After four straight seasons of dropping the first game of conference play, Sidney Lowe’s team finally started off ACC play in the win column, with a 90-69 win against the Wake Forest Demon Deacons.
The 90 points scored by the Pack, 11-4(1-0 in ACC) was the most the team has scored in an ACC game under coach Lowe and is an excellent start to what amounts to the second part of a very important season for coach Lowe.
“It is very important. It is an initiation for a lot of the young guys to this type play and this level,” Lowe said. “It is important that we did it and did it at home on our court and that is great.”
Leading the way for the Pack in the game was star senior forward Tracy Smith, who put up a double-double with 23 points and eleven rebounds. Smith is playing in only his third game back after missing ten straight games due to a knee injury, but it was obvious that the knee does not seem to be a lingering problem for Smith.
“I couldn’t wait to play my first game and my first ACC game,” Smith said. “It’s exciting. I felt good and I was rolling. I felt like I couldn’t be stopped.”
Smith’s optimism after the game carried over to him mentioning that he believes that if the team can continue playing as well as it did on Saturday that it would be the best team in the ACC.
“We can be the best team in the ACC,” Smith said. “The talent we have, the talent the freshman have, everyone is just playing well and playing hard and it’s going to be hard to beat us.”
Smith’s return to the lineup showed in this game more than ever, as his ability to draw double teams and be that consistent scorer on offense helped to take the pressure off of other players, namely freshman C.J. Leslie, who has had to attempt to fill the big shoes left during Smith’s absence.
The highly touted freshman had struggled during Smith’s absence but now that he now longer has to be the main post presence, Leslie has put up back-to-back 19-point performances.
“It makes a great difference,” Lowe said. “He [Smith] is our main guy inside that we go to and play off of. Our guys are very comfortable having him in there and knowing they can throw the ball in there and not only is he going to get a shot for himself but he can also get some other guys open looks.”
During the first half the game stayed close, as both teams seemed to be feeling each other out with the Pack taking a 10-point lead into half. But at the beginning of the second half Wake scored three straight, cutting State’s lead to just four points and requiring Lowe to take a quick timeout, less then two minutes into the half.
But after that timeout, it was all State as the team ran away with the game scoring 50 points in the second half for the second straight game.
“I think the second half when the converted on their first three possessions it really got us to open our eyes and know we have to put the peddle to the metal and pick it up,” sophomore forward Scott Wood said.
Leading the second half charge was junior guard C.J. Williams. In his three seasons with the Pack, Williams has showed glimpses of offensive ability and in this game he seemed to put it together putting up 16 points, seven rebounds and three assists. Williams’s performance caught the eye of Lowe who praised his junior guard.
“It was a great effort. He just made plays,” Lowe said. “He shot the ball in his areas. He has come to understand his game and who he is and because of that he is more efficient. He has always been a very intelligent player, always knows where to go on defense and offense and he played outstanding today.”
Williams credits his big game to his coach who told him to stop forcing everything and just let the game come to him.
“I talked to coach Strickland before the game and he told me he thought I was pressing a little bit so he said to just let the game come to me but still be aggressive,” Williams said. “So the way I took it was still be aggressive, but just take the best shots.”
With the first win under the team’s belt, the Pack will travel to Boston College Tuesday night looking to move to 2-0 in the ACC.
