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ECU a must-win game for Lowe, Pack
Sidney Lowe can't afford to lose to ECU again. It's that simple.
If the third-year Wolfpack coach expects to build a winner at his alma mater, he must beat the programs he's expected to beat.
Lowe couldn't do that last season, losing to New Orleans at home and then at ECU. The Pirates beat State, 75-69 in Greenville last December, their first win over State in 18 games and first win over any ACC team in 58 tries.
This ECU (8-1) team is better than last season's, which finished 11-19. The Pirates own solid wins over VCU and Winthrop, a pair of annual NCAA Tournament contenders, and UNC-Wilmington and UNC-Greensboro, a pair of programs typically ahead of the Pirates in the UNC system.
Guard Sam Hinnant, who destroyed N.C. State with 30 points last December, is back and leading the Pirates with 17.4 points per game. He has help from guard James Legan (15.3 ppg) and forward Darrius Morrow (10.8 ppg and 8.6 rpg).
Hinnant led the 3-point assault on State last December, hitting 6 of his 8 3-point attempts. As a team, ECU made 10 of 18.
That game was tied at 64 with 2:09 left when Hinnant's long 3 from in front of ECU's bench gave the Pirates the lead for good.
State has already repaid New Orleans with a 65-59 road win to open the season. It needs to do the same tonight against ECU for the overall health of the program under Lowe, if not his own security.
Two seasons and two months into his first college coaching job, Lowe's not going to get run out of town. On the DEFCON scale, he's not even registering a 5, but with another loss to the Pirates, the pressure starts to mount and countdown to 1 begins.
The team that lost nine straight ACC games to close the 2007-08 season would be heading into key nonconference games with Marquette and Florida with doubts, instead of confidence.
And then there's the ACC schedule where outside of UNC, Duke and Wake Forest, very little difference between the other nine teams. With such a small margin of error, the difference between winning nine ACC games and four might be the belief that the team is capable of winning.
Losing to ECU sets this still unsettled State (5-1) team on the wrong path. Winning gives them the second step out of the abyss that was Lowe's second season.
J.P. Giglio
J.P. Giglio covers the ACC for the News & Observer, where he has worked since 1997.
Comments
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Amazing! But it was
Mon, 07/20/2009 - 11:57 — Lewis123Amazing! But it was disappointing to lose. No excuses, the other stood as the better one.
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A good bowl is any bowl
Wed, 12/17/2008 - 19:16 — YAR8packFor the whiner who complains about State being in a non-BCS bowl. Lemme ask you this question: Would you rather State be sitting at home this bowl season? If you have any doubt as to the answer, just think of last year's bowl game for NCSU and how awesome it was. Nothing like going to the toilet bowl.
Hmm, let's see now. Kinda helps recruiting to go to ANY bowl. But I figure such a grand intellect as yours may already know that.
Stop complaining and get yourself a DVR system, whiner. Are you a State or Carowhina fan? I'm voting the second choice.
Poor you. Can't watch the State bowl game. Boo hoo.
ill give NC State the win by
Wed, 12/17/2008 - 18:55 — JPMajorill give NC State the win by 12...
then agian, guy on ESPN put this game up for (upset alert) so i look for it to be a good game..
not good enough to get on TV though
Ain't no way we loose to the
Wed, 12/17/2008 - 16:23 — nascarpackneckAin't no way we loose to the Pirates!
I read similar post last
Wed, 12/17/2008 - 16:24 — festerI read similar post last year. With that said, you should win this one by 15+.
NC State fans
Wed, 12/17/2008 - 16:20 — festerStop complaining about playing ECU in Greenville. You couldn't sound more like a P***y.
Thanks!
I'll take ecu by 5.
Wed, 12/17/2008 - 14:04 — psh0117I'll take ecu by 5.
Should Bryanth1a on
Wed, 12/17/2008 - 13:57 — ginoboliShould Bryanth1a on packpride.com not get a by line on this article?
Well
Wed, 12/17/2008 - 15:30 — jpg (author)It's a fairly obvious point. I would hope anyone who follows/writes about N.C. State would understand that.
— JPG
predict
Wed, 12/17/2008 - 13:49 — shakenbake688ECU lost 5 of their top 6 scorers from last season. Half of ECUs wins this year are against non-Div 1. State should win by 13+.
Thanks for pointing that out, statefan2010
Wed, 12/17/2008 - 13:45 — YAR8packECU is playing in a legitimate bowl this year...thank goodness. After week 6 I wasn't so sure the Pirates would be let around a salad bowl.
State's playing a good bowl, too. Congrats to both teams.
Good Bowl??
Wed, 12/17/2008 - 16:59 — makeitwayneCome on, a "good" bowl is not classified as a game on Monday at 4 in the afternoon when noone can go and noone can watch. If you think going to Alabama is a good bowl with a mathup of 6-6 state with any team, I want to hear what bowl you consider bad.
sounds like ecu fans are
Wed, 12/17/2008 - 23:55 — mad_maxsounds like ecu fans are still a little bitter about a certain loss
If you want to make some
Wed, 12/17/2008 - 13:43 — gvillegatrIf you want to make some real money, take the Pirates +9. That line is a joke. I dont think NCSU will ever lead by 9.
ECU 67
NCSU 65
nice prediction
Wed, 12/17/2008 - 23:50 — mad_maxnice prediction
Yep. It's official ...
Wed, 12/17/2008 - 21:40 — mikbarrettYou're a dumbass.
No predictions
Wed, 12/17/2008 - 13:02 — SurferBest thing about NCSU BB this year is that I haven't heard about any predictions in terms of number of losses. Very smart. The coach is good, the players try hard, but expectations should be realistic.
30-24
Wed, 12/17/2008 - 12:54 — bppack30-24
Must win
Wed, 12/17/2008 - 12:52 — JPDOhioIt's kind of early for this kind of talk, but the point is valid nonetheless. For the Pack to have a successful season, it has to win games like this. Period.
I like their chances tonight. I believe Fells will start and play 30+ minutes. I just don't see him missing this one, at least based on what has been reported so far about his injury. It sounds like a pain issue, not so much a structural damage problem. Sitting him last Saturday was the sensible thing to do. Won't happen tonight.
Both State and ECU beat UNCG and Winthrop. State won both games big. ECU won big over UNCG and only by 3 over Winthrop, but that was at their place. Anyway, I think the Pack wins by 5-10. Good night to use the computer for something else besides ACCNOW.
Same Old Wolfpack!
Wed, 12/17/2008 - 12:51 — cat250sI absolutely love how the Wolfpackers get upset with ECU. Heaven forbid that we excell at anything in "G-Vegas"(come on!) NC State has a mediocre sports program that slid into "The Charmin Bowl"(Think about it!) while ECU has chugged along through thick and thin and are going to a REAL bowl. Granted, I'll admit the hoops program has not been a huge success, but ECU is a FOOTBALL school. Funny that NC State is neither very good at Football or basketball. Thats gotta hurt regardless if you play in "G-Vegas" or the Home of The Carolina Hurricanes.
I would be careful what you
Wed, 12/17/2008 - 13:26 — statefan2010I would be careful what you call "The Charmin Bowl" considering that ECU was in that same bowl two years ago and lost in it.
state wins by 10
Wed, 12/17/2008 - 12:26 — makeitwayneThey will step up and beat a inflated ECU team. Its at RBC, you cannot let ECU beat you in front of the home crowd. IF Sid wants to begin to validate his hire whatsoever, he will begin to win to in-state rivals with NO tradition of basketball excellence.
ECU
Wed, 12/17/2008 - 12:15 — willncsu34Should never beat an ACC team in bball. It is embarassing that we lost last year. Bad enough we played them in g-vegas. Shows what an idiot Lee Fowler is for scheduling that game. If we lose to them again this year we will not beat more than 2 ACC teams.