I know there will be a game thread for Wednesday night, but I think this deserves its own thread.

Fells, McCauley and Harris.. I am gonna miss those guys. Hopefully Lowe starts Harris for senior night.

Fells was maddening at times throughout his career here, but some of the things he did athletically were awesome and we are gonna miss draping him all over the other team's best shooter every night.

I have a genuine mancrush on Ben and I am definitely gonna miss his intensity, his celebrations after big plays and "and-1s" and the way he gets the team hyped before games. I only wish we could have better utilized him last year during the JJ Hickson debacle.

Good luck to the last remnants of the Herb years.

3/2/2009 2:31:08 PM

I think the FOUR seniors (BC probably isn't coming back IMO) get a raw deal a lot on here. I think it's equal parts blame on them and the coaching - Herb and Lowe - for not developing as much as I think they could have.

Costner had an unbelievable run his RS freshman year that I'll remember for a long time. Fells always tried hard, but he just isn't an aggressive basketball player and I don't think I can get angry with him for that. It's his personality. McCauley always wore his emotions on his sleeve and yes, last year he didn't always seem to try as hard as we would have liked, but this year has been different.

Honestly, I can't believe these guys have been around 4 years. When we locked up that class, with all three Top 100 recruits, along with the commitments of Werner and Wright (with Ced and Brackman coming back) I thought we were going to be on top of the ACC for the next 4 years. Amazing how quickly things changed... Too bad really, but I hope those guys look back on their time at State with good memories even though on the court was a struggle at time. Hard to believe that Fells and McCauley only got to play in 1 NCAAT...

[Edited on March 2, 2009 at 2:38 PM. Reason : x]

3/2/2009 2:37:48 PM

Quote :

"Hard to believe that Fells and McCauley only got to play in 1 NCAAT..."

Whatcha' talking about with this 1 NCAAT? Didn't you here that we are going to win the ACCT?

3/2/2009 2:43:16 PM

its really even harder to believe that these guys were once really good and led us to an ACC Championship appearance



Engin was one of the most underrated and undervalued players @ NCState. he was the "guy who stirred the drink"

look what happens when you lose a good PG.

[Edited on March 2, 2009 at 2:55 PM. Reason : .]

3/2/2009 2:50:46 PM

Quote :

"Hard to believe that Fells and McCauley only got to play in 1 NCAAT..."

yeap. i honestly do feel bad for them, they kindof got fucked by the whole coaching change thang.

3/2/2009 2:57:53 PM

2-3 years ago I couldn't imagine going through a game where a combination of fells, mccauley, and costner would be almost invisible. it's a shame that something threw this group of upperclassmen out of whack because they had amazing amounts of potential.

regardless, they all deserve props along with simon harris. thanks for sticking it out during the coaching transition. watching you guys go through the acc tourney 2 years ago were the most fun four days of nc state basketball for me. good luck where ever you land after graduation.

3/2/2009 2:59:20 PM

yeah thanks McCauley and and Costner for the good times-wish there were more ups then downs.


McCauley thanks for bringing some heart into last night's MD game. best wishes with your futures guys...

3/2/2009 4:07:42 PM

Quote :

"yeap. i honestly do feel bad for them, they kindof got fucked by the whole coaching change thang."

Yeah they could have easily transfered and went somewhere else and started.

3/2/2009 4:10:28 PM

Ha, Costner's offer list includes the defending National Champs and a team with 3 straight Final 4's

3/2/2009 4:17:39 PM

i really hate thinking that guys on our team regret coming here, but you'd have to think that BC regrets it

3/2/2009 4:37:29 PM

So what other schools were interested in recruiting Costner and McCauley??

3/2/2009 4:44:56 PM

McCauley: Us, Cincinnati, Penn State, Pitt, Xavier, Virginia offered
Fells: Us, Georgia Tech, LSU, Ole Miss, Mississippi State offered
Costner: Us, Georgia Tech, Indiana, UCLA, Seton Hall, Virginia offered

3/2/2009 4:53:15 PM

Quote :

"i really hate thinking that guys on our team regret coming here, but you'd have to think that BC regrets it "

Not if he comes back!

3/2/2009 5:03:15 PM

^^ could have sworn Florida was on Costner's offer list.

At any rate, I don't know that this thread should be for him. I'm not trying to push him out the door.

3/3/2009 1:50:35 PM

bttt. Thanks for all the memories you guys gave over the years. Maybe you can make some more in the ACC Tournament! I know that their era here won't be remembered for being of high success, but it was an important era, simply for the fact that they were the foundation for the transition years between Sendek and Lowe. They were always good for a couple of memorable, amazing games each year.

Some of my favorite games from over their era

2006-07
Michigan at home (this game was Lowe's first real test and our first nationally televised game. it kicked off the ACC/Big Ten Challenge and the win pushed us to 5-0. Dennis Horner looked good crashing the boards for a big and-1 put back. the Pack got a 74-67 win. unfortunately we lost Atsur in this game, and despite performing admirably in the next game at #25 UVA, TOs ultimately doomed us in a 67-62 loss.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4YX_2d9iSfg)

Alabama at home (State got down big to the #9 team in the nation, but fought back hard to make it a game with under two minutes to go. they ultimately couldn't pull it out, losing 82-75, but the fight that undermanned team showed and never give up attitude was special to see. Fells also had an awesome dunk in that game over Jermario Davidson who was 6-11 iirc.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=513ALbLuFtU)

@ WF (Wake wasn't very good in Skip Prosser's final year, but this game ended up being Lowe's first ACC win. the Pack won 88-74 and the game is perhaps best known for Brandon Costner's coast-to-coast dunk and Courtney Fells' monstrous dunk over 7-footer Kyle Visser, which was disallowed due to a traveling violation that Fells would have gotten away with in the NBA.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aH_cfnmGJNU&feature=related)

@ VT (the Hokies had just gotten into the Top 25 after being hot and having defeated a No. 1 UNC team the previous week. we went into Cassell Coliseum and beat the pants off of them for a 70-59 win. this was the famous "RIDUNKULOUS" game, which saw Fells take off from just inside the FT line for a monster slam.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ichp7LX4mfA&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ta6pZ6v_Sdk&feature=related)

UNC at home (everything seemed storybook for that game. it was the debut of the famous red jacket, we scored 83 points in the win, we shot over 70% in the second half, and our six pack beat their keg. it was a huge win over the #3 team in the nation and our biggest rival. final score 83-79.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bNuFY1PepIA&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vXkh9tY23cA&feature=related)

The entire ACC Tournament run


2007-2008
Old Spice Classic run, specifically the Villanova game (fuck Doug Gottlieb for continuing to harp on the foul that helped us win that game)

Davidson at home (this would be the Wildcats final loss of the season before their loss to eventual NC winner Kansas in the Elite Eight. Stephen Curry went off, but the Pack answered and snuck away with a 66-65 win after a scary good looking halfcourt heave by Curry clanged off the rim as time expired. Courtney Fells had a windmill dunk that made the crowd explode.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XkjSefOfCuI)

Miami at home (this game would go into OT. Down 76-72 Courtney Fells would hit a 3 with 17.7 seconds left to pull within one. State fouled and Miami would make 1 of 2 free throws. JJ Hickson would get a putback off of Gavin Grant's shot to tie it up with 3.9 seconds left. Anthony King threw an in-bounds pass that Grant stole and laid in for the win. All Miami could do was put up a half-court prayer. State scored 7 points in just over 17 seconds to get the win.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hMa74XnJF8s)

@ FSU (the Pack battled back with Courtney Fells hitting a banked in 3 pointer with 40 seconds left to tie the game at 66. J.J. Hickson put the Pack in front by knocking down a pair of clutch free throws with nine seconds left, then preserved the lead by swatting away Toney Douglas’s driving attempt with three seconds remaining, preserving the Pack’s 69-66 win. Javi Gonzalez hit 1-2 FTs to push the margin to 3. Gonzalez only had one TO in the game despite going up against the ACC's leader in steals in Toney Douglas.)

WF at home (the Pack and Deacs played a game only fitting to be played on Super Bowl Sunday. WF jumped out in front early on, but the Pack were able to get the game to a tie with 4:35 remaining on a Gavin Grant 3 pointer, and didn't get their first lead until a JJ Hickson dunk on a fast break with 2:56 left to play. with 5.2 seconds left and the game tied at 65 Ben McCauley in-bounded the ball to Grant who the Deacs left wide open for a 3 that bounced into the air. McCauley coming from all the way at the other end of the court skied for a putback jam with no time remaining for a thrilling 67-65 win.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=43PjHF3-R-A&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OjL6odi3ECw&feature=related)


2008-2009
GT at home (the Pack came back from a 10 point deficit with 5 minutes remaining to force overtime. they would go on to win 76-71.)

Miami at home (the Pack blew a 19 point lead and Miami was able to force overtime with a big rally that was keyed by Jack McClinton who went off for 27 in the game. the Pack had an 81-78 lead, but a questionable foul gave McClinton, the ACC's all-time leading free throw shooter, three foul shots, which he calmly all made. the Pack had the ball with 24 seconds remaining. after a timeout with 19 seconds remaining Julius Mays worked down the clock. a busted play that ended up with Mays at the top of the key with just a couple of seconds remaining, so the freshman from Indiana took it upon himself to take the final shot. With ice in his veins Mays 3 pointer tickled the bottom of the net, giving the Pack a nerve racking, heart attack inducing 84-81 win.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-JjcFSMWYSY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=99w1_bUtBvk&feature=related)

Wake at home (Lowe took out the trash for this game, using an assortment of junk defenses to put Wake in a funk and take Teague out of the game. the Pack held off a good comeback by the #7 team in the nation for the win. the students rushed the court and the frenzy ensued.)

Virginia at home (State twice blew double digit leads in the game but held on for the win through good strategizing by Lowe. Fells sank free throws and gladly pronounced game over to the nation's 2nd leading freshman scorer, Sylven Landesberg, who Fells held under his average and shot a dismal 4-14.)

BC at home (after BC hit all of its first 6 shots, the Pack came back, took control, and went into halftime with a 9 point lead. the second half saw the Eagles come out with a run that made the game very close. the two teams exchanged baskets for much of the second half. the Pack despite coming out cold for the first few minutes put out a consistent effort on both ends of the floor for the remainder of the half and come away with a 74-69 victory on senior night. Senior Ben McCauley's 20 points and 6 rebounds keyed the win, especially after securing his final rebound and getting fouled with 3.5 seconds left. Big Ben would go on to hit both of his free throws to stretch the lead to 5 and guarantee the win. Courtney Fells had 11 points in the first half, but had to leave the game with a groin injury. This group of players got the program's first home win over BC, who was previously 3-0 in the RBC Center and 6-1 overall against the Pack.)

3/4/2009 11:19:36 PM

so, basically, our few wins?

[Edited on March 4, 2009 at 11:26 PM. Reason : just fucking with you. thanks guys! enjoy whatever the fuck you end up doing lol]

3/4/2009 11:26:34 PM