New Orleans Upsets N.C. State 65-63

He probably didn’t count New Orleans in that four.

But when New Orleans’ T.J Worley banked in a contested three pointer with two seconds remaining in the game, the Wolfpack found itself among the list of ranked college teams upset in games they “should have won.”

“We talked about how teams have been getting upset all across the country and how we don’t want to be one of those teams,” Grant said. “And we came in here tonight and we let it happen.”

The Wolfpack led by five points with one minute to play when junior guard Courtney Fells was called for an intentional foul for grabbing New Orleans’ Bo McCalebb on a drive. After hitting both free throws and a quick layup thereafter, New Orleans trailed by only one point with 44 second left.

The Pack missed on its next possession, forcing Grant to foul McCalebb with 14 seconds left. McCalebb hit both free throws to give New Orleans a one point lead, only to have Grant drive the right sideline and score on a running jumper with only seven seconds to go.

Despite the Pack heavily contesting the shot, Worley banked home the three-pointer for the win.

According to Grant, the “questionable” intentional foul was a major factor in the loss. Still, the lack of effort from the Wolfpack was the real reason for the loss, Grant said.

“I don’t want to say we took them lightly because I don’t think we did,” Grant said. “But we didn’t come out with the energy we should have. It seemed like, I don’t know, [there are] just inside the team issues that we’ve got to work on. We’ve got to come out and play 40 hard minutes. We didn’t play 40 hard minutes today.”

Coach Sidney Lowe echoed Grant’s concern about a lack of intensity. The smaller New Orleans’ team out-rebounded State 41-37, and turned the ball over only 8 times compared to the Pack’s 14 turnovers.

“We didn’t have urgency,” Lowe said. “They kept their thumb on us and we didn’t execute like we should. Our defense let us down because they were running all around us.”

Though the outcome was unfavorable, there were bright spots for the Pack, according to Lowe. Freshman J.J. Hickson continued to wow fans and please his coach, scoring 22 points and grabbing 13 rebounds in the contest. Representatives from at least eight NBA teams were present for the game.

Though the Pack blew an 11-point second half lead, Lowe said he is confident the team can use the game as a learning experience and even a wake-up call as not to take any game lightly, particularly going into the Old Spice Classic in Orlando, Fla., this week.

Lowe also mentioned the shift in playing time as a potential problem among teammates.

“We should be able to play together because these guys have been here,” Lowe said. “It’s a matter of discipline and being unselfish. They need to not worry about how many minutes they’re getting.”

And though Gavin Grant chose not to elaborate, he feels there is a tension among teammates that needs to be resolved for the Pack to play to its potential—whatever that may be.

“It’s just players,” Grant said. “It’s nothing between coaches and players it’s between players and players. They’re having issues with each other that they shouldn’t have.

It’s nothing that I want to talk to the media about; it’s between the team and the team.”

Whatever those “inside-the-team issues” may be, Lowe and the Wolfpack will try to fix them before this weekend’s Old Spice Classic. The Pack will face Rider at 2 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day.