North Carolina State University
Pack visits USF in NIT first round
Mar 16, 2010
NOTING THE PACK
• NC State is making its 11th appearance in the NIT, and playing on the road for only the third time.
• Senior Dennis Horner is the only current Pack player to have played in a postseason tournament.
• NC State has held each of its last four opponents to under 60 points. In the Pack's three ACC Tournament games, NC State gave up a mere 55.3 points a game.
• The Pack's defense forced its three opponents at the ACC Tournament into 17.0 turnovers a game. Prior to those games, only four of the first 31 foes committed 17 or more turnovers this season.
• NC State is 14-5 in both in-season and postseason tournaments under Sidney Lowe.
• NC State is 3-2 against ranked teams this season. The Pack has won its three games by a combined 35 points, and its two losses were by a combined five points.
• In the Pack's last seven games against ACC teams, the Pack has shot 48.8 percent (82-168) in the second half. During the seven ACC game losing streak, the Pack shot 30.7 percent in those second halves of play.
• NC State has hit 40.9 percent (115-281) of its three-pointers in the 19 wins, but just 25.8 percent (71-275) in its 15 losses.
• Tracy Smith is seventh in the ACC in scoring (16.9), seventh in rebounding (7.5), and second in the ACC in field goal percentage (.534).
• Smith was named an All-ACC second-team selection, the Pack's highest finisher since Julius Hodge in 2005.
• Javier Gonzalez has averaged 10.6 points over the last seven games, including tying a career-high with 19 points at Miami.
NC STATE IN THE NIT
NC State will be playing in the NIT for the 11th time in school history, as the Pack travels to Tampa, Fla., to face South Florida on Tuesday at 8:00 p.m. The Pack has won five of its last seven games, and advanced to the ACC Tournament semifinals this past weekend in Greensboro, N.C.
The game will be broadcasted on ESPNU with Mike Gleason and Mark Adams.
PACK'S NIT HISTORY
This will be the Wolfpack's 11th appearance in the National Invitation Tournament, its first since 2007. NC State posts an all-time record of 15-12 in the event.
The Pack will be playing on the road in the NIT for only the third time, as NC State is 1-1 in road games in the NIT. In 2007, NC State won at Drexel and then lost at West Virginia. NC State is also 9-4 when playing at home, and 5-7 when playing at a neutral site.
The Wolfpack has made one appearance in the NIT finals, losing to Texas in 1978. In 2000, State advanced to the semifinals in New York, losing to Wake Forest in the first game and then lost to Penn State in the consolation round. In Coach Sidney Lowe's first season in 2007, the Pack advanced to the quarterfinals of the NIT. NC State first won at Drexel then returned home to defeat Marist. The Pack's season would end at West Virginia however.
In 1951, NC State actually played in the NIT and the NCAA Tournament in the same year.
Following a win in the Southern Conference Tournament, the Pack traveled to New York, where it lost to Seton Hall in the NIT, then played in the NCAA Tournament back in Raleigh, defeating Villanova and then losing to Illinois and St. John's.
THE HISTORY OF THE NIT
The NIT was founded in 1938 and was originally made up of six teams. In 1941, the field expanded to eight and grew to six in 1969. All rounds of the tournament were played in Madison Square Garden until 1977, when the first rounds began to be played on campus, with the final four teams only playing in New York.
In 1979, the field was expanded to 24 teams, upped to 32 in 1980 and 40 teams in 2002. In 2005, the NCAA took over the administration of the NIT and narrowed the field to 32 teams in 2007.
LACK OF EXPERIENCE IN THE POSTSEASON
Senior Dennis Horner is the only current Wolfpack player to have playing experience in a postseason tournament. In Horner's freshman season in 2006-07, Horner was part of the Pack team that advanced to the NIT quarterfinals in Coach Lowe's first season. Horner came off the bench in all three of those games, and averaged 6.7 points and 3.0 rebounds in 17.0 minutes.
Horner's best game was 13 points in 15 minutes in the home win over Marist. Redshirt senior Farnold Degand had to sit out that 2006-07 season due to NCAA transfer rules.
THE SERIES VERSUS SOUTH FLORIDA
NC State and South Florida will be meeting for only the second time in the history of the two programs. NC State won the previous meeting, downing the Bulls in Raleigh during the 1972-73 season, 125-88.
LOWE VERSUS THE BIG EAST
In four seasons under Sidney Lowe, the Pack has gone 4-4 against schools from the Big East. The Pack holds records of 1-1 in games played in Raleigh, 2-3 on the road, and 1-0 at a neutral site. In Lowe's first season, the Pack lost at West Virginia twice and at Cincinnati.
NC State has won its last two road games against Big East schools, winning at Seton Hall in 2008 and at Marquette earlier this season.
LOWE FINDS SUCCESS IN TOURNAMENTS
NC State has found success playing in tournaments under Sidney Lowe, as the Pack has captured team titles at both in season tournaments the Pack has played in the last four years.
In Lowe's four seasons at NC State, the Pack is 14-5 in both in-season and post season tournaments.
The Pack started this season strong, as NC State was the only team to go 4-0 and win the Glenn Wilkes Classic. In the 2007-08 season, the Pack won the Old Spice Classic with a 3-0 record.
In postseason play under Lowe, the Pack advanced to the ACC Tournament finals and the NIT quarterfinals in his first season in 2007. This season, NC State won a pair of games at the ACC Tournament and reached the semifinals.
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Most Recent Comments
RE: Pack visits USF in NIT first round
The NIT is an embarrassment.
These announcers kill me:
1) Valvano said Low was a great point guard.
2) Because of this Low "understands" the game - - - NOT.
3) Because of 1 and 2, he is able to give so much perspective to that position.
Then why after 4 years can't he freakin' coach any of our guys. Javi has learned strictly by experience and I see NOBODY behind him. Mays sucks. Degand can't handle the point. This is just stupid.
Low is a terrible coach because after 4 years we DON'T have a point guard and Low can't provide enough basic guidance to get us by.
- Posted by MarcoPolo
You don't know ANYTHING, and you're wrong about EVERYTHING you say.
PLEASE, stop pretending you are a State fan that cares about State basketball. Clearly you do not. You're a sheep in wolf's clothing.
RE: Pack visits USF in NIT first round
UNC should have had a higher ranking than us in the Tourney of Losers.
1) Higher ACC ranking
2) Higher RPI
3) Swept us in head-to-head competition
This was an easy call for the "committee".
- Posted by MarcoPolo
You can't include #1 AND #3, Polo. The head-to-head record was the tie-breaker for the conference finish. We both finished with five wins. To say they had a higher ACC ranking AND that they swept us in head-to-head competition is really just saying the same thing twice, that they swept us. If you're going to separate the two, then #1 should read, "Finished TIED for 9th place in the conference".
But you left out several other things to consider:
1) State won two games in the ACC tournament. Carolina lost in the first round.
2) State had more wins over ranked opponents, including one over the team currently ranked 3rd or 4th in the nation.
3) State had 19 total wins. Carolina had 16 total wins.
4) State went into the NIT having won 5 of their last 7 games. Carolina went into the NIT having won 5 of their last EIGHTEEN games.
Carolina is the first team to EVER get into the NIT with a .500 record. And they got a 4 seed.
They got rewarded for being Carolina, not for what they did this year on the basketball court.
Period.
RE: Pack visits USF in NIT first round
Rumor is that Fowler is "retiring" on Friday. NIT is complicating factor.
- Posted by MarcoPolo
MarcoPolo, it's nice to see a post from you that doesn't make my blood boil. I guess we ALL agree on Fowler! :)
I heard from another source, that rumor has it he was going to be "retiring" the first weekend of the NCAA tournament (which, like you said, would be Friday). The thinking was that March Madness would be a nice distraction, and maybe we could get this done quietly.
I'm not really sure how the NIT games change anything. Seems to me that would just be a further distraction.
Whatever the case, just get it done, State! Get rid of that guy ASAP!!!
RE: Pack visits USF in NIT first round
WolfPackers are you kidding yourself. This is the NIT. It should not even be a tournament. USF is going to beat you down so bad that tomorrow yall will want Sidney to leave! USF by 14 a least! Wake up Packers yall suck!!
- Posted by jwll24
Looks like YOU are the one that woke up, son!!!
Pack wins by a point and are still alive!!!
RE: Pack visits USF in NIT first round
Pack WILL stomp UAB! #2 Seed?? Seriously??? I hope UNC can find a couple more wins too so we can have one more rematch this season. There will be a different outcome this time however Ram Worshippers. NIT is our turf:)
- Posted by nategostate
Be careful what you wish for, buddy.
This is what we have been reduced to I suppose :) Regardless, that was a good game against USF a team that is every bit our equal this season and to beat them at home is an accomplishment GO PACK! I am torn between wanting UNC to lose to the underdog Bill and Marys and wanting them to win just so we have a chance to beat them later to cap the season. Does that seem odd to anyone??
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