TAMPA, Fla. — Ten years ago, N.C. State started the ACC Tournament on aThursday as the No. 8 seed. It won three straight games en route to an ACCchampionship game against North Carolina that Sunday.
The Wolfpack lost that March 9, 1997 game against the Tar Heels 64-54.
This year’s ACC tournament wasn’t too different. After knocking off Duke,Virginia and Virginia Tech, State had a shot at North Carolina for thechampionship.
The result? An 89-80 loss.
What’s even eerier is that during the 1997 season, it was former coachHerb Sendek’s first year in charge.
Sendek came in with low expectations, and his tournament run had a lot offans excited. People believed Sendek could take the program back to whereit had been. He didn’t talk big, but the fans thought big.
Fast forward 10 years. Coach Sidney Lowe started the year with lowexpectations — very few expected much from the first-year coach. But whatdid Lowe do? He won three straight games, as did Sendek, he has peoplethinking the program is heading back to where it was.
But with all the similarities, there are even bigger differences.
Lowe talks big. He dresses flashy. And his players genuinely seem to likehim.
After Sunday’s loss to North Carolina, sophomore forward Ben McCauley saidthe men’s basketball program is getting set for a good future.
“This is what coach Lowe is all about,” McCauley said. “This is the wayN.C. State basketball is going to be played from now on.”
With Sendek, his so-called dry personality and boring offense frustratedand constrained players like junior guard Gavin Grant and former guardCameron Bennerman.
Less than 30 minutes after State’s win against Virginia Tech, a reporterasked Grant if he felt more comfortable with Lowe.
He looked up, smiled and his eyes seemed to get bigger.
Grant, who is from the Bronx, N.Y., said Lowe has let his players playless restricted.
“I’m a street-ball type player,” Grant said. “I like to play more free –with coach Lowe, we can display our skills a little more.”
And for the future, Grant said a coach like Lowe shouldn’t have a problembringing in talent.
“He’s going to continue to funnel great players to N.C. State,” Grant said.”We already have some great guys in Courtney, Brandon and Ben. The futurelooks bright for us.”
The great players, or recruits I should say, are already rolling in.
He’s landed a commitment from J.J. Hickson, a McDonald’s All-American. Alsohe’s picked up Tracy Smith, a player who many consider to be among the better forwards in the country.
According to Brandon Costner, it comes down to the way he talks to his players.Not only does he understand the game — it’s his personality which willbring in the top-notch recruits.
“He’s honest,” Costner said. “He’s really down to earth, and he’s personable.”
Lowe didn’t even make the NCAA Tournament this year, he only beat threeACC teams during the regular season.
But listening to Lowe talk and watching him orchestrate a six-man team has fans excited again, but this time, it’s warranted.