Four Factors | NC State |
Miami |
eFG% | 55.3 | 52.9 |
Turnover Rate | 16.1 | 22.5 |
Off Reb Rate | 32.3 | 34.5 |
FT Rate | 66.0 | 31.4 |
Pts | Poss | OFF_EFF | DEF_EFF | |
Miami | 66 | 62.2 | 106.2 | 114.2 |
NCSU | 71 | 62.2 | 114.2 | 106.2 |
Miami sucks because you can do whatever you want with them. So long as you don't shoot yourself in the foot with unforced errors, it's a straightforward matter of hitting a decent percentage of the generous looks they provide. It's winning at the most elementary level of execution; the frequency with which Haith's teams are lost or confused at the defensive end serves to strip the game down to the basics.
It never really felt like NC State took control, but rather that they should have taken control, missed the opportunity, and gave the game away. When Miami pushed the lead to nine, I gave up on the outcome, and I'm guessing just about everyone else did as well. We've seen this too many times. When the guys start a second half slowly, that usually means they're going to struggle for the duration. Considering their issues at the line, not to mention the way the rims treated them, there wasn't much to suggest this game was going to be any different.
But they flipped the script, pulling back to within two in 70 seconds. The margin didn't exceed four points in either direction until State finally got its shit together in the last three minutes. Tracy came back from a painful collision to hit some clutch shots in the paint, while Javi added a bunch of clutch free throws.
We got us a winning streak!