Knee pain puts guard out 1-2 weeks for Pack

N.C. State starting point guard Farnold Degand is out one to two weeks with an ailing left knee, coach Sidney Lowe said Friday.

Degand, who has been recovering from a torn knee ligament suffered in the 10th game of last season, started last week's opener at New Orleans but spent the second half on the bench in pain.

He began the season recognizing that his minutes would be limited early in the season as his knee improved. But Lowe said Degand is suffering from tendinitis and pain that's a result of his reconstructive surgery.

Degand sat out 2006-07 as a transfer and missed most of last season with the injury.

"Obviously it's a difficult thing for him because he sat out one year and he got injured the next year, and now he's got another injury here," Lowe said.

"It's frustrating for him, but he understands that it's important for him to be healthy, number one."

The injury timetable means Degand will at least miss games today against High Point and Tuesday against Winthrop. He will be replaced by sophomore Javi Gonzalez, who also is wearing a knee brace and played in some pain late in the game against New Orleans.

Gonzalez, who led N.C. State with four assists in the opener, also was pressed into more action than anticipated last season because of Degand's injury.

Freshman Julius Mays will back up Gonzalez at the point.

"Fortunately or unfortunately, Javi's been in this situation before," Lowe said. "And he's certainly more and better prepared for it this time. Julius, obviously, being a freshman, his numbers are going to go up with the playing time and he's going to do a nice, solid job for us."