That giggling sound you hear is ACC commissioner John Swofford expressing his delight that five ACC teams have reached the Sweet Sixteen. That includes recent entrants to the conference, Notre Dame and Louisville, as well as Duke, North Carolina, and NC State, who all three reached the tournament’s second weekend together for the first time since 2005.
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The most surprising member of this group is the eighth-seeded Wolfpack of NC State.
In their first game the “Cardiac Pack” took down LSU 66-65 on a last-second hook shot from center BeeJay Anya after trailing by as many as 16 points in the second half.
NC State rode that wave of momentum into their second game against No. 1 seed Villanova. They held the Wildcats to 31.1 percent from the field despite six three-pointers and 27 points from Darrun Hilliard. The Pack also got double-doubles from Malik Abu and Lennard Freeman, who contributed 13 points and 12 rebounds and 11 points and 12 rebounds, respectively.
Point guard Cat Barber added 13 points and three assists while playing exceptional defense on Villanova guard Dylan Ennis, holding him to 2-for-12 shooting. Trevor Lacey‘s 17 points led the way for NC State, and the Pack would take the win 71-68. After the game, Barber also loudly expressed his satisfaction in ruining President Barack Obama’s bracket.
It was a surprising win to most, but not to people that follow NC State closely. With wins over Duke, North Carolina, and Louisville during the regular season, they proved they had the talent to compete with some of the best teams in the country. Their losses to Wake Forest, Clemson, and Boston College also proved they are one of the most inconsistent teams in college basketball. ‘
This run to the Sweet Sixteen is as unsurprising to NC State fans as a loss in the first round would have been. With this group, it was always going to be all or nothing.
In the Sweet Sixteen, the Pack will take on a conference foe in the Louisville Cardinals.
Louisville similarly walked a tightrope in their first game of the tournament, beating UC Irvine 57-55. UC Irvine fans were apparently steamed about the lack of a foul call on the final possession, resulting in the Louisville victory.
When you look at the replay it sure seems like Terry Rozier should have been called for a foul, but sometimes bad officiating is just part of the game. Quentin Snider stepped up in a big way for Louisville, scoring 16 points on 6-for-11 shooting (2-for-3 from outside). He also knocked down the game-winning free throws in the waning seconds.
Without Chris Jones, Rick Pitino needed another perimeter player to step up, and Snider finally answered the bell.
In the Round of 32, the No. 4 seed Cards took on the Missouri Valley Conference regular season runner-up and MVC tournament champ, No. 5 seed Northern Iowa. The Panthers came into the game 31-3 on the season, but an ACC opponent would prove too much for the talented mid-major.
Louisville’s defense was solid as usual, holding Northern Iowa to 39.1 percent shooting. Their six three-pointers kept the game from becoming a blowout, but UNI was never able to close the gap eventually losing 66-53.
Cincy on the Prowl
Northern Iowa had no answer for Terry Rozier. He attacked the rim relentlessly, scored 25 points, dished out seven assists, and grabbed five rebounds. Snider and Blackshear added 10 points each while Montrezl Harrell poured in 14 points and notched six rebounds.
The Cards have now reached the Sweet Sixteen in four consecutive years under Rick Pitino, including their Peyton Siva/Russ Smith led national championship during the 2012-13 season. This team may not be as talented, but they still have a legitimate shot at making a run to the Final Four.
But, if they want to do that they need to get past a feisty NC State team, a team that has already beaten them once this season. That game just may have been the turning point in NC State’s season.
The Pack were coming off of a disappointing loss to Wake Forest and a loss to Virginia that very nearly was an upset victory. Their season seemed destined for the NIT. Then a 21-point effort from Cat Barber and a lockdown defensive effort that saw Louisville shoot 32.8 percent from the floor would propel the Wolfpack to a 74-65 win, effectively saving their season.
That was the start of NC State winning five of their last six regular season games, pushing them over the hump and safely into the NCAA tournament. Now it’s time for a rematch.
This time, the stakes are even higher. Louisville is looking to return to the Elite Eight after a one-year hiatus, and NC State is looking for their first Elite Eight trip since the 1985-86 season. For those of you that are ACC history buffs, that dates back to the days when Jim Valvano was captaining the Wolfpack ship.
There are several intriguing matchups in this one, most notably Rozier against Barber. They are the engines that make their teams go and they are remarkably similar players. They are both lightning quick off the dribble and are best when attacking the rim, especially in transition.
Each player plays fantastic defense, and while they are capable outside shooters, it is the weakest weapon in their arsenals. This may be the one area that Barber has an edge on Rozier.
Rozier’s high volume of three-point attempts has led to a 30.9 percent mark from deep, while Barber has chosen his three-point attempts more carefully this season and has turned into a respectable deep threat, shooting 38.5 percent from outside.
I imagine each player will aggressively try and get the other in foul trouble early in the game. Their battle will be fun to watch, assuming they don’t move so fast that it just looks like a blur moving across your television screen.
In their first meeting, Barber got the best of Rozier, holding him to seven points on 3-for-11 shooting and using his aggressiveness to put him in foul trouble, eventually leading to Rozier fouling out of the game. In Friday’s meeting look for NC State reserve guard Desmond Lee to get some minutes guarding Rozier so Barber isn’t at risk of fouling out.
Limiting Rozier’s dribble penetration is the key to slowing down Louisville. If NC State cannot force him to rely primarily on long jump-shots it could be a long night for State.
Montrezl Harrell gobbled up 13 rebounds the last time these teams met, but he struggled offensively ending up with only 7 points. Mark Gottfried will throw out Lennard Freeman, Malik Abu, and BeeJay Anya to try and slow him down Friday night, it will be interesting if he is better equipped to handle the revolving door of defenders this time around.
Barber and Trevor Lacey typically handle most of the scoring load for NC State, along with sharpshooter Ralston Turner. Turner struggled against Villanova scoring only 4 points on 0-for-4 from the floor. If Turner gets back on track NC State stands a much better chance of pulling off yet another upset.
The first meeting was an evenly matched tilt that saw NC State pull away in the last few minutes. The second meeting should be just as exciting, and just as nerve wracking, with a trip to the Elite Eight on the line.
Will Louisville return to the place they’ve become so familiar with over the last few seasons, or will the Cinderella-story Wolfpack continue their march towards reclaiming their past glory?
There is only one thing left to do. Survive and advance, or go home.
Next: NCAA Tournament: Day 4 Recap
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