Technician Online

November 29th, 2007

Loss’s meaning not yet clear

By clark on November 29th, 2007

LANSING, Mich. — While Wednesday’s loss at Michigan State was tough to watch for N.C. State fans, there’s still plenty of season — namely 16 ACC contests — remaining to erase the bitter memory of the Spartans rolling over the Pack in the Breslin Center.

What remains to be seen, and what will be a big part of the season, is to see where the team goes from the loss. Will the defense improve? Will the offense run smoother? Will the team come out better-prepared for future games against such opponents? With the amount of talent, particularly scorers, on this team, it seems unlikely there will be many more nights like Wednesday.

The Pack has come back from even worse losses in recent seasons to earn a solid finish (see 2004-2005 Sweet 16 run after an early-season eight-point first half against St. John’s). The thing about that season, the last time the school reached the Sweet 16, was there were too many other inexplicably uneven performances in between.

That’s Sidney Lowe’s task as he progresses in his second season: minimize the one-sided losses so fans can enjoy watching games win or lose, as well as having a reasonable hope of winning every time out. With all the players at his disposal, it’s certainly possible. Only time will tell, though.

Clark Leonard
Sports Editor

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November 28th, 2007

A cold new world for Pack

By clark on November 28th, 2007

The men’s basketball team had a closed walk-through practice this morning at the Breslin Center in preparation for its 7 p.m. game against No. 10 Michigan State. The team finds itself in quite a different atmosphere than the one it left on Tuesday. Snow is still on the ground from Monday’s showers, with more snow possible tonight and tomorrow.

Inside, the Pack will look to give Sidney Lowe his first signature non-conference win. It’s the type of victory that, if secured, could be remembered for a long time as a turning point in the program’s return to national prominence. The local paper here, the Lansing State Journal, is saying N.C. State has a good shot against Michigan State. “The Wolfpack bring in plenty of size and firepower, enough to threaten for a win at Breslin and an ACC title,” Joe Rexrode writes. In his final analysis, he picks the Spartans by two points.

Sure, much of the attention tonight will be on the UNC-Ohio State game to follow, but with OSU still finding its identity after losing Greg Oden, it’s the battle of the States that could prove to be the best game of the ACC/Big 10 Challenge.

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November 27th, 2007

An early-season showdown

By clark on November 27th, 2007

As N.C. State and Michigan State meet Wednesday night in East Lansing’s Breslin Center, two storied programs will be going against each other. But even more, both teams have the chance to have great seasons this year.

The Spartans, while they rely on a few freshmen, nearly knocked off No. 2 UCLA last week. Granted, the Bruins weren’t at full strength, but the Spartans still didn’t trail until the final minute. Despite the loss, MSU remains No. 10 in this week’s poll and under Tom Izzo surely has a chance to have another special season.

The Pack, on the other hand, has been trying to adjust to the arrival of some talented newcomers, highlighted by instant star J.J. Hickson. While the team has yet to put together 40 minutes of solid basketball consecutively, State still is 4-1 and picked up a nice win against Villanova on Sunday.

The team, with its new players and changing roles for returnees, has at times lacked focus, but a contest against the Spartans should certainly eliminate that problem. That, coupled with MSU’s young guys contributing, could mean the Pack is catching the Spartans at the right time. It might not be enough for a win, but it should be an impressive show.

A win would certainly be a defining moment for Sidney Lowe in only his second season, and it could set the tone for more good things to come. If nothing else, it’s a showcase for a program fighting to get back into the national spotlight.

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