First Four games bring different dynamic, memories with NC State vs. Texas tonight

Playing in the NCAA Tournament First Four games is something both Texas and NC State personnel have experience in playing in Dayton, Ohio.

NCSU first-year coach Will Wade was an assistant coach at VCU under coach Shaka Smart that famously went to the Final Four in 2011, while Wolfpack athletic director Debbie Yow patiently waited for Smart’s season to end.

NC State senior center Ven-Allen Lubin played in the First Four game last year, where North Carolina was criticized for being picked, but then destroyed San Diego State 95-68.

NC State plays Texas at 9:15 p.m. tonight on truTV in the First Four game of the NCAA Tournament.

“Anything can happen,” Lubin said. “It’s a new season. You’ve got a clean slate. Whatever you did in the past in the postseason doesn’t really matter now because anything can happen.

“For us to be in this position, like I said, we appreciate it, we’re grateful. I think that once we come with the right edge and the right purpose and approach in every game, we know we can make good runs and make great things happen.”

Wade has other memories of playing In Dayton as the former coach at VCU, with annual Atlantic 10 battles.

“ We’re excited to be in Dayton,” Wade said. “It’s a great basketball city, great basketball fans, great basketball arena, everything.

“Came here and got beat five times when I was at VCU. The last time I was here in the First Four was the first year of the First Four. I was an assistant at VCU when we beat Southern Cal and went all the way to the Final Four, so that would by far be the best memory here.”

Texas was in the First Four game last year in what ended up being one of the stranger scenarios. Xavier and then coach Sean Miller topped Texas 86-80 in Dayton, with then Musketeers power forward Dailyn Swain scoring 11 points in the win.

Texas fired coach Rodney Terry afterwards, and eventually hired Miller, and Swain followed him to Austin, Texas, and has become the Longhorns top player with 17.8 points, 7.6 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game.

“It’s a great feeling,” Swain said. “Coach Miller talked about familiarity, like playing here before. I played here in high school. This is probably my fifth or sixth time playing here. I’m from Ohio, so I know how it feels. So I’m trying to get these guys to understand that feeling, and it’s a great opportunity.”

Texas returns senior point guard Jordan Pope, senior shooting guard Tramon Mark and senior reserve wing Chendall Weaver from last year’s First Four loss.

“Playing here last year, obviously we were on the losing end of that,” Pope said. “It wasn’t nice. Having that underneath my belt and just understanding the stakes and what we’re playing for and how big and meaningful it is, just keeping that in mind.

“We’ve kind of joked about that all year so it’s kind of ironic and weird that we’re back here, a little déjà-vu feeling. But I’m glad to have Dailyn and Coach Miller on my side this time, and I think it’ll play out a lot better than it did last year for me.”

NC State and Texas met in the fifth-place game in the Maui Invitational on Nov. 26, with the Longhorns winning a shootout 102-97. Pope had an electric first half and finished with 27 points and seven three-pointers.

“I got a lot of good looks from three,” Pope said. “I’m sure this time around they’ll probably make some adjustments towards myself and other guys that played that game from three. So I’ve just got to be able to counter that and find other ways to impact the game. But that’s what I seen that game.”

Miller was an assistant coach at NC State under coach Herb Sendek from 1996-2001. He was also a candidate in the Wolfpack’s 2011 coaching search. Miller had two of his three sons born in Raleigh and he lived in Garner, N.C. He called it one of the best five-year stretches of his life in getting a “graduate” degree in coaching.

“I think the one thing about the First Four is it hits you really quickly,” Miller said. “You’re watching the selection show on a Sunday like everybody, and you’re thrilled to be in it. If you’re in the First Four, there was some doubt, you weren’t a shoe-in for sure. So it’s that thrill, that great feeling of, we did it.

“But then the reality of it is you’re on a plane the next morning, and here we are. You don’t have the rhythm of those two days and the true preparation.”