lowe was more concerned about enhancing Hickson's draft prospects than winning games, and while it resulted in the talented freshman being a first-round selection, State struggled to a 15-16 record. Presumably, Lowe has learned from that experience and will do a better job developing team chem-istry this time around. He might also do a little less micromanaging from the sideline now that he's got a legitimate ACC-caliber point guard to run the show on the court. If he lets his players play and things finally fall into place as planned -- something that doesn't always happen with the Wolfpack -- Lowe and his team has a legitimate shot at living up to their high expectations, getting into the field of 68 and keeping his red blazer on the bench for years to come."

10/11/2010 7:08:11 PM

State frontcourt ranked #16 by SI

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/multimedia/photo_gallery/1010/cbb.preview.top.16.frontcourts/content.1.html

Quote :

"N.C. State Tracy Smith, C.J. Leslie, Richard Howell Smith (pictured) fell under the "Good Player/Bad Team" category last season, putting up averages of 16.5 points and 7.3 rebounds while the Wolfpack stumbled to a 5-11 finish in the ACC. N.C. State should emerge from the ACC basement in '10-11, though, with a recruiting class that included Leslie, a locally grown, five-star power forward."

10/12/2010 4:07:40 PM

weren't were ranked in the top-5 w/ Hickson, McCauley & Costner?

10/12/2010 4:19:15 PM

ESPN's ACC Blue Ribbon Preview is up...NC State is the free preview one, here's the link

http://insider.espn.go.com/ncb/insider/news/story?id=5673196

[Edited on October 13, 2010 at 11:42 AM. Reason : ]

10/13/2010 11:42:17 AM

Clear media bias that we are the free one. We're the like the Krackel in the mini-Hersey bar assortment.

10/13/2010 11:47:42 AM

^^ if only it was posted in this thread somewhere....

10/13/2010 12:09:23 PM

my fault...didnt even look

[Edited on October 13, 2010 at 1:08 PM. Reason : ]

10/13/2010 1:08:08 PM

excuse me but i think we'd be the dark chocolate ... the krackels are gone 2nd, after mr goodbar

10/13/2010 1:24:00 PM

Last years free ones included Georgia Tech, Georgetown, Purdue, Texas, Butler, Washington, Tennessee and Gonzaga. I'm ok with being the free one.

10/13/2010 2:00:42 PM

[Edited on October 14, 2010 at 12:58 PM. Reason : whoops, wrong thread]

10/14/2010 12:56:49 PM

http://sports.espn.go.com/new-york/news/story?id=5686861

we would be flipping our shit if we were to ever make a hire like this

10/15/2010 3:15:11 AM

I came here to post that. Good for them. A good NYC team is good for college basketball, just like having all four Tobacco Road teams playing well is good for the game.

Not a Lavin fan, but he is going to turn Saint John's in to a destination program again...

10/15/2010 10:08:46 AM

that'll be a tough game for Herb & Co. in the Alaska Shootout finals

10/15/2010 10:11:40 AM

so the red rally midnight madness is tonight and i hadnt heard until now, not impressed

10/15/2010 10:12:24 AM

all it will take is a little $$$

10/15/2010 10:12:41 AM

UNC insiders are hinting that Leslie & the basketball program might be interviewed by the NCAA this week

10/15/2010 10:19:23 AM

Hopefully it's a collaborative effort between UNC, NC State and the NCAA to take down Calipari!

10/15/2010 10:20:31 AM

Still having nightmares over Herb's last game vs St John's.

10/15/2010 10:21:35 AM

so?

http://mbd.scout.com/mb.aspx?s=178&f=2515&t=6527610

[Edited on October 15, 2010 at 10:22 AM. Reason : ^^^]

10/15/2010 10:22:34 AM

I think that the only thing that we have to worry about now is some sort of vengeance feeling down I-40. UNC is screwed so they want to take someone else down too.

I mean I'm sure they'd rather go after K and Duke but he does a pretty decent job of getting the watchdogs off of him so his cheating will largely go uninvestigated (Duhon, Maggette, Avery, etc.). We're the easier target, especially winning a recruit like Leslie over a guy like Calipari. I mean it's pretty well known that Calipari is the scummiest cheater in college sports, so it will raise some eyebrows when he gets beat head to head.

10/15/2010 10:32:37 AM

From the Blue Ribbon Preview up top:

Quote :

"Starters Lost/Returning 3/2"

Farnold and Horner were like three players combined!

Also they got Tracy's stats wrong in the paragraph about him. 6.5 ppg?

10/15/2010 11:22:42 AM