Patrick O'Brien

Sorry, I’ve been on a little vacation over the past week but now I’m back and looking
ahead at the matchup that the Wolfpack will have when they travel down the road to
Cameron Indoor Stadium to take on # 4 Duke. Duke had a great week with wins over
UNC and Maryland and look to keep their momentum going with a good victory against
the Wolfpack. This is a chance for the Wolfpack to get their signature win that they
need to help boost their resume for March Madness. State has won their last three but has struggled a little bit with some of their opponents that are on the bottom of the ACC. Defending Duke can be simple at times but State will have to work hard on the boards and not let Duke get around the defenders by using screens. Duke will shoot threes and everyone knows it; however, State needs to help on defense and make Duke become a team that shoots inside the arc. Rebounding will be important in the game and Leslie and Howell will have to control the Plumlee’s down low. S. Wood has been shooting a little bit better since the UNC game from three and should be able to get some shots off because of the smaller guards on Duke. However, NC State should attack the rim and make these guards get in their face, allowing the three to open a little more, which in turn will allow the big guys down low create some space. This would be a win that would put the Wolfpack right back in the race for the ACC and would help tremendously to boost their resume for their chances to get in the NCAA Tournament.
 
 
Other News:
• Women’s Basketball has lost 5 of out last 7 games and will have a big matchup
against #6 Miami Feb 16.

Joe Paterno passed away Sunday after battling with lung cancer that seemed to take a 360 degree turn and became life threatening. The man called all his family members and friends to gather around because he knew it was his time to go. It was a sad way for this man to go, especially with the latest news about Penn State and what has gone all around the campus. 

Joe Paterno coached his last season at Penn State and its hard not to believe that everything that happened and surrounded him, had to take some effect on the man down the stretch. Coach Paterno was not only the head coach of Penn State football for 46 years, he was not only the coach with the most wins (409 wins overall), but he was also a teacher, a motivator, and a man that had inspired so many to what the game is today. He has sculpted many young men into great men and has led the way for coaches of generations after to learn and lead just like he did.

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Well, 2011 has come and gone and it is now time to start looking towards 2012. I hope everyone had a great break and was able to enjoy the holidays, but here is a little break down of what is happening with the Wolfpack, even though the past couple of weeks in the world of sports has been a little slow.

Men’s basketball played two games at the RBC center. The first game, the Wolfpack struggled against the Campbell team that just seemed to stick around. With the help of Lorenzo Brown, who had a career-high with 24 points, and also going 28 out of 31 from the free throw line, State was able to pull the win out. They also had a game against Western Carolina, which seemed to be a game that State was able to control. The Wolfpack was able to shoot 57.7% from the field and led by 23 at the half, with the lead growing as high as 41 points. State heads into the year with a 10-4 record with a 82-55 win over Western Carolina.

Well State fans, this is the game that you have been waiting for. These are the games that Mark Gottfried was hired for and hoping to bring a new presence to NC State basketball. Syracuse comes to the RBC Center ranked as the number 1 team in the land because of recent losses to Kentucky and Ohio State.

As everyone knows, Syracuse is a physical, tough, and big team that plays mostly a zone against their opponents. They have only been allowing 57 points, while putting up 80 points a game. For an upset to come in Raleigh, the Wolfpack will have to play much better than they have, and if they are able to get a lead, keep it through the second half. In their recent games, they have struggled against opponents they should have beat - or should have destroyed.

In this game, they will have to have their three pointers fall against that zone defense, which will help spread out and make more room for their big players down low. If they are not able to spread out the Syracuse defense, States big men will have no shot down low because of how the Orangemen swarm around players. This is the game that will show where State really is and will show how far they will need to go to become a national powerhouse.

Other Sports News:

- NC State has sold out in tickets for the Belk Bowl vs. Louisville.

- Lady Wolfpack lost to Richmond 72-58 on Thursday night.

- The diving team will compete at USA Nationals.

- Chris Overman was named a Preseason All-American.

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