Notice I don't say they "played". Or at least nobody besides Tracy Smith and Lorenzo Brown played. Everyone else kind of ran though the motions. C.J. Leslie tuned in a bit on the offensive end of the court every now and then, and so did Javier Gonzalez.
On the defensive end though pretty much everyone was horrible. On the hustle end everyone was horrible.
Granted State came in with a bit of a disadvantage. Ryan Harrow was sick all week and didn't practice. He was out for the game. Scott Wood was also sick and fighting it. There was still a chance right? A chance for an undermanned and up and down (with a lot of down) NC State team to show that they belonged, that they were hungry, that they were on the rise even though this year hasn't gone to expectation. A chance for Senior point guard Javier Gonzalez, back in the starting lineup with Harrow out, to show that he had something to say about losing his starting spot to a true freshman. It was a chance for this team to show that they were passionate about playing for their head coach Sidney Lowe, whose job is on the hot seat more and more every day.
Failure on every count, right out of the gate. As noted earlier State was down huge in the first half, acting like they had no scouting report on UNC at all, and had never played in a hostile environment on the road.
State has no leadership and no fire. Tracy Smith can lead from center, it doesn't have to be a guard. He has fire, but he's not spreading it around. State even HAS a Senior point guard. But no leadership there either. Or is this freshman class not listening? I have a hard time believing that. CJ Leslie can be a bit of a one man show at times. But Brown seems like a team player who is coachable. Ryan Harrow also gives that impression.
The end result was a 84-64 blowout. Lorenzo Brown kept playing throughout and scored 19 points with 5 assists. Tracy Smith had 12 points before fouling out. CJ Leslie turned it off and on and had 14 points and 5 rebounds. Javier Gonzalez did a little bit of everything, with 8 points, 10 rebounds, and 3 assists.
The problem there was that while a couple State guys did a little bit of everything, UNC had guys doing ALOT of everything. John Henson had 16 points 18 rebounds and 7 blocks. Harrison Barnes had a career high 25 points, looking like that pre-season All-American that he is, and 5 rebounds. They got lots of work from their energy guys.
State's players look like they've given up on the season. Honestly Sidney Lowe looks like he's given up the season. Pretty much to me it looks like that as soon as Lowe didn't start getting the production he expected out of his freshmen, with Leslie averaging 18 and 10 and Harrow about 15 with 8 assists a game, he quit on the coaching and the adapting to where their strengths are now.
So now I'd say Lowe is gone. I wouldn't be shocked if Leslie transferred. Harrow and Brown would be a bit more surprising, but I expect major upheaval.
I think State needs a coach with a college track record, and at least some functional "system" that works at the college level. I don't know that there is anyone in the NC State family that fits that bill other than Sean Miller at Xavier. Vinnie Del Negro at least has had success in the NBA, so maybe he'd be Candidate B from "in house".
But if they can't get one of those two they need to go outside to try to get what they found in Herb Sendek before.
Saturday, January 29, 2011
time for Sidney Lowe to go
Forget getting ready to play UNC by busting out the Big Red Jacket. How about getting the team ready to play? State is playing like they have no idea what they'd be facing in the Tarheels. They have interior size? They swarm to the ball on defense and get in the passing lanes?
State is playing like they were unaware of any of these things. They're just dribbling around into ball pressure. Lazy, predicable passes that are getting picked off. Going inside soft, or not rotating on the weakside when interior pressure comes.
Once again a turd of a first half by State. 7-31 from the floor in the first half, and that I think that was hitting 2 of their last 3 shots.
I can't believe that year in year out the team is not capable of getting the message about the game plan. I don't think Lowe and the staff is getting them prepared. The talent level goes up but the results never improve. The players never evolve. Javier Gonzalez is a senior who's been playing regularly for four years. But his progression looks more like that of a sophomore compared to a freshman, not a senior compared to a freshman.
This year's freshman? Maybe a tiny bit of progression, but often they look like they're regressing. At some point that's got to be on the coach, the message, and the gameplan. I think it's about that time.
State is playing like they were unaware of any of these things. They're just dribbling around into ball pressure. Lazy, predicable passes that are getting picked off. Going inside soft, or not rotating on the weakside when interior pressure comes.
Once again a turd of a first half by State. 7-31 from the floor in the first half, and that I think that was hitting 2 of their last 3 shots.
I can't believe that year in year out the team is not capable of getting the message about the game plan. I don't think Lowe and the staff is getting them prepared. The talent level goes up but the results never improve. The players never evolve. Javier Gonzalez is a senior who's been playing regularly for four years. But his progression looks more like that of a sophomore compared to a freshman, not a senior compared to a freshman.
This year's freshman? Maybe a tiny bit of progression, but often they look like they're regressing. At some point that's got to be on the coach, the message, and the gameplan. I think it's about that time.
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
NC State imploded at Clemson last night
If at one point in the game NC State was leading Clemson 31-12 at Littlejohn Coliseum would you think:
A) NC State was finally putting all that talent together and was going to cruise to a big ACC road win
B) NC State would almost blow the lead but would regroup with the talent they have in order to not blow an entire 19 point lead
C) Score only 19 points the rest of the way, get outscored by 29 from that point on and lose by double digits
If you chose C you must have watched the game.
State totally disappeared after an impressive first 13 minutes or so of the game. They blew a 19 point lead and lost 60-50. They managed a measly 16 points in the second half. So again it was one good half of basketball and one pathetic half.
Tracy Smith was the only State player in double figures with 13 points. Ryan Harrow and Lorenzo Brown each had 9 points.
After 2 straight games playing 9 minutes Javier Gonzalez played 20 last night and scored 5 points.
State shot 39.6% from the floor. They are a very poor shooting team, which is surprising to me given that they have Tracy Smith. Richard Howell would have been expected to shoot a high percentage from in low, and they have a couple guys with reputations as shooters in Wood and Brown. But it's not really happening.
Richard Howell was scoreless. Also in the Hall of Shame for the game was Deshawn Painter who managed to foul out in only 8 minutes of play. CJ Leslie played only 13 minutes and was scoreless.
It's looking more and more like Sidney Lowe has lost this team. It's time for him to go I think. The program needs a new voice and a new idea. State is now 2-4 in the ACC and 12-8 overall.
A) NC State was finally putting all that talent together and was going to cruise to a big ACC road win
B) NC State would almost blow the lead but would regroup with the talent they have in order to not blow an entire 19 point lead
C) Score only 19 points the rest of the way, get outscored by 29 from that point on and lose by double digits
If you chose C you must have watched the game.
State totally disappeared after an impressive first 13 minutes or so of the game. They blew a 19 point lead and lost 60-50. They managed a measly 16 points in the second half. So again it was one good half of basketball and one pathetic half.
Tracy Smith was the only State player in double figures with 13 points. Ryan Harrow and Lorenzo Brown each had 9 points.
After 2 straight games playing 9 minutes Javier Gonzalez played 20 last night and scored 5 points.
State shot 39.6% from the floor. They are a very poor shooting team, which is surprising to me given that they have Tracy Smith. Richard Howell would have been expected to shoot a high percentage from in low, and they have a couple guys with reputations as shooters in Wood and Brown. But it's not really happening.
Richard Howell was scoreless. Also in the Hall of Shame for the game was Deshawn Painter who managed to foul out in only 8 minutes of play. CJ Leslie played only 13 minutes and was scoreless.
It's looking more and more like Sidney Lowe has lost this team. It's time for him to go I think. The program needs a new voice and a new idea. State is now 2-4 in the ACC and 12-8 overall.
Monday, January 24, 2011
So long Armando Galarraga
Last week Detroit signed Galarraga to a $2.3 million contract. The next day they put him on waivers, giving Detroit 10 days to trade or outright release him. That's an odd way to do things, but it's believed the fact that he signed and declined arbitration means that another team wouldn't have to worry about him going to arbitration and getting a big pay day if the team lost the hearing, thus making him more worth taking a risk on at $2.3 million rather than maybe 4 or 5.
Today Detroit completed the presumed trade, with Arizona. Last off-season Detroit traded Edwin Jackson to Arizona. It was also Arizona that first picked up Dontrelle Willis when Detroit waived him last year, though the D-Backs later did the same.
Galarraga was 23-26 in 3 seasons with Detroit, highlighted by the Imperfect Game one-hitter against Cleveland last year. He also led the team in wins his rookie season of 2008, with 13.
In return Detroit got two pitchers who pitched in A-ball last year.
Galarraga's problem was that he always nibbled around the plate which caused him to either walk too many guys and elevate his pitch count into short outings, or he got behind and then got hit hard when he was forced to pitch to the middle of the plate.
He never seemed to have confidence in his stuff, though he could be unhitteable, as the Imperfect Game and his 2008 season showed.
Today Detroit completed the presumed trade, with Arizona. Last off-season Detroit traded Edwin Jackson to Arizona. It was also Arizona that first picked up Dontrelle Willis when Detroit waived him last year, though the D-Backs later did the same.
Galarraga was 23-26 in 3 seasons with Detroit, highlighted by the Imperfect Game one-hitter against Cleveland last year. He also led the team in wins his rookie season of 2008, with 13.
In return Detroit got two pitchers who pitched in A-ball last year.
Galarraga's problem was that he always nibbled around the plate which caused him to either walk too many guys and elevate his pitch count into short outings, or he got behind and then got hit hard when he was forced to pitch to the middle of the plate.
He never seemed to have confidence in his stuff, though he could be unhitteable, as the Imperfect Game and his 2008 season showed.
Sunday, January 23, 2011
NC State held off Miami 72-70 today
State almost blew a 17 point lead with 13 minutes to play but got things done on the defensive end on the last two Miami possessions to seal the win.
Tracy Smith scored 16 points and 7 rebounds. Richard Howell had a career high 17 points and 5 rebounds in his first start since December. Scott Wood scored 11 and had 3 3-pointers, and Lorenzo Brown had a nice game finally. He scored 10 points, his first doublefigure game in ACC play, along with 6 rebounds and 4 assists.
Ryan Harrow started again and did a bit of everything. He had 5 points, 4 rebounds, 7 assists, and 3 steals. He had a steal with State up 71-70 with 20 seconds to play.
After CJ Williams hit one of two free throws, he combined with Tracy Smith on a steal and the clock ran out as the teams scrambled for the loose ball.
Sidney Lowe shook up the lineup again. Richard Howell, CJ Williams, and Ryan Harrow started. Javier Gonzalez played only 9 minutes and CJ Leslie came off the bench and played only 14 minutes. He had 3 points and 2 rebounds.
State is now 2-3 in the ACC. Sidney Lowe seems to be looking for lineup combinations that click and possibly trying to send a message to Leslie or limit his minutes while he works on some shooting and free throw shooting.
Tracy Smith scored 16 points and 7 rebounds. Richard Howell had a career high 17 points and 5 rebounds in his first start since December. Scott Wood scored 11 and had 3 3-pointers, and Lorenzo Brown had a nice game finally. He scored 10 points, his first doublefigure game in ACC play, along with 6 rebounds and 4 assists.
Ryan Harrow started again and did a bit of everything. He had 5 points, 4 rebounds, 7 assists, and 3 steals. He had a steal with State up 71-70 with 20 seconds to play.
After CJ Williams hit one of two free throws, he combined with Tracy Smith on a steal and the clock ran out as the teams scrambled for the loose ball.
Sidney Lowe shook up the lineup again. Richard Howell, CJ Williams, and Ryan Harrow started. Javier Gonzalez played only 9 minutes and CJ Leslie came off the bench and played only 14 minutes. He had 3 points and 2 rebounds.
State is now 2-3 in the ACC. Sidney Lowe seems to be looking for lineup combinations that click and possibly trying to send a message to Leslie or limit his minutes while he works on some shooting and free throw shooting.
Friday, January 21, 2011
State fell to Duke on Wednesday night
That tough 1-3 ACC start has materialized. Once again State got off to a terrible start in the first half. They barely shot 30% from the floor in the first half, if that, and went into the break down 42-28. They turned it up in the second half, scoring 50 points. I believe they've scored 50 in the second half of three of their four ACC games. But with the exception of the Wake Forest game they were behind big after a turd of a first half, with too big of a hole to climb out of.
Especially against Duke. Tracy Smith scored 19 points and had 9 rebounds. Ryan Harrow had 15 points and 5 assists. He came off the bench but played 34 minutes and the entire second half, as Javier Gonzalez didn't play in the second half at all. It looks like Sidney Lowe has decided that he wants the more up-tempo style with Harrow full time, and will teach him how to run the half-court set. Previously Harrow tended to run and Gonzalez ran a half-court style. But Gonzalez seems to again have lost confidence and he's not really displaying leadership, so he may now have lost most of his minutes to Harrow.
CJ Leslie scored 13 and had 8 boards. But he was only 4-13 from the floor and 5-10 from the line.
Scott Wood scored 12 on 4 3-pointers, and Richard Howell had 10 points and 7 rebounds. But Duke held State at arms' length and won it 92-78.
After scoring 2 points against FSU, Lorenzo Brown was scoreless against Duke. he had 1 rebound and 1 assist in 20 minutes. A no-show from the guy who should be their best all-around player.
State scored 50 in the second half but so did Duke. You're not really going to run Duke out of a building to come back from a deficit.
The end result is that State is 1-3. They desperately need to string together some wins.
I think the "Lowe Has Got To Gowe" signs are probably going to start popping up. This team has too much talent to finish in the bottom tier of the ACC. There's really not much more he can ask for in a recruiting class and talent. Other than team leadership. Part of that is on Lowe too. For a guy who was a great leader and great floor general as a point guard he sure has had a hard time bringing those traits out in his point guards. Harrow has alot of talent and shows flashes of being great, but no signs of leadership yet.
Especially against Duke. Tracy Smith scored 19 points and had 9 rebounds. Ryan Harrow had 15 points and 5 assists. He came off the bench but played 34 minutes and the entire second half, as Javier Gonzalez didn't play in the second half at all. It looks like Sidney Lowe has decided that he wants the more up-tempo style with Harrow full time, and will teach him how to run the half-court set. Previously Harrow tended to run and Gonzalez ran a half-court style. But Gonzalez seems to again have lost confidence and he's not really displaying leadership, so he may now have lost most of his minutes to Harrow.
CJ Leslie scored 13 and had 8 boards. But he was only 4-13 from the floor and 5-10 from the line.
Scott Wood scored 12 on 4 3-pointers, and Richard Howell had 10 points and 7 rebounds. But Duke held State at arms' length and won it 92-78.
After scoring 2 points against FSU, Lorenzo Brown was scoreless against Duke. he had 1 rebound and 1 assist in 20 minutes. A no-show from the guy who should be their best all-around player.
State scored 50 in the second half but so did Duke. You're not really going to run Duke out of a building to come back from a deficit.
The end result is that State is 1-3. They desperately need to string together some wins.
I think the "Lowe Has Got To Gowe" signs are probably going to start popping up. This team has too much talent to finish in the bottom tier of the ACC. There's really not much more he can ask for in a recruiting class and talent. Other than team leadership. Part of that is on Lowe too. For a guy who was a great leader and great floor general as a point guard he sure has had a hard time bringing those traits out in his point guards. Harrow has alot of talent and shows flashes of being great, but no signs of leadership yet.
Thursday, January 20, 2011
After all that Bret Favre has brought us the last couple years this is amusing
I can't take the credit for finding it myself. A buddy posted it to Facebook but it's pretty funny
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