GETTING INSIDE

It all seemed to be coming together for North Carolina State when the Wolfpack made its run to the ACC Tournament championship game in 2007.

Yes, North Carolina State lost, but the fast finish augured well for the next season.

So much for promises.

The Wolfpack has struggled since that late run, winning only 10 conference games in the two seasons combined.

Things looked to be on the upswing when coach Sidney Lowe signed top shooting guard Lorenzo Brown, but now Brown will be spending this season in prep school.

That bit of bad news came after the ‘Pack lost out on hometown recruit John Wall, the nation’s top prospect who could have injected some life and hope into the program. He opted instead for Kentucky.

One thing that remains in Lowe’s favor is that the nucleus he will have to work with is pretty much all his, what with forward Dennis Horner being the last Herb Sendek signee left.

Team chemistry hasn’t exactly been a big asset the last two years.

Of the returnees, forward Tracy Smith, has the potential to be a big scorer, and the Wolfpack should be able to get decent guard play from Javier Gonzalez, Farnold Degan, and Julius Mays. The question there is if one will step up at the point.

Horner should move into a starting slot up front, and two freshmen, DeShawn Painter and Richard Howell, will compete for the other starting spot.

Lowe has talked about his program “going in the right direction” and being “excited about the players” he has coming back, and he talks in terms of “progress.”

But as for making a move up in the standings, that may be yet another year away.

NOTES, QUOTES

• N.C. State is looking for its first postseason appearance since playing in the NIT in 2007, and its first NCAA berth since 2006.

• F Tracy Smith, a 6-8 junior, goes into the season with 14 starts over the last two seasons. He averaged 10.0 points and 4.5 rebounds and shot 54 percent from the field last season.

• PG Javier Gonzalez had nearly as many turnovers (63) as assists (72) last season.

Last Year:   16-14 overall, 6-10 in the ACC.

Head Coach:   Sidney Lowe (career 51-36); fourth year at North Carolina State (51-36).

Quote To Note:   “He’ll have to continue to improve and get better. I think he’ll get through it because. One, we will teach him to get through it, and, two, his teammates will help him out. They will understand that they are keying on him. They are either going to have to make shots or get him the ball where he is in a position to go up and score.”—Coach Sidney Lowe, on the extra attention Tracy Smith is likely to get from opposing defenses.

STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL

Scouting The Newcomers:   DeShawn Painter and Richard Howell, freshman forwards who stand 6-9 and 6-8, respectively, will get the chance to contribute right away. Howell is higher rated, but not by much. Painter originally signed with Florida in November 2008 but was granted his release when the Gators ended up one over NCAA scholarship limitations. Promising prospect Lorenzo Brown, a 6-5 guard, is in prep school, which takes away a lot of the impact this class could have had on the Wolfpack’s fortunes. Jordan Vandenberg, a 7-1 center from Australia, is viewed as a project.

Key Early-season Games:   The Wolfpack has three early games in the Glenn Wilkes Classic in Daytona Beach starting on Nov. 20 with Akron, which returns four starters from its MAC championship team. N.C. State also gets Auburn in the event two days later. The Wolfpack will host Northwestern for the ACC-Big Ten Challenge on Dec. 1 and goes to Marquette four days later. The ‘Pack then gets an early league opener on Dec. 20 at Wake Forest before going to Arizona on Dec. 23. It’s a challenging start for a team that might not be ready for such early tests.

Program Direction:   The program seemed to be on the verge of making a move up when the Wolfpack made it to the ACC Tournament final in Sidney Lowe’s first season, but various complications have kept N.C. State from moving up the last two years. With the key losses and a depleted recruiting class, the ‘Pack might be at least a year away from making any significant improvement.

Probable Starting Lineup:   PG Javier Gonzalez, G Julius Mays, F Tracy Smith, F Dennis Horner, F Richard Howell.

Roster Report:  

• PG Javier Gonzalez might hold the key to the Wolfpack’s fortunes this season. He has been plagued by turnovers, but not having to face the likes of Ty Lawson of North Carolina, Tyrese Rice of Boston College, Jeff Teague of Wake Forest and others could take some of the pressure off Gonzalez.

• G Julius Mays could be the X-factor for the Wolfpack in the backcourt. He sank 44.8 percent of his 3-point shots, although he had only 29 attempts as a freshman.