GREENSBORO - Across the board, Florida State had more size and speedthan N.C. State in the quarterfinals of the ACC tournament on Friday. Like the rest of this tournament, logic took a backseat to emotion and will.
Despite the talent gap, there was the Wolfpack, late Friday night, still alive and celebrating a spot in the unlikeliest of final four grouping in the tournament's 57-year history after a 58-52 win over No. 3 Florida State.
Freshman Scott Wood buried six 3-pointers while feisty point guard Javier Gonzalez, playing on an injured foot, sliced through FSU's menacing frontline defense for 13 points to join 12th-seeded Miami and seventh-seeded Georgia Tech in today's semifinals.
Only No. 1 Duke was expected to be here today. The upside-down semifinals were complete by the time the clock hit 11:49 at the Greensboro Coliseum. The Wolfpack will try to reach the championship game for the first time since 2007 with a win over Georgia Tech.
The Noles, 10-6 in the ACC for the second straight year and finalists in the tournament last year in Atlanta, tried to offset Wood's shooting — for a second time this season against them — but couldn't break the Pack.
Gonzalez's steal with 2:10 left, and subsequent feed to Tracy Smith for an easy dunk, put the Pack up 54-48. Smith followed with a shot-clock beating rainbow and then Gonzalez's free throws in the final minute gave the Noles an early rest for the NCAA tournament.
N.C. State (19-14) is two improbable wins away from joining FSU in the Big Dance. The Wolfpack has already picked up two improbable wins in Greensboro over two teams in the Field of 65.
Wood (18 points) carried the Pack with three 3s in each half. The Wolfpack treaded water against a vise-grip FSU defense, which produced 12 turnovers and blocked four shots, in the first half.
The Noles even got production (13 points) from slumping star forward Solomon Alabi but it wasn't enough to deny an N.C. State team that has won five of six since starting the season 3-10 in the ACC.
Wood's back-to-back 3s, the second at 13:37 in the second half, gave the Packa 46-37 lead. It's not the first time Wood has mangled FSU's ACC-leading defense. He hit eight 3s and scored a season-best 31 points in an 88-81 win on Jan. 12 in Tallahassee.
That means in two games against FSU, which leads the ACC in scoring defense and field-goal percentage defense, Wood has 13 3-pointers. In the other 16 ACC games this season, Wood has hit 22 3s.
Wood did have help, especially as he cooled in the final 10 minutes. Gonzalez, who sprained his right foot in the first half of Thursday's upset of Clemson, dribbled through, around and into the teeth of FSU's defense, led by Chris Singleton (6-9), Alabi (7-1) and Ryan Reid (6-9).
Gonzalez played smarter after a two-point first half saw Alabi and Singleton swat his shots without effort.
FSU, antsy after waiting and watching the first seven games of the tournament, led 14-7 and 18-13 before Wood found the range. Wood's three 3s pulled the Wolfpack to 28-25 at the half.
A hot start to the second half stretched State's to as many as nine points. The Noles could only get as close as three points in the final 5 minutes.
Comments
Wow...Great patience on
Sat, 03/13/2010 - 12:30 — unc098Wow...Great patience on offense. Really fantastic defense for the entire second half. Woods was lights out.....Javi...very heady play...Sidney's lifelong experience with the tournament is paying off. Very good time management particularly in the last 4 minutes. Well Packers you got to feel good about this one. Its a long haul but keeping the scoring and pacing at this level will only serve the team for the long haul. Excellent play.. Congratulations and good luck
Wow
Sat, 03/13/2010 - 00:12 — Heels20Javi Gonzalez looked a lot like Engin Atsur tonight. He came out a little slow in the first half, but his ankle didn't seem to be bothering him much at all in the second half. It looks like Sid is doing what he can to slow down the offense, minimize turnovers and control the game so that State can most effectively work its strengths.
Quote of the game: "Just lay the Wood, will ya?" Oh, how many ways that could have been misinterpreted...
I said this a few times throughout the season, but it shows more now than ever: It's amazing how much of a drop-off there was talent-wise since last year, and yet the fact that they now hustle makes them a much better/more dangerous team. No, they're not scoring a bunch of points, and no, they're not blowing teams out. At the same time, they're controlling the pace of the game and playing smart basketball. This may be the least talent NC State has had in 10 years, and yet they have been very fun to watch. I might head back up to Greensboro tomorrow afternoon and see if they keep it up...
Wow
Sat, 03/13/2010 - 00:06 — JPDOhioAnother great win.
Keep it going tomorrow guys! Oh, I mean today.
State
Sat, 03/13/2010 - 00:20 — LetsGoPittOhio: What was the line for this game? Was not in N&O this morning. Miami and GT were 4 pt dogs, assume State was around that as well?
It has been two great days so far for the Pack and they have really looked focused, as did GT. What kind of a game will we get this afternoon?
5.5 to 6
Sat, 03/13/2010 - 01:04 — JPDOhioI got that off the internet. I think Thursday nights game ended too late for the line to get in the morning paper.
I was wondering myself, because Mike Patrick kept referring to State as a "huge" underdog. You gotta like how Mike is always so understated.
Line
Sat, 03/13/2010 - 03:01 — LetsGoPittSupposedly, FSU was favored by 6.
Sweet work, Pack - keep on
Sat, 03/13/2010 - 00:00 — ProwlingWoofieSweet work, Pack - keep on keepin' on !
Nice to still be playing this weekend...
Swat the Bees tomorrow -