North Carolina State University
State survives against Virginia, 72-67
By Emily Seck Feb 21, 2009
Despite beating Virginia 72-67, N.C. State (15-10, 5-7 ACC) put together one of its ugliest games of the season. The Wolfpack gave up leads of 18 and 17 points in the first and second halves, respectively, and two of its top scorers failed to tally any points.
Like so many other State games this season, this one came down to the wire. Dennis Horner missed two key free throws with 16 seconds left in the contest with State up 68-65 before Courtney Fells committed a costly foul at the other end.
The Cavaliers (9-14, 3-9 ACC) capitalized by making both free throw attempts to pull within one point.
Fells, who had only scored five points the entire game, made his two shots count after he was fouled to push the score to 70-67. Fells went on to make two more free throws to secure the 72-67 victory.
“It was good for us to be in a situation like that but it’s not good if we don’t have to be,” Fells said.
Though State has accumulated five ACC wins this season, it has only beat one opponent by more than six points – a 21-point win against last place Georgia Tech.
“I prefer a blowout,” said sophomore Tracy Smith, who led all starters with 13 points. “I just wish we would have kept that lead and made it an easy win. I don’t think we lose our composure; we just start turning the ball over. Little things like that and offensive rebounds build up and they were able to get back in the game.”
The Pack jumped out to a 21-4 lead thanks to Virginia’s poor shooting in the first half.
Despite Virginia beginning the game just 1-12 from the field, State only led by four points at the break. The Cavaliers failed to score on its first nine possessions of the game, going nearly six minutes without a score.
But Virginia coach Dave Leitao's squad out-rebounded the Pack and committed fewer turnovers en route to overcoming a deficit that was once as big as 18 points. Javier Gonzalez, who started the game at point guard for State, committed five of the Pack’s turnovers in just six minutes of play in the first half.
“The first half could have gone either way,” Leitao said. “We were either going to get blown out and stay out of it, but once we started to climb back in I felt comfortable.”
Virginia went 10-for-15 from the floor after its shooting drought in the opening minutes of the game. Despite playing just nine minutes, freshman C.J. Williams led all scorers with eight points.
In the second half State came out firing on all cylinders and accumulated a lead of 50-33.
“What worried me is I didn’t see a mindset change by either team,” Leitao said. “There were some changes we needed to make to forge ahead in the second half. We weren’t assertive as we needed to be and that really cost us.”
But Virginia was able to make its second comeback of the game, coming within one point – its closest margin of the contest-- in the final seconds.
Brandon Costner, the Pack’s leading scorer this season at 14.9 points-per-game, did not make a basket despite playing 27 minutes.
State’s bench contributed 31 points as freshman C.J. Williams scored a career-high 16 points and Dennis Horner chipped in 12.
“Those two guys have been so important to us coming off the bench,” Lowe said. “Those guys are the future. It’s good to see them playing well and gaining that confidence, next year they should feel good about themselves.”
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Most Recent Comments
RE: State survives against Virginia, 72-67
Let's make it easy for you here, marco.
Situation: UVA down by 3 with about 16 seconds left on the clock.
Option 1-Let UVA run their offense. Step 1: Pass ball around. Step 2: Make a 3 point shot to tie game (and UVA was hitting most of them at the end of the game).
Option 2-Foul UVA and send to line for 2 free throws. Step 1: Make 1st free throw. Step 2: Intentionally miss 2nd free throw but in a manner where the rebound goes to where the shooter desires it to go. Step 3: Have UVA player get rebound. Step 4: Shoot and make basket to tie game.
Those missed free throw plays are flukes of luck; percentage wise they rarely work. That's why UVA's "dumb" coach knew that with 16 seconds remaining, his best chance was to make the 2 free throws, foul and hope for misses on the free throws. When Fells made both, go back and do it again. Maybe then UVA was going to try the old make the first, miss the second free throw trick, except they didn't make it past step 1 (see above if needed). See how tough it can be to pull that off?
There is a reason we are sitting at home being keyboard coaches, marco, and those guys are coaching at major universities. At least some of us keyboard coaches can see the reasoning behind these "dumb" decisions by coaches.
The reason why Roy and Coach K don't probably don't try that foul with a 3 point lead is that they know they have the personnel to ramp up the defense to keep the other team from getting that game tying shot (but not always). I think Sidney realizes that we need gimmicks to help us get wins. And he learned from one of the best gimmick coaches there was.
RE: State survives against Virginia, 72-67
Why is it important to look pretty when you win? Are coaches now going to be held accountable for both their winning percentage and percentage of "good-looking" wins? UNC beat Miami the other night, but didn't look very good at it. Who cares...they still have the victory and no one will remember that it wasn't "attractive".
RE: State survives against Virginia, 72-67
Hey Polo, obviously you don't know what you are talking about. The more you write the more it shows.
RE: State survives against Virginia, 72-67
Coach Lowe was just lucky. There's a reason why this strategy is used loosely and hasn't been implemented by NCSU since 1983!
It only works for a team that is not well-coached. Coach K, Coach Purnell, Coach Greenberg, and Coach Williams (probably both of them) would have handled this AND won the game.
Basketball is a game of skill. When you implement this strategy, you're just tossing the game into the wind and hoping to come out on top. It's like playing the lottery. It'll become a game of chance when you do this kind of stunt.
I'm glad it worked but I sure wouldn't bank on it again. Plus, teams should be expecting it. A coach worth their salt would have taken advantage of this situation. I don't think the VA coach is really that brilliant. So technically, Coach Lowe did take advantage of his not-so-bright opponent. However with that logic, how did Coach Lowe blow a huge lead (again) to have to implement this insane strategy?
There's no such thing as a 2 for 3 strategy....who the heck is going to shoot to make 2 freethrows? Besides Virginia. Again, a well-coached team would have easily gotten a play off with the chance to score under their own basket or atleast give them the opportunity to score.
But...it did give us something to talk about so State basketball isn't TOTALLY irrevelant...what are we now 9th out of 12 in the league. That's progress!!
I do hope the boys tear it up at the ACC Tournament. I'd love to see Ben/Courtney have that send-off plus if Brandon leaves.
RE: State survives against Virginia, 72-67
Please select another profession, Emily. Your write-up was a hack job.
Rank: Rookie 
