The N.C. State men’s basketball program released the team’s home opponents for the 2012-2013 season Tuesday. As usual, the list includes a host of strong ACC opponents, but the Wolfpack has taken a step back in nonconference play, which may leave some fans less enthusiastic than they were a year ago.
In nonconference action at the newly renamed PNC Arena, State will square off against Miami (OH), Norfolk State, St. Bonaventure, UNC Asheville, UNC Greensboro, Western Michigan and Stanford, which is the strongest team of the group. State will also face Cleveland State in Reynolds Coliseum.
Stanford took the NIT Championship this past season and is looking to take things to the next level with a pair of recruits Rivals ranked among the top 150 prospects in the nation. Stanford also defeated State early last season 76-72 in Palo Alto after the Wolfpack built double-digit leads in both halves.
Three of the Pack’s nonconference opponents earned bids to the NCAA Tournament this past season.
Norfolk State, a No. 15 seed, shocked the basketball world in its second-round opener against No. 2 seed Missouri, taking down the Tigers, 86-84 in the Spartans’ first-ever trip to the Big Dance.
UNC Asheville nearly made history in its opening game of the tournament, as it almost became the first-ever No. 16 seed to take down a No. 1 seed. A controversial inbounds play in the final minute kept the ball out of the Bulldogs’ hands when they were trailing by three, which ultimately led to a 72-65 loss.
The Wolfpack faced Asheville in its season opener last year, which was also at PNC Arena, and won 84-75.
St. Bonaventure, a No. 14 seed, also had a close call in its tournament opener against No. 3 seed Florida State. The Bonnies led by as many as nine in the second half but saw its lead slip away in the final five minutes, eventually falling 66-63 to the Seminoles .
The Bonnies also battled the Pack in December in a fight to the finish. A length-of-the-floor inbound pass from C.J. Williams to C.J. Leslie was needed to hit the buzzer-beater and seal the 67-65 victory.
While there may be some quality competition here, let’s face the facts. None of these teams carry the prestige of the Indiana or Syracuse teams that State faced at home last season. What makes it worse is that the Pack is back on the national stage. This is the time to be testing itself.
It is highly plausible that the Red Terrors will run the table in home nonconference play, which is always a good thing. What worries me is that the team could be highly mis-evaluated and overestimated when conference play rolls around.
State needs rigor in its schedule. As head coach Mark Gottfried told me once, “You have to beat the best to be the best.” Well, coach, you can’t beat the teams you don’t play.
