Favors picks Ga. Tech over N.C. State, Georgia

Derrick Favors, the No. 1 high school basketball prospect in Georgia, says he will play for Georgia Tech.

Favors, a 6-foot-9 center from South Atlanta High, announced his choice Wednesday. His other finalists were Georgia and N.C. State.

Favors is rated the No. 1 prospect in the nation by Scout.com, the No. 2 player by ESPN and the No. 4 by Rivals.com.

- Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Favors would be huge pickup for Pack

ATLANTA - It’s impossible to overstate the impact South Atlanta High power forward Derrick Favors would have if he commits to N.C. State.

The top-ranked senior in the nation according to scout.com, Favors will announce his college choice at 6:30 tonight, according to the Atlanta Journal & Constitution. He is believed to be choosing between N.C. State, Georgia and Georgia Tech.

Favors has given few clues as to which school he would choose, so N.C. State fans should be cautioned against getting their hopes up.

But if Favors, who’s 6-foot-9, picks N.C. State, scout.com national recruiting analyst Dave Telep said he would be one of the best prospects to come to the Triangle in the last quarter century. And at N.C. State?

“You’d probably have to go back to David Thompson to find a guy of Derrick Favors’ talent level,” Telep said, referring to the player many experts believe was the best in ACC history and led N.C. State to the 1974 NCAA title.

In coach Sidney Lowe’s third season, the Wolfpack would seem almost desperate for such a player. After losing 78-65 at home Tuesday to Florida State, N.C. State is 9-5 overall without a win over a team from a BCS school.

Dating back to last season, the Wolfpack has lost 11 in a row to ACC opponents. The fact that N.C. State still has a shot with Favors and other top prospects John Wall of Raleigh Word of God and DeMarcus Cousins of Mobile, Ala., has kept hopes for the future of the program high even as the present team struggles.

Telep said Favors, Wall and Cousins are making decisions independently, so Favors’ announcement shouldn’t have an impact on the others. And even if none of those players chooses N.C. State, Telep said the Wolfpack still has a strong class coming in.

During the fall signing period, N.C. State secured 6-7 Richard Howell of Marietta, Ga., 6-4 Lorenzo Brown of Roswell, Ga., and 6-5 Scott Wood of Marion, Ind.

“They have a top-20 recruiting class nationally, and they can hang their hat on a tremendous season Lorenzo Brown is having,” said Telep, who believes Brown has a shot at making McDonald’s All-American.

But at least until 6:30 p.m. today, N.C. State fans will be focused on a bigger prize.

– Ken Tysiac

UNC's Green: 'We've got to be hungry again'

CHAPEL HILL — Two days after his team fell to 0-2 in the ACC, UNC forward Danny Green (above) spoke to several reporters on Tuesday about the state of the No. 5 Tar Heels as they prepare for Thursday's game at Virginia.

Q: What is the mood on this team right now?

A: Everybody is disappointed in ourselves because we know what we're capable of and we know that we're not playing our best basketball. Last game, we competed, though. But even when we compete, we know that's not good enough, because we still didn't come out with a win. But we've just got to be hungry again -- somehow, some way, find that hunger again to come out, be motivated to dominate other teams and play other teams and play better basketball and execute offensively and play better defense. That's the main thing -- play better defense, boxing out and limiting other teams to one shot.

Q: Does 0-2 make you hungry?

A: I think we should always be hungry. Every game I come out, I feel like it's an opportunity, and I try to take advantage of it as much as possible. But we need everybody on the same page, and I feel like not everybody's on the same page, and not everybody's clicking. And a lot of times, you're not going to have everybody clicking. But it helps when everybody's on the same page. If shots aren't going in and not everybody's clicking offensively or defensively, if you're on the same page and the chemistry's going wrong, I think things will turn out a little bit better. I think last game, we got a little frustrated with each other a little bit, and not everybody shot well. And when you're not shooting the ball well, and the other team's shooting well, not many times you're going to come out with a win.

Q: What's the vibe around this team? Is it as tight-knit as last year's was?

A: Definitely, it's the same team. Chemistry is fine, I think we just got too comfortable, and right now, we're going to try to pull it together a little bit. Right now, I can see guys thinking about it a lot, watching film on their own; I notice guys came to the gym last night, people were rehabbing, people were working on their game. But it just comes down to the desire to want to win, and want to play defense -- that's really all that defense is about, having the will and the desire to stop somebody. So if we just find that hunger again, we'll be fine.

Q: Do you remember times (tough losses) like this in the past?

A: My freshman year ... there were a lot of tough losses in the beginning of the year. We were young, we were thrown out there, we were just thrown into the fire, and we just had to learn as we went along. I know this team, and I'm not doubting our character or our chemistry or talent. We'll come together , and we'll get it together soon.

Q: Obviously, what happens in March is most important, but is there anything about losing in January that stresses you out now?

A: Every stress kind of stresses us out a little bit; we shouldn't lose, we want to go out and win every game possible. We know it's going to happen ... each loss, we try to learn from it, but we feel like if we play to the best of our ability and execute the way we're supposed to, we feel like nobody can beat us. The last couple games, we haven't been doing that, so....

— Robbi Pickeral

McKillop giving Curry needed assist

Davidson sophomore guard Brendan McKillop has been gradually improving, but that was never more obvious than in Monday night’s 70-52 Wildcats’ victory at Appalachian State.

With guard Stephen Curry in foul trouble — he played only 18 minutes, 11 fewer than in any other game this season — McKillop kept the team steady. He also contributed 13 key points, with three assists, one of Davidson’s 11 steals and one turnover in 22 minutes.

“Every game he’s really gotten a lot better,” Curry said of McKillop, his backup at the point. “He’s been more comfortable with the ball and handling pressure. When they see him bring up the ball, teams send two guys to try to trap him and harass him a little bit. And I think he’s really been able to handle that and get the ball up the court and get teammates open.

“And lately he’s looking for his shot more, which is another threat that he has. He can spread the defense out and all of a sudden get in the cracks and get assists, so he’s really stepped up and allowed me to move back to the two guard (occasionally). So it’s big for our team.”

McKillop’s 13 points were one shy of his career high, and his three assists tied his highest previous total. But perhaps most importantly, his improved ability to run the offense can take enormous pressure off of Curry, who already has to be the team’s primary scoring option.

McKillop is the son of coach Bob McKillop, but he’s also a player, something he proved again Monday night.

-Stan Olson

Jackets' rebounding worries Coach K

Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski called Georgia Tech one of the best rebounding teams in the country.

On Wednesday, the Blue Devils visit a Georgia Tech team that is shooting just 28.9 percent from 3-point range but rebounds so well that Krzyzewski said the missed shot is almost part of its offense.

The Yellow Jackets are averaging 14.3 offensive rebounds per game thanks to a big starting lineup that includes 6-foot-10 Alade Aminu, 6-9 Gani Lawal and 6-8 Zach Peacock.

Krzyzewski said there’s no secret to rebounding against an opponent like that, aside from getting all five players to attack the defensive boards.

“When someone has an advantage over you like that, you’ve got to make a full commitment by all five guys to do it,” Krzyzewski said Monday during the ACC coaches’ teleconference.

The Blue Devils certainly have practice doing it. Florida State used a huge lineup with four starters 6-7 or taller and grabbed 23 offensive rebounds in a Duke win Saturday.

“It was almost like a scrum in there,” said guard Jon Scheyer. “It was almost like a fistfight, where you’ve got to get loose balls, tip it out.”

For Duke, Round 2 is Wednesday night in Atlanta.

UNC missing little things from Ginyard

North Carolina senior Marcus Ginyard sat out his second consecutive game Sunday as he continues to rehabilitate his still-not-100 percent foot, and coach Roy Williams said Monday they've decided to "shut him down" from basketball practices and games.

"We don't have a set date -- a week, two weeks, just try to get more rehab on that foot, try to get more of his explosiveness back, his quickness back, and get rid of some of that pain,'' Williams said.

Who would have thought UNC, now 0-2 in the league after losing to Boston College and at Wake Forest, would be so affected by the health of a guy who averaged only 6.9 points last season?

But the absence of Ginyard at full throttle has affected the Tar Heels in several ways:

1.) Defense. Ginyard, who played against Boston College, was still too sore and slow to help guard point guard Tyrese Rice, who lit up the Tar Heels for 25 points. Then he had to watch from the bench as Wake's Jeff Teague scored 34 points in that victory. And it's no coincidence that UNC lost. Quite simply, last year's starting small forward is the team's best wing defender -- and Danny Green, Wayne Ellington, Tywon Lawson and the reserves off the bench are struggling to take up the slack.

2.) Production off the bench. While Ginyard's injury means the Tar Heels have another scorer, Green, in the starting lineup, that means there's no real offensive spark off the bench. Rebound-minded Ed Davis leads the reserves with 7.3 points per game, followed by Will Graves at 4.9 ppg. But back-up guard Bobby Frasor is making only a third of his shots -- and all of a sudden, UNC is really missing freshman Tyler Zeller, who had shown a knack around the basket before he broke his wrist.

3.) Leadership. Ginyard is one of the team's most vocal leaders, and it's hard to have an impact while in a suit on the bench. He's a guy his teammates look to when he's on the floor -- and who sets and example by filling in the gaps with the "little things" besides points.

"What he gives us is our best defensive player; a guy that's going to take a charge, who's going to get an offensive rebound, who's going to get a key steal, who's going to bother people with what he's doing as a total basketball player,'' Williams said. "Needless to say, we could use that right now."

— Robbi Pickeral

Joel to test Tar Heels' road streak

CHAPEL HILL -- With the tie-dyed crowd, pre-game motorcycle and overall boisterous atmosphere before big games at Joel Coliseum, "it's extremely difficult to have that focus that you need to play in a place like that,'' North Carolina coach Roy Williams said.

But the third-ranked Tar Heels are out to prove again today they have that concentration.

UNC will test its 15-game road winning streak — which includes an 8-0 road record against ACC foes last season — at fourth-ranked Wake Forest at 8 p.m.

The last time Carolina lost a true road game was March 1, 2007, at Georgia Tech. Seniors Tyler Hansbrough, Marcus Ginyard, Danny Green and Bobby Frasor are 29-6 on opponents home courts during their careers.

What has made the Tar Heels so good on the road in the past?

"I think they've done a great job of focusing on what was going on on the court, what was being said by our bench, figured out some way to handle all the noise and pretend it was in their favor _ some of those kinds of mind games, I guess,'' Williams said. "But I think the biggest thing is ability, and the fact that they've really focused on the task at hand and not gotten carried away at what's being yelled or not yelled."

And there will be plenty more yelling to try to tune out today.
Williams said the 2005 game at Joel, when the Demon Deacons won 95-82, "may have been as loud as I've heard in an ACC arena." And although he doesn't want a pre-game motorcycle revving in the Smith Center, "it's a crowd I want to have here."

"...The shirts, the fans, it's noisy ... I don't know if that sucker can ride that motorcycle faster than [Jeff] Teague and Tyler [Hansbrough] and Tywon [Lawson] can push the ball up the floor; I know they couldn't stop as fast as they can,'' he said. "I think it's a great atmosphere."

-- Robbi Pickeral

McCauley dissects Pack's season

N.C. State center Ben McCauley and forward Brandon Costner are combining to average 28.8 points and 15.1 rebounds while shooting 53.7 percent from the field.

As the Wolfpack (10-3) heads into its ACC opener at noon Saturday at No. 12 Clemson (15-0, 1-0 ACC), here’s what McCauley had to say about the season so far.

- On losing three games by a total of 10 points: “It’s a little frustrating because each and every one of those games we didn’t win, we had a chance to win. Realistically, we should have won at least two of them. But that’s the way it goes, and unfortunately we didn’t get one or two of those games like we should have. But we beat all the teams we should have beaten. We’re still set up pretty well confidence wise. Everyone is kind of getting the feeling that we’re going to win one of those games. We feel like going down to Clemson against a ranked team, undefeated team, it’s the best chance of anything.”

- On what N.C. State needs to do better: “Guys are really concentrating on taking care of the ball. That’s what hurt us, was turnovers. And I think that’s one thing we’ve focused on these past couple days in practice. If we take care of the ball and get in our offensive set we’re going to win some games.”

- On whether his work with Costner has been a good development after 2007-08 leading scorer J.J. Hickson left for the NBA following his freshman season: “I think it has. Especially because I’ve been playing with Brandon for three, four years now. He and I have great chemistry together, and for us to be back out there four and five men, we work well together. That’s kind of getting back to two years ago. And we haven’t lost any steps. If anything, we took some steps forward. So I think with Tracy and Dennis coming off the bench, that gives us even more firepower.

“Tracy’s a horse for us. He’s really working hard and has come up big for us in some games. As far as post play, I think we’re as solid as we ever have been since I’ve been here. If we continue to work hard down low, I think it carries over to our guards. And they’re going to see that our big men are working hard underneath. We need to step it up, too. And I really think they will. They’re going to be ready. It’s good to have Javi (Gonzalez) at point guard because he went through ACC play last year. Farnold (Degand) was on the team, but he was injured. And Julius (Mays) was a freshman, so to have an experienced point guard to teach these guys and push them through the ACC play, that’s going to help us out a lot, because point guard play in the ACC is crucial. It really is. There are some great guards, and you have to be ready to match them and surpass their energy.”

– Ken Tysiac

Pack's Ferguson might start at Clemson

Shooting guard Trevor Ferguson will play Saturday at Clemson after missing N.C. State’s last three games because of a broken bone in his left hand, and there is a chance he will start.

Javi Gonzalez has recovered from an ankle injury but remains the third option for the Wolfpack at point guard. Courtney Fells’ ankle injury has improved thanks to a week without a game, but he still sat out Thursday’s practice with soreness.

N.C. State coach Sidney Lowe delivered all these injury updates at his news conference Friday as the Wolfpack (10-3, 0-0 ACC) prepares to visit No. 12 Clemson (15-0, 1-0) at noon Saturday. Here are some other quotes from Lowe’s news conference:

On his point guard rotation: “Farnold (Degand) will start. We’ll still put Julius (Mays) in there, and Javi will work his way in as well. There are certainly opportunities where we might have two of those guys in there together to have two solid ball handlers.”

On breaking Clemson’s pressure defense, which is forcing 18.3 turnovers per game: “The part we’re going to have to deal with, obviously, is the full-court pressure and the traps. Which again, we worked on it for four days (in practice), so hopefully we’re prepared for it and we have to execute. And again, if we get numbers, we have to take advantage of that, too, if we get a 2-on-1 or a 3-on-2, we have to score that. Otherwise you’re playing into their hands. They can press you, and you’re not making them pay for it.”

On defending Clemson’s 3-point threats (K.C. Rivers and Terrence Oglesby) and post presence (Trevor Booker): “They have some guys that are just playing great. Not to mention some of the other guys, besides Oglesby. You can’t leave Oglesby. You know that. He knocks it down, and Rivers makes big shots. He makes difficult shots. And then Booker is doing everything. He’s inside. He’s outside. Watching him, he put it on the floor and went by a guy a couple times. He’s doing it all. . . .We just have to be tough and really make it hard for them to get the ball.”

On forward Brandon Costner’s re-emergence as a standout after a difficult 2007-08 season: “He got in and got extra work with assistant coaches, and it’s paying off for him. Brandon deserves a lot of that credit because he kept himself mentally into it, didn’t get down on himself. He knew he was going to come out of this thing at some point, and he did.”

On N.C. State’s fall semester grade-point averages: “I’m more proud about that than anything right now. We’ve got seven guys that are 3.0 or better. Three (more) with 2.9 or better. That’s pretty good. Just in case you guys didn’t know that.”

On his admiration for N.C. State women’s coach Kay Yow, who announced this week that she won’t coach the rest of the season because she’s battling cancer: “We’d sit down and talk basketball strategies. Press breakers. Press attack. Zones. Everything. She’s a wealth of knowledge. She’s been in it a long time. She’s seen it all from a basketball side, an organizational side, and obviously me coming in here and if there’s anyone I could sit down and talk to about the dynamics of N.C. State and how things are run and things to expect and look out for, she was one. And she is great in that area.”

- Ken Tysiac

Heels' Ginyard may sit while he heals

Marcus Ginyard (right), out much of the season after surgery on a stress fracture in his foot, has played in three games, including Rutgers.

CHAPEL HILL — After watching North Carolina wing Marcus Ginyard struggle to return to 100 percent after foot surgery, the coaches are considering sidelining the senior to allow him to heal.

“I just thought, and Marcus thought, that he would be farther along at this (point),’’ coach Roy Williams said. “We are even discussing holding him out a little bit, just seeing him rehab and letting him get back to that point where he was is in the past. And if that’s the case, then we’ll be a heck of a lot better off.”

Ginyard, one of the team’s top defensive stoppers, had surgery in early October to repair a stress fracture in his left foot. But since returning last month, he’s only been able to participate in about 50 percent of each practice. He played against Rutgers, at Nevada and against Boston College, but sat out Wednesday’s game against College of Charleston.

If he doesn't play at No. 4 Wake Forest on Sunday, he will be missed.

“The guy was our defensive player of the year, and we look at our club right now, and is there anybody who can make life miserable on the 6-3 to 6-6 guy on the other team?” Williams said. “And I don’t know if we have (that).”

Asked if there was any situation where they might try to get a medical redshirt for Ginyard, thus sidelining him for the rest of the season, Williams said: “Right now, I’m trying to get Marcus ready to play for our team, period. … You guys look at it yourself: Isn’t there sometime you’re going to want a healthy Marcus Ginyard? And that answer is every day, but you also open your eyes yourself, and we don’t have that right now.”

— Robbi Pickeral