New men’s basketball coach Sidney Lowe will face his first coaching test on the court tonight as his team faces Northern State at the RBC Center at 7 p.m. The exhibition match is the first of two for the Pack before opening its regular season against Wofford on Nov. 10 and will be the first time Lowe can evaluate his players against an opponent.
With the departure of Herb Sendek to Arizona State, State fans are eagerly awaiting a more up-tempo offense that Lowe said he will implement this year.
The potential problem facing the new coach, however, is whether he will have the depth on his team to play an up-tempo game and be able to make substitutions that will continue momentum in the Pack’s favor.
According to sophomore guard Courtney Fells, who lead all State scorers in the Red-White scrimmage with 21 points, the team has plenty of talent and is becoming comfortable with the new offense.
The offense is great, Fells said. “It’s a great fit for all of us. Everybody can pretty much score at any time. We’ve got guys that can step in and make plays.”
Sophomore forward Ben McCauley agrees with Fells that the new offense is potentially productive if run correctly. McCauley said the key is running the offense the way it is supposed to be run.
“So far if we run it the way we’re supposed to, we can get some great looks,” McCauley said. “We’ve got the players to make the great plays, so if we run the offense the whole way through like we’re supposed to, we’re gonna get shots, and we’re gonna get great plays.”
Senior guard Engin AtsŸr did not play in the Red-White scrimmage because of a sore Achilles’ heel and is not expected to play tonight.
According to Fells, the team members are gaining a trust for one another, despite the recent changes. He also said the players are getting a feel for each other’s talents and strengths.
“We’re getting chemistry down with one another any way we can,” Fells said. “I think it’ll be great for us because we know what everyone on the team can do and what they can bring to the table.”
