WRAL Sports Fan

WRALSportsFan

Wolfpack Falls at Home to No. 6 Memphis State

By Tim Peeler, GoPack.com

Jan 26, 2008

Raleigh, N.C. — For 37 minutes, NC State head coach Jim Valvano saw a glimmer of hope.

His team, reeling in recent weeks with the loss of its star player, was playing sixth-ranked Memphis State at Reynolds Coliseum, which sounds challenging enough, especially since the Wolfpack had less than 24 hours ago experienced an 18-point road loss to Wake Forest

But Sunday’s contest was played without the ACC’s experimental 30-second clock and 3-point shot. Valvano had hoped his team could find some success going back to the way it played last year, by staying close with the Tigers, controlling the tempo and managing the pace of the game.

Until the final three minutes, the Wolfpack (8-6 overall) played similar to last year, when it finished the season 22-10 and qualified for the NCAA Tournament, a goal that is becoming increasingly out of reach for this year’s team.

Sunday’s nationally televised 57-53 loss -- the Pack's third setback in five days -- had nothing to do with the rules of basketball. In Valvano’s mind, it had everything to do with Murphy’s Law: Whatever can go wrong, will go wrong.

“I feel kind of snakebit,” Valvano said after the frustrating loss. “This was another disappointment in what has become a disappointing season.”