WRAL Sports Fan

WRALSportsFan

State Tunes Up For Final Time Before Miami

By J. Mike Blake

Mar 12, 2008

With the opening round of the ACC Tournament upon them, Sidney Lowe’s team took the floor of Charlotte Bobcats Arena for its final practice Wednesday before Thursday’s game against Miami.

As N.C. State looks forward at the tall task before them – win all four games to get into the NCAA Tournament, it can look back on what worked in last year’s run through the ACC Tournament or pointers.

“It was probably the most fun I’ve ever had in my life,” said Courtney Fells. “The way the fans supported [us] and just being in the championship was great so we’re going to try to use our leadership and get back,”

Under similar circumstances, the Wolfpack won three games in three days and fell just minutes short of an ACC title and subsequent automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament.

“It’s important that some of our guys played in [the ACC Tournament] last year and have that experience,” Lowe said. “And hopefully [they’ll] share some of that with the young guys and hopefully we can have some of the success that we did.”

Although it may be true that this is a new season and all teams are 0-0, the fact remains that State has lost eight in a row, dating back to Feb. 5.

Still, there is reason for optimism for the Pack, as neutral-court settings have been especially kind to Lowe-coached teams. In his two seasons as the head man, the Wolfpack are 6-1 in such games.

The Pack is also a combined 2-0 against Miami and Friday’s opponent Virginia Tech, but Lowe downplays it being an advantage this week.

“It’s not something that we can hang our hats on and think it’s going to be easy or anything like that. That was the regular season. It’s the same we told our guys before, we had a tough regular season but this is a new season,” Lowe said.

]“For Miami, this is a new season. I told our players, ‘What are you going to do tomorrow?’ – that’s what it’s all about. What are you going to do tomorrow? [Miami is] playing well and we need to come out and play well ourselves.”

In the team’s first game, Miami center Anthony King threw an in-bounds pass straight to State’s Gavin Grant for the winning lay-in in overtime. The Hurricanes’ heart-breaking 79-77 loss could make them just that more eager to face the Pack.

“I would be wanting N.C. State if I was Miami,” Grant said. “I’m pretty sure they’re going to come out here and give 110 percent and we just have to do the same.”

Possibly any loss in the ACC Tournament would bring an end to Grant’s four-year career. Grant now ranks 24th in school history in scoring.

“I’m ready to play,” Grant said. “I’m definitely realizing every game from now on could be my last game.”