GREENSBORO — N.C. State shut down Erick Green and Joe Harris to get to the semifinals of the ACC tournament.
Miami's Durand Scott proved more difficult to defend. Scott's career-best 32 points carried the top-seeded Hurricanes to a 81-71 win over N.C. State and into their first ACC championship game.
N.C. State, playing for the third time in as many days, started sluggish and fell behind by double-digits midway through the first half and stayed in a hole.
A brief rally in the second half, spurred by four straight points from freshman guard Rodney Purvis, opened the door but Scott slammed it shut.
N.C. State had cut what was a 19-point Miami lead down to 50-44 at the 12:03 mark on a 3-pointer from Scott Wood (21 points).
Scott answered with a 3 of his own and Shane Larkin (23 points) followed with a running bank shot and Miami's lead was back to 55-44.
A three-point play by T.J. Warren at 8:12 made it 58-48 but again Scott came back with another 3-pointer.
The Hurricanes (26-6) will face the winner of UNC and Maryland in the title game on Sunday at 1 p.m.
N.C. State held Virginia Tech's Green, the nation's leading scorer, to 15 points on Thursday and Virginia's Harris to 13 in Friday's win. Scott made 12 of his 18 field goals and was 5 of 8 from 3-point range. Miami got up by as many as 19 points in the first half. Scott's free throws with 1:18 left in the half made it 39-20.
The Wolfpack (24-10) had five missed shots and two turnovers on its first seven possessions of the game. With forward C.J. Leslie in early foul trouble and Wood struggling to find his shot, the Wolfpack looked lost. Then Wood made his first 3 of the game, and was fouled, for a four-point play at 1:02, to cut Miami's lead to 39-24.
Wood drained his second 3 with 45.5 seconds left and Lorenzo Brown made a pair of free throws on the Pack's next trip and Miami's lead was down to 41-29.
State missed three free throws in the final 20 seconds with a chance whittle Miami's lead even more.
Scott scored Miami's first five points of the half before the Wolfpack started its charge by finally getting its transition game going. Six straight points from Warren and then the two driving baskets from Purvis gave the Wolfpack hope, and breathed life into the Greensboro Coliseum, but the Wolfpack couldn't get closer than six points.
Comments
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Random thoughts
Sun, 03/17/2013 - 12:16 — JPDOhio1. There will always be a special place in this Pack fan's heart for Richard Howell. If I were a coach, I would create a Richard Howell highlight film to show my players how the game is meant to be played.
2. I was happy to see Rodney bring some spark in the 19 minutes he played. He did well and will be an important part of any success the Pack has in the NCAA Tourney.
3. I attribute the Pack's sloppy play to mental fatigue. They just did stupid thing after stupid thing, as if their heads were not in it.
4. Lorenzo was just plain bad. No offense, too many turnovers, very inconsistent. That failed alley-oop in traffic to CJ was typical of the poor judgement he used all game. He is better than that, and needs to be if the Pack is going to make a run in the NCAA tourney.
5. The horrible free throw shooting is an indicator of the mental fatigue I was referring too. I have noticed, especially with CJ Leslie, that when the players heads are not in the game, their free throw shooting is poor. When they are playing well, the FT percentage is higher. So I see FT shooting as a symptom of poor play more so than a cause.
6. It is anybody's guess which Pack team will show up for the NCAA tourney. For what it's worth, I would not discount State's chances based on the Miami game. Let's not forget the two games prior to that. The keys will be Richard's health and the team's ability to ignore all the outside influences and expectations and simply focus on themselves and their opponents, one game at a time.
Go Pack!
Good points
Sun, 03/17/2013 - 15:22 — SurferBut I really think that Miami is just that good.
Regarding expectations, they shouldn't have to worry about that too much at this point.
Good points
Sun, 03/17/2013 - 15:22 — SurferBut I really think that Miami is just that good.
Regarding expectations, they shouldn't have to worry about that too much at this point.
Did not maintain
Sat, 03/16/2013 - 16:33 — PackFanManthe defensive intensity established in the two previous games; lost the battle of the boards 35-25 (seemed like Miami was getting second chances---13 offensive rebounds--- all game long; also left 11 pts. at the foul line---recipe for disaster. Brown did not have a good game and Howell's injury was obviously a factor. State just gave up too many points.
.....looks like State will get an 8-9 seed in the dance; not good.
8-9 seed
Sun, 03/17/2013 - 11:59 — JPDOhioDuring Sid's tenure, Pack fans would have killed for an 8 or 9 seed. Now, we are generally disappointed. Pretty good indication of how far this program has come under Gott.
I am a glass-half-full guy, so I am not ready to concede a short run in the tourney by the Pack. Gott will have them ready to go on Thursday or Friday and anything can happen.
just to temper things a bit
Sun, 03/17/2013 - 15:19 — SurferHow far the program has come? I guess so, but this is only the second year.... still just a spike (except in the expectations department), let's see where they are after 5 years.
I get that
Sun, 03/17/2013 - 16:11 — JPDOhioI am simply tired of all this "woe is me" over the fact that preseason expectations (which probably were inflated) weren't met. The reality is that today the Pack is in better shape than they were two years ago. Not talking about 3 years from now, just today.
Then you have Luke Decock digging their grave because they weren't talking after the Miami game. I am glad they weren't talking and I am glad they are upset. It would be worse if they were spouting the same inane platitudes that we usually hear.
I believe the Pack will show up energized for their first NCAA game, because I don't think Richard Howell, Scott Wood and Lorenzo Brown are ready for the season to end. I have no idea if CJ Leslie cares at this point. The answer to that question will determine how far the Pack goes in the tourney.
Improvement
Mon, 03/18/2013 - 12:13 — SurferAgree, as a team, they are better. No doubt, due in large part because the upper classmen are still there.
But when I think "program", I think it's more of a duration of excelling, year after year. MG can do it if he gets the players and they will continue to stay for 3 or more years. Perhaps lower expectations would be better from a perception standpoint.
BTW
Sun, 03/17/2013 - 16:14 — JPDOhioThat "woe is me" comment is not directed at PackFanMan, who is a gentleman when posting on this site. It is meant for the many others who always are just waiting for the next shoe to drop whenever the Pack falters.