ACC Countdown Preview

#12. NC State

Games against 2009 NCAA Tournament teams: 13

Best non-conference game: Dec. 5 at Marquette

Projected Starting Five:

F - Tracy Smith (Junior)

F - Dennis Horner (Senior)

F - C.J. Williams (Sophomore)

G - Julius Mays (Sophomore)

G - Javier Gonzalez (Junior)

I think the biggest coaching change mistake in the last decade in the ACC was NC State basically forcing out Herb Sendek. The boosters didn't like the fact that NC State, despite getting to sevearl NCAA tournaments, wasn't at the same level as UNC and Duke. Well, where are they now? Since NC State hired Sidney Lowe, here's how they have done in the ACC?

06-07: 5-11

07-08: 4-12

08-09: 6-10

No NCAA tournament bids in that time. And it doesn't look to get better anytime soon. NC State just doesn't have the talent level to compete in this conference. Their two best players, Brandon Costner and Ben McCauley, have left. They did not reach their potential while at State, but were able to play to a certain style, as big men who could step outside and hit the 3. Who is going to do that this year? The Wolfpack have a solid big man in Tracy Smith, but he works in the paint. Dennis Horner was a role player who is now thrust into a starting job. Javier Gonzalez has showed flashes of being a good point guard, but he has also lost his job at times to Farnold Degand.

I'm not going to come out and say Sidney Lowe is a bad coach, but he definitely seems overmatched. NC State in the past few years could come out firing on all cylinders and look great, then come back the next game and look terrible. And this team has the least amount of talent that NC State has had since Lowe got the job. The Wolfpack have a tough non-conference schedule and will be hard pressed to win enough games to get to any kind of postseason play. Don't be surprised if this time next year the Pack have a different head coach.