In just his first season as a college coach, Sidney Lowe put one of the most memorable ACC Tournament runs in the history of the event under his belt. Just nine months later, Lowe now has perhaps the most embarrassing back-to-back losses in the long, storied history of NC State basketball on his record.
Despite having 10 days to try to erase a 23-point setback at Michigan State and prepare for a trip to lowly East Carolina, the Pack managed to become the first ACC team the Pirates have ever beaten. Lowe has managed to turn an energetic, closely knit squad into a team that appears to have lost all enjoyment out of playing basketball and looks like they don’t like playing together. Brandon Costner has pouted and sleepwalked through the first quarter of the season. Ben McCauley has been reduced to an uninvolved observer. Courtney Fells has regressed from last year to this instead of improved in his assertiveness and aggressiveness. The squad is missing a consistent perimeter shooter to break up zones, and there appears to be no other offensive idea other than to throw it into constantly double-teamed fab frosh J.J. Hickson. Collective effort has been oddly missing. The rotation has been inconsistent from the first game, with players going from large roles to completely disappearing.
State athletics director Lee Fowler is the only one who looks like he knows what he’s doing in all of this (besides the fact that he still doesn’t understand that he shouldn’t be playing EZU in either football or basketball). He resisted the opportunity to extend Lowe’s contract and provide him with a raise amidst all the hoopla over last year’s dynamic finish and increased interest in Lowe from other quarters. A couple of NBA teams came sniffing around Lowe following last season, fueling speculation that the Pack would have to make a stronger commitment to its coach. Fowler elected to take a wait-and-see approach, preferring to see whether Lowe could follow up a promising start as an underdog with a solid sophomore campaign as a front-runner. With Lowe completely choking and allowing his team to fall apart at the seams, Fowler’s philosophy of caution is looking wiser and wiser.
Sidney Lowe has proven that he can get the most out of very little talent. Now, he has also proven that he can get the least out of a lot of talent. It’s up to him to show that he can now find the balance … or else his stay in Raleigh is going to be much shorter than anybody could have anticipated back in March.
2 comments:
Its hard to watch. I saw them a couple times early this year and wasn't impressed. The offense (and the def for that matter) do not reflect the level of talent on this squad.
I'm not giving up on Lowe, but i fear we are going to be in line for some more on the job training. One reason why I'm a believer in hiring head coaches rather than asst. for all sports.
Losing to East Carolina in any sport is unacceptable, even though I agree we shouldn't be playing them. There's nothing to gain. I have watched N.C. State basketball for years, and you are right, those are 2 losses in a row as bad as any ever. Can't give up on Sid yet, but he'd better push the right button and quick, because this ain't going to fly for long with Wendell Murphy & Co.
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