Pack Turns to Gonzalez to Go Against Davis, Seton Hall

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Pack Turns to Gonzalez to Go Against Davis, Seton Hall

By J. Mike Blake

Dec 27, 2007

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N.C. State finds itself 7-3 after the 10-game point in the season, with a tough Seton Hall (8-2) team up next on the schedule. So far, the Wolfpack’s year had its downs such as the loss to East Carolina, the heartbreaker to New Orleans and the 23-point drubbing by Michigan State.

However, the team can also hang its hat on giving Villanova its only loss, winning the Old Spice Classic and fending off Southern Conference favorite Davidson.

Although the Wolfpack may have been expecting more after returning four starters from a 20-win team a year ago, there have been signs of improvement in recent games.

In the Pack’s last game against Cincinnati, the team displayed better ball movement (15 assists on 21 field goals), shooting (51 percent from the field), and defense (forcing 13 turnovers to 12 assists).

It appears as though chemistry and other problems from earlier in the season might have been ironed out.

But more than any loss, even the one to ECU, the loss of starting point guard Farnold Degand might sting the worst. For the second year in a row, State will deal with having an injured point guard, as Degand’s ACL tear will keep him out for the rest of the year.

Degand had been shooting 50 percent from three, averaging 6.9 points per game. Degand was also improving defensively as an on-the-ball defender after a slow start to his first season at State.

In his place comes freshman Javier Gonzalez and Marques Johnson, a sophomore transfer from Tennessee who has yet to see the court in over a year.

Gonzalez was surprisingly composed late in the game versus Cincinnati. Degand’s injury occurred with under five minutes to go in a close ballgame, but in that time, Gonzalez totaled two steals, one assist and knocked down five free throws to help seal the win.

Gonzalez will likely get the start on Thursday as he and the rest of the Pack will travel to South Orange, N.J. to take on yet another Big East team, Seton Hall

It’s ironic that the Pack will be playing against the player who would’ve likely been the point guard had he decided to enroll. The Pirates’ Larry Davis was set to join the Pack in 2006 until coach Herb Sendek left for Arizona State.

Davis and the other two recruits that Sendek had signed were let out of their letter-of-intent. Dennis Horner was the only one of the three to stick with State, while Davis landed at Seton Hall, where he now averages 6.8 points per game and often starts.

“You probably commit to the coach more than the school,” Brandon Costner said. “Once Herb left, I don’t think he wanted to go all the way to Arizona, being from New York.”

Costner grew up just minutes from Seton Hall’s stadium and played against Davis frequently in their high school days.

“We played each other all the time in AAU,” Costner said. “We’re pretty good friends and I hosted him when he came down here on his visit. It’ll be fun to play against him.”

Costner was also a high school teammate of Pirates starter Jamar Nutter. The New Jersey native said he knew almost every guy on the Pirates’ team and should have himself plenty of supporters there.

“I’ll have a lot of family there,” Costner said. “I got like 50 tickets, I’m pretty sure I’ll need more.”

Costner is coming off his best game of the season after going for 20 points in his last time out. The Pirates are fresh off a 112-110 overtime win over James Madison and already have a win over an ACC team when they won 74-60 at Virginia.

The match-up with the Pirates looks to be a pivotal one for the Pack.

If State can make it past the Pirates, it could be 11-3 heading into conference play - after Thursday’s game, the Pack will have three more games against teams that are a combined 5-38 before its ACC opener in Chapel Hill.

Most Recent Comments

Hands behind our back, we'll take on all the rest...

We're the red and white from State, and we know we are the best...

i hate this had to happen to degand. he would have been an average point gaurd in the ACC. state will only struggle worse without him. they might go .500 in the acc

Degand will heal in due time. We all wish him the best. The other 2 point guards have 2 of the best teachers around in Sidney Lowe and Monte Towe. Let's hope the teachers can do well with their students.

The greatest conference in the land (THE ACC)will challenge this team more than any games so far. Let's all hope the Pack will continue to improve.

Remember---FEAR THE BLAZER!!!!!

Go Pack!!!!!!!!

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