Expected to be N.C. State’s main weapon coming into the season, Tracy Smith is filling that role just fine through eight games.
In fact, the Wolfpack center is the only player in the top five in the Atlantic Coast Conference in scoring and rebounding as State heads into its game tonight against Elon – the second game for the Phoenix against an ACC team in four days.
Smith, a junior, is tied for second in scoring with an average of 18 points per game and third in rebounding at 9.6 boards per game. Two other players are in the top 10 in both categories. Georgia Tech’s Gani Lawal is sixth in scoring at 16.5 ppg and second in rebounding at 9.9 rpg. Wake Forest’s Al-Farouq Aminu is first in rebounding at 10.1 and ninth in scoring at 15.8 going into last night’s game at UNC Wilmington.
Smith, who has recorded four double-doubles this season, is providing more than a fourth of State’s offense. The Pack (7-1) is last in the league at 66.9 ppg, but still is to the good in scoring margin by only allowing 57.8 ppg.
Smith’s scoring average is on the upswing. He has averaged 20.8 points per game while shooting 69.2 percent (36-52) over the past four games. One of his most impressive stretches came when he went 8 of 10 from the field and scored 17 points while leading State’s rally from an 11-point deficit for a 77-773 victory over Marquette.
UP IN THE AIR
State guard Javier Gonzales is questionable for tonight’s game as he recovers from a hamstring injury suffered in the Marquette victory.
Gonzales has not returned to practice since. When he couldn’t go against Georgia Southern and Julius Mays started last Saturday, it was the first time that coach Sidney Lowe changed his starting five this season.
Smith, sophomore shooting guard C.J. Willams, freshman small forward Scott Wood, power forward Dennis Horner and Smith have started every game.
NUMBERS TIME
Jon Scheyer’s 36-point outburst against Gardner-Webb, the most by an ACC player this season, boosted him even with Smith in scoring with a jump from 17.1 to 18 ppg. Scheyer also turned in the best shooting exhibition of the season, hitting 11 of 13 shots for a .848 percentage.
Malcolm Delaney of Virginia Tech is first in scoring at 21.6 as well as minutes played per game at 36.9. Deon Thomspon of the Tar Heels is fourth at 17.1 and Sylven Landesberg of Virginia Tech fifth at 16.9.
Delaney has topped 30 points on two occasions, with 32 against Temple and 31 against Georgia. The only other 30-point effort was Tyler Roche’s 30 for Boston College in a game earlier this month.
Ed Davis of UNC is tops in field goal percentage at .689 ( 51 of 74) and blocked shots at 2.7 per game. Larry Drew II of the Tar Heels is the leader in assists at 6.8 per game. Gonzales is averaging 6.6. Scheyer is tops in free throw percentage at .918 (45 of 49). Chris Singleton of Florida State is the steals leader at 2.4 ppg, and David Potter had the top 3-point percentage of .525 heading into the Tigers’ game with ECU last night.
Duke is tops in scoring average at 85.4, followed by UNC at 84.4. Miami and Florida State are tied for the lead in scoring defense, giving up 56.7 ppg.
SHORT SHOTS
Duke’s victory over Gardner-Webb on Tuesday was the Blue Devils’ 46th straight at home in the month of December, dating to a 62-61 loss to Michigan on Dec. 8, 1996. The Blue Devil’s 113 points against the Bulldogs was the most by an ACC team this season. ... UNC’s Davis has pulled down at least 10 rebounds in six of 10 games this season. His teammate Thompson has scored in double figures in all 10 games, including four efforts of 20 or more points. ... Aminu’s double-double (11 points, 10 rebounds) Sunday against Elon was his fifth of the season and 15th of his career. ... Will Sherrill cracking the starting lineup earlier this month for Virginia at Auburn was the first a walk-on started for the Cavaliers in four years not counting Senior Days. ... Miami tied a school record when it hit 15 shots from 3-point range against S.C. State on Sunday.
gsmith@hpe.com | 888-3519
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