The program has never endured a losing season and only a seven-game losing skid in February derailed what appeared to be a breakthrough campaign a year ago. Still, N.C. State finished strong, reached the NIT Final Four and showed flashes of what could be possible in 2000-01. Nobody pointed fingers, nobody quit and nobody made excuses. Our team saw a window of opportunity to finish in a positive fashion, and that led to our NIT success. Sendek still conducts a structured, well thought-out practice that is focused and alert, with no wasted time.
Attention is paid, by all, to the idea of togetherness.
When a player takes a charge, the entire team sprints over to him to pick him up off the floor, because that guy has, literally, taken one for the team. Nobody pointed fingers, nobody quit and nobody made excuses. Our team saw a window of opportunity to finish in a positive fashion, and that led to our NIT success. We have four seniors, we want them to finish their degrees. We want to finish plays, finish games, finish drills, to finish everything.