WRAL Sports Fan

WRALSportsFan

Pack to Start Degand, and Gonzalez Improving

By Langdon Morris

Oct 31, 2007

N.C. State assistant men’s basketball coach Pete Strickland announced the starters for Thursday’s exhibition Tuesday in Reynolds Coliseum as he addressed the Student Wolfpack Club at a club meeting. Strickland was speaking in place of coach Sidney Lowe, who was unable to attend the event.

After thanking the club for their continued support and encouraging the students that the upcoming season would be “exciting,” Strickland opened the floor for questions, which led to him leaking the starting lineup and some other notable information.

Stickland said the starting lineup for Thursday’s exhibition against Barton College would consist of sophomore point guard Farnold Degand, junior guard Courtney Fells, senior forward Gavin Grant, redshirt sophomore forward Brandon Costner, and junior center Ben McCauley.

When asked about freshman J.J. Hickson, Strickland said Hickson and McCauley have been two of the best performers in practice, and the two are making each other better like “iron sharpening iron.”

Strickland also said that freshman point guard Javier Gonzalez is scheduled to have his cast removed next Monday, and that he anticipates Gonzalez will be “ready to go” for the Pack’s home opener on November 15 against William and Mary.