What Lowe has not done is play Johnson.

That could change tonight in the Wolfpack's game against Seton Hall (8-2) in Newark, N.J.

With starting point guard Farnold Degand lost for the season with a knee injury, freshman Javi Gonzalez is expected to start and the 6-foot-5 Johnson may see his first playing time since he wore a Tennessee uniform.

Johnson, unhappy about a lack of playing time for the Vols, transferred after the first semester last season. Under NCAA rules, he was not eligible until Friday's game against Davidson.

"His game is a steady type of point guard," Lowe said last week. "Run your show, get in your offense. Defend, hustle.

"He's going to come in and work hard for you. That's all we're going to ask him to do."

Johnson did not play in the Pack's 66-65 win over Davidson at the RBC Center. Nor was he used Sunday night as State (7-3) topped Cincinnati 85-77.

But some of Lowe's other comments about Johnson proved prophetic.

"It's tough to say minutes-wise what he'll get," Lowe said. "The nice thing is knowing he is available. You never know when the opportunity will present itself."

With 4:15 left in the Cincinnati game, Degand was driving down the lane against the Bearcats' Marvin Gentry. Degand's left knee buckled and he tumbled to the baseline.

Degand had torn the anterior cruciate ligament and would need surgery. For the Pack, there would be no Christmas cheer.

Degand started the first 10 games and was the Pack's quickest baseline-to-baseline player. The 6-4 sophomore, a former transfer from Iowa State, had the kind of quickness needed to defend the ultra-quick point guards in the ACC -- UNC's Ty Lawson, Ish Smith of Wake Forest, Sean Singletary of Virginia.

Now, it's Gonzalez's turn to start. And, perhaps, Johnson's opportunity.

Gonzalez, 6 feet, does not have Degand's size or length. He's not as speedy, not as good at penetrating the lane or beating players off the dribble.

At Michigan State in the ACC-Big Ten Challenge, Gonzalez appeared nervous. He was quickly pulled after back-to-back turnovers in the first half.

But Gonzalez's play against Cincinnati after Degand was injured had to be encouraging -- for Lowe, his teammates and Pack fans. With State leading 70-67, he made a neat feed to J.J. Hickson for a dunk. Gonzalez then hit four straight fouls shots in the final minute to help seal the Pack's third straight victory.

"Javi came in to hit some big free throws for us," senior Gavin Grant said.

In 17 minutes, Gonzalez had six points, one assist and two steals. More importantly, he did not have a turnover.

"I thought he did a great job," Lowe said. "What I was really impressed with was when we huddled up and he was talking to his teammates about getting stops and making plays, just trying to take on some leadership role."

Gonzalez missed all of preseason practice after tearing a ligament in his right thumb. A right-handed shooter, he has appeared hesitant at times to take perimeter jumpers and has gone 3-for-18 from 3-point range.

Johnson, from Fort Wayne, Ind., played in four games at Tennessee early last season. But his minutes quickly dwindled -- from 18 minutes in his first game to four by his third game -- and Vols coach Bruce Pearl seemed set on redshirting him.

That's not what Johnson wanted. He soon was headed to NCSU, intent on working hard in practice and then playing his way into the lineup. But Lowe noted returning to game competition can be a big adjustment.

"The intensity level obviously is higher in a game," Lowe said. "The crowd is there, so there's a little more pressure, as well."

Lowe has other options. Junior Courtney Fells could see time at point guard. And Grant, at 6-7, ran the offense at times last season when former point guard Engin Atsur was injured.

But there's now more than a little pressure on Gonzalez -- and possibly Johnson.

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