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NC State Basketball

Wolfpack Still Has Good Chance to Dance

Published

11 years ago

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It’s selection sunday and once again NC State is waiting in anticipation to see if they’ll be included in the field of 68.

As of now ESPN bracketology has NC State as one of their “Next 4 Out.” Now, a lot of this is based solely on the numbers and while the numbers are right in a lot of cases, it’s usually these last 4 or 5 teams in the tournament that get a closer look outside of the realm of statistics.

We have stood firm with our prediction that if NC State beat Miami and then Syracuse in the ACC Tournament (we’ll get into the ‘why’ later), that they would squeak in. We still believe that and have a few others on our side:

Coach K after the State/Duke game yesterday:

“I said to [N.C. State coach Mark Gottfried] at the end of the game, “I hope you guys get in.” I don’t understand it. They won at Tennessee. They probably should have beaten Syracuse twice. I think they’ve played a really good schedule, and they’ve got one of the best players in the country…. I’ll get in trouble probably for saying it. Like the Atlantic 10, they’re a really good conference. I hear people saying there are six teams in there. Come on. I mean, they’re good, but put them in our conference and go through the meat grinder that our conference has to go through. But really… our league should get more respect. The fact that Pitt comes in here and people are saying they have to do something, come on. Come on, man. I don’t get it. The Clemson team we played last night is a heck of a basketball team.”

Then there is this article from ACC reporter David Teel:

The more I look at the credentials of other contenders, the more I suspect the 10-member selection committee chaired by Wake Forest athletic director Ron Wellman will choose the Wolfpack.

This is my 24th year of projecting the field, and while I’m not nearly as detailed as the national types, or especially my friend Patrick Stevens of Syracuse.com, in predicting sites and matchups, my track record isn’t half bad.

Last season I picked all the at-large teams correctly. I missed one team each of the five previous seasons.

…. No. 12s: Stephen F. Austin, Harvard, North Dakota State, N.C. State/BYU play-in.

And then you have these tweets from Patrick Stevens who is very respected when it comes to projecting the field of 68:

 

 

So, basically you see why some are thinking State has a good chance to make it. What we’ve been saying all along is that the win over Syracuse gives the Pack a signature win for the committee to look at. It also ups their RPI to an area where you’re really in the discussion. Add in the fact that they have a great strength of schedule, they are peaking at the end of the season and TJ Warren is the ACC player of the year and a real draw when you talk about television and marketing money for the NCAA. We are looking for State to be one of the last teams in and may even play in the play-in game on Tuesday night…but we’ll have to wait and see during the selection show on Sunday evening.

…oh and PS. Dickie V also thinks we’re in….

 

 

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NC State Basketball

It’s Official. NC State Men’s Basketball will be Playing in the Lenovo Center

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2 days ago

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September 12, 2024

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On Monday, the “PNC Arena” sign came off the building where NC State Men’s Basketball and the Carolina Hurricanes play, with their naming rights contract ending on August 31st. Speculation swirled around the possibility of the building becoming the Lenovo Center, because a leaked image from NHL 25 had the Canes playing on the ice of the Lenovo Center.

There is no need for speculation any longer. It’s official. The Carolina Hurricanes announced this morning that the home of the Wolfpack and Canes is officially the Lenovo Center, beginning this month. Lenovo’s naming rights contract runs through the 2033-34 NHL season.

“Lenovo has been a valued partner of ours for many years,” said Fork. “We’re thrilled to elevate that partnership now by renaming the arena Lenovo Center. Lenovo has both strong local ties and a worldwide footprint, and we’re proud to have the Hurricanes’ name associated with a true leader in global technology. As we transition to this new era, we are grateful for our longtime naming rights collaborator, PNC, who will continue to be a major partner of our organization.”

“This is an exciting day for Raleigh, Wake County, and the whole state of North Carolina,” said Philip Isley, Chairman of the Centennial Authority. “This partnership is about more than just re-naming the arena. Lenovo will play a vital role integrating technology into our upcoming arena renovations and enhancements. Lenovo has deep roots in North Carolina, and we’re thrilled that they are strengthening those roots with this naming rights agreement.”

“Lenovo has called North Carolina our home for nearly two decades. Like the Hurricanes, we take great pride in being a part of the Triangle community and we’re excited to expand our partnership with a world-class sports organization,” said Ryan McCurdy, Senior Vice President and President, Lenovo North America. “The arena is one of the most recognizable venues in the state and the newly named Lenovo Center will continue to be the premier destination for people to enjoy sporting events, concerts, and more.”

Lenovo is a Fortune Global 500 technology company with deep ties to North Carolina since 2005. One of the company’s two global headquarters is located in Morrisville, North Carolina. Lenovo is one of the largest employers in the Triangle region, with an estimated $1.5 billion economic and fiscal impact in North Carolina each year. Lenovo also supports the local community through philanthropic giving, employee volunteering, and community engagement initiatives.

(Link)

1999-2002 = Entertainment & Sports Arena

2002-2012 = RBC Center

2012-2024 = PNC Arena

2024-2034 = Lenovo Center

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NC State Basketball

A “First Look” at the Raleigh Sports & Entertainment District has been Unveiled

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2 days ago

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September 11, 2024

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Pacific Elm Properties and Gale Force Sports and Entertainment unveiled today a “first look” of the forthcoming Raleigh Sports & Sports Entertainment District that will neighbor Carter-Finley Stadium and the building formerly known as PNC Arena.

The redevelopment of the 80-acre site, located just off I-40 and adjacent to Carter-Finley Stadium, will provide new opportunities for shopping, dining and entertainment throughout the year, and will feature a unique outdoor realm for sports tailgating and programming. Tenants and outdoor spaces will be curated to serve fans of the Hurricanes and NC State alike, offering new ways to gather before sporting events while honoring the classic tailgating experiences that people have grown to love.

Phase one of the development will include more than 200,000 square feet of entertainment and lifestyle retail, 150,000 square feet of office space, a 150-key hotel and more than 500 apartments. Additional phases will expand this variety of uses over the expected 15-year development timeline.

The first phase, which is slated to kick off in December 2025, will include an expanded plaza to complement the upcoming arena renovation and will feature a 600-foot promenade lined with tailgating suites, balconies and new open space for thousands of fans to gather, blending time-honored traditions with state-of-the-art innovation.

The new tailgating experience will be directly adjacent to a 4,300-seat music venue operated by Live Nation and part of a larger five-acre tailgating space, including the plaza between Carter-Finley Stadium and PNC Arena, which will also receive improvements. Enhanced tailgating and pre- and post-game entertainment options range from well-appointed luxury suites to roomy balconies and community spaces, new food and beverage offerings, a promenade and stage for live entertainment, and elevated amenities like convenient restrooms and additional quick and easy parking. Construction of the first phase also includes two parking garages that line either side of the tailgating experience, which is projected to be completed in time for the 2027 Wolfpack football season.

(Link)

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NC State Basketball

Is the PNC Arena About to Become the Lenovo Center?

Published

4 days ago

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September 9, 2024

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Ever since 2012, PNC Arena has been the home of NC State Men’s Basketball and the Carolina Hurricanes. Today, the sign “PNC Arena” came off of the building.

PNC Bank’s naming rights contract ran out on August 31st.

The Hurricanes announced today that they had reached an agreement for PNC Bank to be the sponsor of the arena’s club and club-level seating.

Could the home of NC State Men’s Basketball be called the Lenovo Center Next?

In a leak from the video game NHL 25, the following image has Lenovo Center written on the ice of the Hurricane’s home arena.

Image

Obviously it hasn’t been confirmed that Lenovo will be the next official sponsor of the arena, but the leaked image from the game  does seem oddly coincidental.

1999-2002 = Entertainment & Sports Arena

2002-2012 = RBC Center

2012-2024 = PNC Arena

2024-TBD = Lenovo Center?

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NC State Basketball

NC State Women’s Basketball To Play in the Jimmy V Classic for the 5th Time

Published

3 weeks ago

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August 24, 2024

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NC State’s Women’s Basketball team will be playing in the 2024 Jimmy V Classic on December 15th at Louisville at 1pm on ABC.

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Because the game will be against the Cardinals, it will serve as the Wolfpack’s ACC opener.

Here’s a look at the other matchups in the Women’s Jimmy V Classic.

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This marks the 5th time that the NC State Women’s Basketball team has played in the Jimmy V Classic: UConn (2002), Texas (2003), Tennessee (2004), South Carolina (2020).

The Wolfpack are 8-8 all-time against Louisville, but are currently on a 5-game winnings streak against the Cardinals.

ESPN ranks NC State 8th in their Way-Too-Early 2024-25 Preseason Top-25, and they rank Louisville 12th. The Wolfpack finished 4th in the AP Poll last season, and the Cardinals finished 30th.

 

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