‘Can’t let it snowball.’ Wolfpack looks for quick bounce back against Wake Forest
Given the way Wake Forest has played of late, N.C. State realizes what needs to be done Saturday when the two face off in Winston-Salem.
Good defense is a must.
Good rebounding, especially on the defensive boards.
And free throws. After that 6-of-15 debacle at the line in Wednesday’s 67-64 loss to Pitt, that must be a lot better, too.
After the game against Wake Forest in Raleigh last month, which had its share of histrionics, it’s hard to say how things will unfold Saturday at Lawrence Joel Coliseum.
Wolfpack coach Kevin Keatts was ejected after two technical fouls, four more techs were called, elbows were high, there was a head butt and tempers flared.
The Pack won 83-76. The Demons Deacons led 45-35 at the half but were outscored 48-31 in the second half, leaving coach Steve Forbes to call it “embarrassing.”
“We completely lost our composure,” Forbes said after the Jan. 16 game at PNC Arena.
But that was then. The Deacs (15-7, 7-4 ACC) have convincingly dispatched their last two ACC opponents and the scores surely grabbed the attention of Keatts and his staff.
Wake Forest hammered Syracuse 99-70 a week ago at Joel Coliseum. The Deacons then went on the road and smoked Georgia Tech 80-51.
After the Syracuse game, Forbes said he told Orange coach Adrian Autry that they “caught us on the wrong night.” Autry, in turn, started his postgame press conference by apologizing to Syracuse fans and the university, calling the performance “unacceptable.”
“Just a horrific game. Nothing was good, at all,” Autry added. “We didn’t play any defense at all. They did anything they wanted to do tonight.”
Autry was right. The Deacons were 12-for-20 on 3-pointers and shot 66% from the field. Hunter Sallis has 24 points, Kevin “Boopie” Miller 21 and Cameron Hildreth 13 points and 12 rebounds.
A few nights later, Yellow Jackets coach Damon Stoudamire was at a loss for words other than to say his team was given a (butt)-whipping.
“Nothing else to say, man,” Stoudamire said.
The Deacs led 46-20 at halftime and had six players finish in double figures. They outrebounded the Jackets 42-31 and made all 17 of their free throws.
The Wolfpack (15-8, 7-5) had its chances Wednesday against Pitt at PNC Arena. The missed free throws hurt – and Keatts mentioned that often in the postgame – but the Pack also was hurt on some Pitt hustle plays and putbacks late in the game.
On one Pitt possession, with the score tied 60-60, Blake Hinson twice missed 3’s. On the second, the Panthers’ Ish Leggett outbattled three State players in the lane for the offensive rebound, turned and scored.
The Pack is No. 80 in the NET rankings used by the NCAA to help set the NCAA tournament field and is 0-5 against Quad-1 opponents. NC State has chances to pick up those high-quality wins, beginning Saturday at Wake Forest. It could also see its season spiral downward.
After the Wake Forest game, the Pack goes to Clemson. Later comes a road game at North Carolina and a home game with Duke.
“We can’t let this snowball,” Wolfpack guard Casey Morsell said Wednesday.
This story was originally published February 9, 2024 at 10:22 AM.
