No. 18 Virginia at N.C. State, Noon ESPN
The highlight of Monday's game in Charlottesville between Miami and Virginia was the number retirement ceremony for Malcolm Brogdon. That's not good.
It was a touching moment for sure -- I was there, and you can see the ceremony on VirginiaSports.com as well -- but the game should've been the highlight and wasn't. Virginia was once again done in by poor shooting and untimely errors. It led by seven with about three minutes left but could not hold on, making just 4 of its final 11 free throws after starting 9 for 9 from the line. Virginia shot 31.4 percent from the field and 3 for 12 from beyond the arc. Isaiah Wilkins actually recorded his second career double-double, 10 points and 10 rebounds, and Devon Hall led all scorers with 15 points, but no one else was in double figures and London Perrantes struggled mightily, making just 2 of 15 shots and matching his season low with four points.
Virginia needs to find a way to turn it around and gets another chance against N.C. State, which has not had a good year. Here's more on the Wolfpack:
Record: 15-14, 4-12 ACC
Leading scorers: Freshman guard Dennis Smith Jr. (18.9), senior guard Terry Henderson (14), sophomore guard Maverick Rowan (12.3), junior forward Abdul-Malik Abu (11.5), sophomore guard Torin Dorn (9.9)
Leading rebounders: Abu (7), Dorn (4.9), freshman center Omer Yurtseven (4.6), Smith (4.3)
Assist leaders: Smith (6.4), freshman guard Markell Johnson (2.3)
Notable: Nine Wolfpack players average double-figure minutes. Yurtseven averages 6.2 points. Johnson averages 3.9 points, and Ted Kapita averages 4.3 points. Smith averages two steals. BeeJay Anya and Abu average about one block each.
Best win: at No. 17 Duke, 84-82
Worst win: 77-73 over Boston University at home. The Terriers are 16-13.
Other wins: Georgia Southern, St. Francis (N.Y.), Montana, Saint Joseph's, Loyola-Chicago, Tennessee
State, Appalachian State, Fairfield, McNeese State, Rider, Virginia Tech, Pittsburgh, Georgia Tech
Best loss: vs. Miami, 84-79
Worst loss: at Boston College, 74-66
Other losses: Creighton, Illinois, North Carolina (twice), Georgia Tech, Wake Forest, Louisville, Syracuse, Miami a second time, Wake Forest (twice), Florida State, Notre Dame
What N.C. State does well: The Wolfpack scores 79.1 points per game (53rd in the nation) and dishes out 14.8 assists per game (95th). State shoots 47.4 percent (41st), 36.1 percent from 3 (129th).
What N.C. State doesn't do well: The Pack isn't very strong defensively or on the glass. State gives up 80.1 points per game (328th) and has a +.3 rebounding margin (188th). It gives up a 45 percent field goal percentage (234th), 36.2 from 3 (248th). It also isn't great at taking care of the ball, turning the ball over 13.5 times per game (tied-207th) and has a -2 turnover margin (297th). Shooting from the charity stripe is not a strong suit either, where the Pack is at 69.7 percent (183rd).
Does Virginia come out fired up/angry or tentative? Does Tony Bennett put in some wrinkles to try to jump-start the offense? Does he put a different starting lineup on the floor? We are getting into desperation mode a little bit with this freefall, and North Carolina is coming to John Paul Jones Arena in two days. Another bad outing against the Wolfpack likely means a six-game losing streak, counting what the Tar Heels would likely do against a crumbling team Monday. Hopefully the guys attack the game, and the basket, with the right mindset. N.C. State is not a good defensive team, so there should be opportunities for the offense to kind of find itself. Additionally, the team has not played for a few days, so hopefully the players have had time to rest and relax a bit, maybe get their minds off basketball for awhile.
N.C. State had high expectations for this season and has a probable NBA lottery pick on its team in freshman Dennis Smith Jr., but it has been a very disappointing year for the Wolfpack that has led to the firing of coach Mark Gottfried, who is 123-83 during his tenure. Before last season, the Wolfpack had made the NCAA tournament his first four years. These past two have been subpar, though, and the school made a decision to move on. In a strange twist, Gottfried is continuing to coach the players until the end of the season, which could be simultaneously awkward and admirable of the coach. It also means we have no idea if the players are motivated to play well. If they like Gottfried, they are probably trying hard to send him out a winner. If they don't, then they don't have much left to play for. Either way, before their win Tuesday over Georgia Tech, State had lost seven in a row and 11 of 13, harpooning its chances of an NCAA tourney berth and leaving Gottfried out of a job at the completion of the season. So the dynamic for this team is very odd, and certainly, Virginia should feel like it is playing for more, but State, on the other hand, has nothing to lose, and neither does the coach.
I am in show-me mode. The Wahoos need to somehow pull themselves out of this losing streak they are in. As I stated, this is a good game for the 'Hoos to get the offense right, because N.C. State has given up plenty of points this season. It also owns an explosive offense, though, so Virginia's defense needs to be in good shape, and it has been recently, limiting explosive North Carolina and Duke and holding Miami to 43 points in regulation. Everyone knows the defense has not been the problem recently. But until this team can prove it once again can make shots and can make clutch free throws, I'm going to have to pick the opponent to win.
Gut feeling: N.C. State wins by 1-5 points.
The highlight of Monday's game in Charlottesville between Miami and Virginia was the number retirement ceremony for Malcolm Brogdon. That's not good.
It was a touching moment for sure -- I was there, and you can see the ceremony on VirginiaSports.com as well -- but the game should've been the highlight and wasn't. Virginia was once again done in by poor shooting and untimely errors. It led by seven with about three minutes left but could not hold on, making just 4 of its final 11 free throws after starting 9 for 9 from the line. Virginia shot 31.4 percent from the field and 3 for 12 from beyond the arc. Isaiah Wilkins actually recorded his second career double-double, 10 points and 10 rebounds, and Devon Hall led all scorers with 15 points, but no one else was in double figures and London Perrantes struggled mightily, making just 2 of 15 shots and matching his season low with four points.
Virginia needs to find a way to turn it around and gets another chance against N.C. State, which has not had a good year. Here's more on the Wolfpack:
Record: 15-14, 4-12 ACC
Leading scorers: Freshman guard Dennis Smith Jr. (18.9), senior guard Terry Henderson (14), sophomore guard Maverick Rowan (12.3), junior forward Abdul-Malik Abu (11.5), sophomore guard Torin Dorn (9.9)
Leading rebounders: Abu (7), Dorn (4.9), freshman center Omer Yurtseven (4.6), Smith (4.3)
Assist leaders: Smith (6.4), freshman guard Markell Johnson (2.3)
Notable: Nine Wolfpack players average double-figure minutes. Yurtseven averages 6.2 points. Johnson averages 3.9 points, and Ted Kapita averages 4.3 points. Smith averages two steals. BeeJay Anya and Abu average about one block each.
Best win: at No. 17 Duke, 84-82
Worst win: 77-73 over Boston University at home. The Terriers are 16-13.
Other wins: Georgia Southern, St. Francis (N.Y.), Montana, Saint Joseph's, Loyola-Chicago, Tennessee
Best loss: vs. Miami, 84-79
Worst loss: at Boston College, 74-66
Other losses: Creighton, Illinois, North Carolina (twice), Georgia Tech, Wake Forest, Louisville, Syracuse, Miami a second time, Wake Forest (twice), Florida State, Notre Dame
What N.C. State does well: The Wolfpack scores 79.1 points per game (53rd in the nation) and dishes out 14.8 assists per game (95th). State shoots 47.4 percent (41st), 36.1 percent from 3 (129th).
What N.C. State doesn't do well: The Pack isn't very strong defensively or on the glass. State gives up 80.1 points per game (328th) and has a +.3 rebounding margin (188th). It gives up a 45 percent field goal percentage (234th), 36.2 from 3 (248th). It also isn't great at taking care of the ball, turning the ball over 13.5 times per game (tied-207th) and has a -2 turnover margin (297th). Shooting from the charity stripe is not a strong suit either, where the Pack is at 69.7 percent (183rd).
Does Virginia come out fired up/angry or tentative? Does Tony Bennett put in some wrinkles to try to jump-start the offense? Does he put a different starting lineup on the floor? We are getting into desperation mode a little bit with this freefall, and North Carolina is coming to John Paul Jones Arena in two days. Another bad outing against the Wolfpack likely means a six-game losing streak, counting what the Tar Heels would likely do against a crumbling team Monday. Hopefully the guys attack the game, and the basket, with the right mindset. N.C. State is not a good defensive team, so there should be opportunities for the offense to kind of find itself. Additionally, the team has not played for a few days, so hopefully the players have had time to rest and relax a bit, maybe get their minds off basketball for awhile.
N.C. State had high expectations for this season and has a probable NBA lottery pick on its team in freshman Dennis Smith Jr., but it has been a very disappointing year for the Wolfpack that has led to the firing of coach Mark Gottfried, who is 123-83 during his tenure. Before last season, the Wolfpack had made the NCAA tournament his first four years. These past two have been subpar, though, and the school made a decision to move on. In a strange twist, Gottfried is continuing to coach the players until the end of the season, which could be simultaneously awkward and admirable of the coach. It also means we have no idea if the players are motivated to play well. If they like Gottfried, they are probably trying hard to send him out a winner. If they don't, then they don't have much left to play for. Either way, before their win Tuesday over Georgia Tech, State had lost seven in a row and 11 of 13, harpooning its chances of an NCAA tourney berth and leaving Gottfried out of a job at the completion of the season. So the dynamic for this team is very odd, and certainly, Virginia should feel like it is playing for more, but State, on the other hand, has nothing to lose, and neither does the coach.
I am in show-me mode. The Wahoos need to somehow pull themselves out of this losing streak they are in. As I stated, this is a good game for the 'Hoos to get the offense right, because N.C. State has given up plenty of points this season. It also owns an explosive offense, though, so Virginia's defense needs to be in good shape, and it has been recently, limiting explosive North Carolina and Duke and holding Miami to 43 points in regulation. Everyone knows the defense has not been the problem recently. But until this team can prove it once again can make shots and can make clutch free throws, I'm going to have to pick the opponent to win.
Gut feeling: N.C. State wins by 1-5 points.
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