ACC Now - Five to remember for the Wolfpack

1) Jan. 23, 2002 @ UNC

"The Red Smith Center"

This game is notable for two reasons:

First and foremost, practically the entire upper deck of the Smith Center was red for N.C. State's 77-59 win.

By this point, UNC fans had stopped caring for a team that would finish 8-20 under Matt Doherty and miss the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1974.

Second, it was the first time in the post-Valvano Era State didn't need a 3-point barrage to beat UNC. State just had a better team and did what dominant teams do against inferior opponents, run them out of the building.

Truly, a high-water mark for Wolfpack fandom since the '83 title.

2) Feb. 3, 2007 @ N.C. State

"The Blazer Game"

Roy Williams won his first six games against N.C. State (all vs. Herb Sendek) and there was little reason to believe first-year coach Sidney Lowe would reverse that trend when third-ranked UNC (19-1 at the time) visited the RBC Center.

State was just 2-5 in the ACC but with five starters scoring in double-figures, 10 assists from gutsy point guard Engin Atsur and the power of Lowe's big-game red blazer, the Wolfpack pulled off an 83-79 upset.

3) Jan. 4, 1995 @ N.C. State

"The Lakista McCuller Game"

Lakista McCuller's six 3-pointers and 24 points gave N.C. State an 80-70 upset of No. 1 UNC at Reynolds Coliseum.

True to form under Les Robinson (who had a knack for beating UNC and few other teams), State proceeded to lose eight of its next nine ACC games while UNC finished the season in the Final Four.

4) Feb. 21, 1998 @ UNC

"The C.C. Harrison Game"

Clint Cotis Harrison went from Wolfpack hero in the 1997 ACC Tournament, to underachiever the following season. But at No. 1 UNC, Harrison got hot, hitting eight 3-pointers to give N.C. State a surprising 86-72 win and Sendek, in his second season, his first victory over the Heels.

5) Feb. 25, 2003 @ UNC

"Herb's Last Stand"

N.C. State tied an ACC record by making all 22 of its free-throw attempts in a 75-67 overtime win at the Smith Center.

It was Sendek's fourth straight win in the series and last game against Doherty. It also turned out to be his last win against UNC.

Sendek finished 4-2 against Doherty but 0-3 vs. Dean Smith, 1-6 vs. Bill Guthridge and 0-6 vs. Williams.

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JPG,

Interesting points regarding UNC and State.

How can defeating an 8-20 team be a high water mark? Things aren't that bad for the Wolfpack, surely.

You might want to stretch the time frame further back than 1994, when State was more competitive and the games were more meaningful. I know this ages me, but the 1959 games with Doug Moe and York Larese for Carolina and John Richter and Lou Pucillo for State were classics. Bring the calendar a little closer to today, and you have some great games during the Thompson-Bobby Jones era. In both of those periods, the State games were bigger than the Duke games. In the last 20 years, which includes the years you considered, the Carolina-Duke rivalry has pushed State to the side and made the Wolfpack irrelevant. Unfortunately, State is going to remain a side show until Duke slips, which isn't going to be anytime soon.

ANOTHER journalistic masterpiece by JP. When will it ever end? I hope someone is managing this guy.

ugh! my spelling! "took him man one of one" should have been "took his man one on one". :-)

Why dont you go wipe your @$$ with your comments?

"Sendek finished 4-2 against Doherty but 0-3 vs. Dean Smith, 1-6 vs. Bill Guthridge and 0-6 vs. Williams. "

Ugh. Just reading this made me throw up in my mouth.

This and the "5 for the Heels" are infinitely more interesting than the main "No NC natives in the game" article.

great post. i love this stuff. though, i think the game in 2007 was actually february 3rd...well, i don't think, i know, because it was the most exciting game i've been to yet in my life. also, the cc harrison game is on youtube...mike patrick: "cc harrison with another three! he say's, i've got it now, i've got it now!" classic stuff. keep up the good work JP

i dont think you have ever been more emphatic here at ACCNOW than in this sentence ...

"State just had a better team and did what dominant teams do against inferior opponents, run them out of the building."

I guess what makes it so ringing is you are talking about nCSU (your alma mater and no doubt you are getting a dig ... cant blame you.) and they simply, rarely have dominant teams.

Just trying to keep you happy. Although you missed the point.

— JPG

I usually do according to you State guys!

if my memory serves me correctly, the reason c.c. harrison went from 1997 tournament hero to also ran in 1998 was the implementation of the "5 second guarded closely" rule. in the 1997 acc tournament harrison, for the most part, drippled the ball near mid court until the shot clock ran down and then took him man one of one in the paint for the score. the "guarded closely" rule negated his ability to do that.