BLACKSBURG, Va. — An 18-point, second-half lead and a lot of history weren’t enough to get N.C. State its first ACC road win on Saturday.
Virginia Tech, which had lost six in a row to the Wolfpack, took advantage of 11 N.C. State turnovers in the last 13 1/2 minutes of regulation to force overtime and win 91-87 at Cassell Coliseum.
Neither of N.C. State’s point guards – sophomore Javi Gonzalez or freshman Julius Mays – could halt the turnovers as A.D. Vassallo scored 24 points to lead the Hokies.
Vassallo and Terrell Bell made the first two baskets of overtime as Virginia Tech took the lead for the first time since the game’s fourth minute and held on to win. Vassallo scored six points in overtime, including 4-for-4 from the foul line in the final 18 seconds.
N.C. State senior Ben McCauley scored 10 of his 25 points in the final seven minutes of regulation – including 8-for-8 from the foul line. But he had his shot blocked under the basket with the score tied at 76-76 with four seconds remaining in regulation.
McCauley was the only Wolfpack player to score in the last 9:30 of regulation.
Sophomore center Tracy Smith shook off a sore right knee to score 13 points in the first half as N.C. State built a 49-35 halftime lead. That advantage increased to 63-45 with 13:30 remaining in the second half before the barrage of N.C. State turnovers fueled a Virginia Tech comeback.
After Gonzalez made his first start at point guard since Dec. 17 against East Carolina, the Wolfpack tied a season high with 22 turnovers. Gonzalez did score 11 points and hand out six assists.
N.C. State fell to 12-9 overall, 2-6 in the ACC. Virginia Tech is 15-7, 5-3 in the league.
Comments
We suck much worse than any
Sun, 02/08/2009 - 22:51 — TheBigGuyWe suck much worse than any refs or any coaches...we need recruits...plain and simple. Don't blame sid...refs..or current players, yet. lets see if we can get some players cuz right now it's UNC, Duke, and Wake...NCSU flat out su.x
Response
Sun, 02/08/2009 - 23:17 — Mick007yeah......the talent suc.s, but the coaching is worse. PUH.Leese!!!!!! Dump Sid. Dump Lee.
coaching??
Sun, 02/08/2009 - 21:44 — gvillegatryou guys had an 8 pt lead with 2 mins to play. if you could get your PG to shoot some FT's you prolly win by 1. also, the turnovers in the 2nd half were the pitfall for the Pups today. At one point VT had 17 pts off of them in the 2nd half.
My thoughts
Sun, 02/08/2009 - 21:26 — JamuncwI am suprised that people are not talking about the 22 Turnovers by the Pack and now 42 in the last 2 games after just 9 against unc. You can not turn it over that much and win on the road in the acc.
Yes the refs helped, the turning point in the game was the bad intentional foul call on fells (foul yes, intentional no), but it was a mixture of the turnovers, the inconsistent offense and the poor play of the point guards (8 turnovers by mays and gonz combined, and several other bad decisions by them which led to easy VT points). If they keep this up, the home games against UVA and maybe maryland are the only possible wins left this season and the pack will be sitting home come march and Lowe's seat is going to be real hot.
All right, first off, for
Sun, 02/08/2009 - 21:11 — wolfpack426All right, first off, for all of you bashing Sydney, you need to check your tongues. You're the people that make good coaches not want to come to NC State because for some reason you expect immediate results. You have to give a coach at least 3 years to start getting his players in his system and then evaluate. Yes it sucks losing and as Wolfpack fans we just think we need to win all the time but hey...we normally have the opposite. You should be used to it. Start calling for the man's job AFTER next season.
TO Wolfpack426
Sun, 02/08/2009 - 22:07 — Mick007Drink some more KOOL-AID.........
And yes I understand that
Sun, 02/08/2009 - 21:14 — wolfpack426And yes I understand that Degand, Mays, and Gonzales are basically his players, but the first was a gamble on a transfer to try and get some experience at the point and the latter are still supposed to be learning and developing not playing the floor right now.
State will not win...
Sun, 02/08/2009 - 20:44 — nitwit1961another game this season. To fall apart when you have an 18-piont lead will nail the coffin shut on this season.
But Sid does not have to worry about his job as there is no one out there that would take this job and Fowler will stay with him for the next 10 years until Sid gets tired of being with a perennial loser and "fan" whipping boy.
VT ACC Record
Sun, 02/08/2009 - 20:30 — lil576The Hokie Nation takes offense at your incorrect posting of their ACC Record. VT is 5-3 in league play and is poised for an NCAA Run. You guys counted us out in Football when you had the Heels running the table and look how smart that turned out. As for the Pack fans, you guys got what you deserve. I guess going to the big dance every year was not enough. Maybe the fat cat boosters can hit Herb up for some tickets this year, because he will be makinga an appearance.
Dude, relax!
Mon, 02/09/2009 - 11:53 — MD11Fr8DogHe fixed it! :)
VT ACC Record
Sun, 02/08/2009 - 20:29 — lil576The Hokie Nation takes offense at your incorrect posting of their ACC Record. VT is 5-3 in league play and is poised for an NCAA Run. You guys counted us out in Football when you had the Heels running the table, and look how smart that turned out. As for the Pack fans, you guys got what you deserve. I guess going to the big dance every year was not enough. Maybe the fat cat boosters can hit Herb up for some tickets this year, because he will be making an appearance.
What a kick in the gut.
Sun, 02/08/2009 - 20:25 — JPDOhioThe refs didn't lose it and neither did Sid. Too many turnovers and two guys choking at the free throw line when they could have put the game away. This is a team with mediocre talent that Sid has playing hard every game. They just aren't good enough to seal the deal against a good team away.
Javi was better than I expected, but he still turns it over too much. And I am tired of hearing game announcers talk about how great Brandon Costner is. My guess is that he leads the team in turnovers per game and he definitely disappears for long stretches every game. McCauley was great, but nobody is going to mistake him for an All-American candidate.
Bottom line is that you can coach these guys all you want, but they have to deliver on the court. I think Sid is doing the best he can with the players he has got, but they don't have the talent to overcome the mental mistakes that seem to happen to often.
REFS?? TRY COACHING
Sun, 02/08/2009 - 19:14 — Mick007State had big leads a couple of times during this game, like a lot of other games they blew. The meltdown is on the coaching staff. Sid is in over his head, and he is the product of Lee. And Lee endorses Sid. Perfect reflections. The upper administration needs to quit turning their heads if athletics at State is going to make a turn for the better. Time for them to wake up. Or, maybe they don't want to. When enough alum start to wake up and renege on the support, maybe things will change.
That is two in a row that
Sun, 02/08/2009 - 18:35 — nascarpackneckThat is two in a row that the refs have screwed the Pack.
FTs
Mon, 02/09/2009 - 12:23 — SurferYep they made Horner miss both free throws.
Blame it on the zebras
Sun, 02/08/2009 - 23:57 — stpand43I am reading several posts about the intentional foul call, but none about the foul call on Delaney when Costner threw him to the floor. Not only was that the wrong call, but the zebra hits Seth with a T when he pointed out his error!
NC State had an 18 pt lead..
Sun, 02/08/2009 - 18:48 — JPMajorNC State had an 18 pt lead.. im pretty sure more happend than a few bad calls..
but then again.. it's always the refs fault isnt it?
ok
Sun, 02/08/2009 - 18:33 — gevaliaJust one word - Anyone out there still think we do not need a new coach??!!
How many years of loosing will we need before Pack fans realize that the program will not get any better!!!
I'm a Pack fan since Everett Case was coach and I have watched the program tank since Jimmy Valvano was run off by a really STUPID athletic Dept and Chancellor. How many pathetic season did it take for them to realize Les Robinson was never going to win
VT game
Sun, 02/08/2009 - 17:16 — rslam1111State played to an 18 point lead thanks to the referees. State blew an 18 point lead and lost to VT, thanks to Sidney Lowe.
coaching search
Sun, 02/08/2009 - 17:14 — rslam1111www.FireLeeAndSidney.com
Coach Kool-aid head is going
Sun, 02/08/2009 - 16:57 — jrbrownCoach Kool-aid head is going to let his Pack lose again....hahahahahah! Please come back Sendeck.
wrong calls
Sun, 02/08/2009 - 16:52 — gra328If the referees would've called all the fouls against NCSU player 34 (McCauley) VT would've had a better chance than they did. It was amazing to watch 34 deliberately foul a VT player, but then the VT player got the foul called against him! I'm still not pleased with the VT coach and his language.
Greensburg's mouth
Sun, 02/08/2009 - 17:54 — phil48Oh yeah, and you're right, Greensburg's worse than K. They showed him several times, and it was apparent he was yelling, "F***!"
Re: Greensburg's mouth
Sun, 02/08/2009 - 19:30 — wolfpacker24Seth Greenberg is quickly becoming Coach Ratface's disciple in the whining/cursing department.
terrible refs
Sun, 02/08/2009 - 17:48 — phil48I'll agree that the refs were horrible, but ncsu didn't get an advantage from it; if anything the other way around. In particular the "intentional" foul called against Fells even though he clearly got a lot of ball. VaT really got a lot of momentum off that.