Three Points from State's 61-60 loss to the Cavaliers on Saturday.

1) Effort vs. execution

Effort was a problem for N.C. State before coach Mark Gottfried was hired. "Was" as in past tense and Saturday's 61-60 loss to Virginia is the latest proof of how far a State team, made up of essentially the same players as a year ago, has come on the effort front.

Any of Rich Howell's nine offensive rebounds, or the three jump-ball tie-ups on Virginia's end of the floor he caused, qualify as proof, but there's also the matter of State's defensive effort as a team in the second half.

RALEIGH — N.C. State made one 3-pointer in the final minute of Saturday's game against Virginia. It needed one more.

Lorenzo Brown's 3-pointer fell short at the buzzer and Virginia escaped with a 61-60 road win over the Wolfpack at the RBC Center.

Scott Wood's 3-pointer from the left corner with 46.3 seconds left gave State (15-7, 4-3 ACC) a chance to complete a 10-point comeback in the second half against one of the best defensive teams in the country.

The Cavaliers, quickly running out of roster and entering the tournament with an ugly nine-game losing streak, finally got back to .500 (15-15) with a 68-62 win that buys them a ticket to nowhere Friday.

Tony Bennett's ninth-seeded team will have to face top-seeded Duke, thoroughly rested since ruining North Carolina's life last Saturday night in Durham.