N.C. State coach Sidney Lowe is considering moving forward with a bigger lineup after using Brandon Costner, Ben McCauley and Tracy Smith at the same time helped spark a comeback in Saturday’s loss at Boston College.
Costner, McCauley and Smith all are 6-foot-7 or taller and traditionally have been considered “post players.” But Costner’s ability to move to the perimeter and score from 3-point range at 6-9 can allow N.C. State to succeed with the bigger lineup.
Dennis Horner can come off the bench at 6-8 to give the other players rest when the Wolfpack plays with the big lineup. Lowe said during Monday’s ACC coaches’ teleconference that he hasn’t decided whether to go with the big lineup at the start of Tuesday’s 7 p.m. home game against Miami.
“It’s something we have to look at,” Lowe said. “We know Miami, they’re big and bouncy with (Jimmy) Graham and (Dwayne) Collins on those boards. We need to make sure we can match their physical play inside. I’m not sure if we’re going to start them, but certainly that will be a lineup that we’ll have to take a look at.”
The danger with the big lineup is that teams with a quick small forward such as Duke’s Gerald Henderson can cause defensive problems for Costner on the perimeter, though Lowe said Costner moves his feet pretty well for his size.
Senior Courtney Fells will move from small forward back to shooting guard – where he has played the previous three seasons – when N.C. State uses the big lineup.
“I’m very comfortable with him going back there,” Lowe said.
– Ken Tysiac
Monday, January 26, 2009
N.C. State moving forward with bigger lineup
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3 comments:
All for naught, Mr. Lowe!
PS
I MISS HERB!
My Wolfpack brethren.....nobody should miss ole Herb yet...the players recruited for his system of 30 3-pointers a game are still on our team. Let's give Sid the chance to get a team "full" of his own players and see how he fares. Only way to be sure we're not pulling the trigger too soon on a staff full of old Wolfpack players including two national championship winners.
I have to agree with the second comment, I am happy with the recruits that lowe is brining in. Yes Herb worked the system well, but he also didnt bring any passion to the bench, lowe clearly brings that and it shows in the types of players that he recruits. I am happy so far with everything though I hope next year when we have some of his talented recruits coming in that we can take a big step and really start whipping some people in the ACC!
Go Pack!
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