http://www.yardbarker.com/college_basketball/players/cj_williams/66121 Recent articles about C.J. Williams en-us North Carolina's path to another Final Four runs right through Roy Williams' old neighborhood. Williams and his current team, the top-seeded Tar Heels, will face his old team Kansas in the Midwest Regional finals Sunday. It's been almost nine years since Williams left the Jayhawks to return ''home,'' and whatever bad feelings there might have been about his departure have long since subsided. But it sure does make for another juicy storyline in a tournament that seems to be filled with them. ''The programs are certainly tied together for a lot of different reasons,'' Kansas coach Bill Self said. ''It will be two really good teams hooking up.'' On paper, that is. On Friday, both Kansas and North Carolina showed plenty of flaws. North Carolina (32-5) needed overtime to escape with a 73-65 victory over 13th-seeded Ohio to advance to its 25th regional final, and sixth under Williams. If Walter Offutt had made the go-ahead free throw on a three-point Sat, 24 Mar 2012 04:08:52 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/all_sports/article_external/you_look_familiar_ku_faces_carolina_for_final_4/10388662 http://network.yardbarker.com/all_sports/article_external/you_look_familiar_ku_faces_carolina_for_final_4/10388662 You look familiar: KU faces Carolina for Final 4 http://www.yardbarker.com/all_sports/articles/you_look_familiar_ku_faces_carolina_for_final_4/10388662 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png North Carolina State's players waited so long to hear their name called on Selection Sunday that senior C.J. Williams started praying. First-year coach Mark Gottfried and athletic director Debbie Yow started considering what to say if the Wolfpack didn't get an NCAA bid. It came down to the final pairing before they learned N.C. State was back in the NCAA tournament for the first time in six years. The Wolfpack (22-12) earned the No. 11 seed in the Midwest Region and will face sixth-seeded San Diego State on Friday in Columbus, Ohio. None of the current players have been to the tournament before, making Sunday's news awfully special no matter how long the players had to wait for it. ''I really can't even put into words right now how I'm feeling,'' an emotional Williams said after the team and athletic staff held a private viewing party on the school's Centennial Campus. N.C. State knew it was on the bubble coming into the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament, then b Sun, 11 Mar 2012 21:33:57 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/college_basketball/article_external/nc_state_reaches_ncaas_for_1st_time_since_2006/10285261 http://network.yardbarker.com/college_basketball/article_external/nc_state_reaches_ncaas_for_1st_time_since_2006/10285261 NC State reaches NCAAs for 1st time since 2006 http://www.yardbarker.com/college_basketball/articles/nc_state_reaches_ncaas_for_1st_time_since_2006/10285261 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png ATLANTA (AP) -- C.J. Williams scored 15 points and North Carolina State avenged a loss to Georgia Tech last month, holding off the Yellow Jackets 61-52 Thursday night. The Wolfpack (18-7, 7-3 Atlantic Coast Conference) got a typically balanced scoring attack, with three other players in double figures. Kammeon Holsey had 17 points for Georgia Tech (9-15, 2-8), which couldn't overcome 32 percent shooting, including 1-for-17 from 3-point range. The Yellow Jackets upset N.C. State 82-71 in Raleigh, giving coach Brian Gregory his first ACC win. The Wolfpack could not afford another setback like that, not if they want to make a run at an NCAA tournament bid. N.C. State forward Scott Wood finally missed a free throw, ending his ACC record streak at 66 in a row. Actually, he missed three, going 2-for-5 at the foul line. The Wolfpack has its best mark in conference play after 10 games since the 2005-06 season and trails the top three in the ACC -- Duke, North Caroling and Florida State -- by only one game in Thu, 09 Feb 2012 21:41:05 -0500 http://network.yardbarker.com/college_basketball/article_external/strong_finish_lifts_nc_state_past_georgia_tech/9851677 http://network.yardbarker.com/college_basketball/article_external/strong_finish_lifts_nc_state_past_georgia_tech/9851677 Strong finish lifts NC State past Georgia Tech http://www.yardbarker.com/college_basketball/articles/strong_finish_lifts_nc_state_past_georgia_tech/9851677 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png C.J. Williams scored 15 points and North Carolina State avenged a loss to Georgia Tech last month, holding off the Yellow Jackets 61-52 Thursday night. The Wolfpack (18-7, 7-3 Atlantic Coast Conference) got a typically balanced scoring attack, with three other players in double figures. Kammeon Holsey had 17 points for Georgia Tech (9-15, 2-8), which couldn't overcome 32 percent shooting, including 1-for-17 from 3-point range. The Yellow Jackets upset N.C. State 82-71 in Raleigh, giving coach Brian Gregory his first ACC win. The Wolfpack could not afford another setback like that to make a run at an NCAA tournament bid. N.C. State forward Scott Wood finally missed a free throw, ending his ACC record streak at 66 in a row. Actually, he missed three, going 2-for-5 at the foul line. Thu, 09 Feb 2012 21:32:55 -0500 http://network.yardbarker.com/college_basketball/article_external/nc_state_61_georgia_tech_52/9851440 http://network.yardbarker.com/college_basketball/article_external/nc_state_61_georgia_tech_52/9851440 NC State 61, Georgia Tech 52 http://www.yardbarker.com/college_basketball/articles/nc_state_61_georgia_tech_52/9851440 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png ATLANTA — C.J. Williams scored 15 points and North Carolina State avenged a loss to Georgia Tech last month, holding off the Yellow Jackets 61-52 Thursday night. Thu, 09 Feb 2012 21:17:00 -0500 http://network.yardbarker.com/college_basketball/article_external/pack_tops_jackets_61_52/9851614 http://network.yardbarker.com/college_basketball/article_external/pack_tops_jackets_61_52/9851614 Pack Tops Jackets, 61-52 http://www.yardbarker.com/college_basketball/articles/pack_tops_jackets_61_52/9851614 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png North Carolina State senior C.J. Williams has spent his career trying to reverse the Wolfpack's struggles, so he couldn't resist the temptation to take a quick peek at the Atlantic Coast Conference standings earlier this week. There it was: N.C. State tied atop the league - not to mention ahead of No. 7 North Carolina heading into Thursday's game. ''You look and you're tied for first and you're excited about that, but it comes down to playing basketball again,'' Williams said. ''It's all basketball regardless of what the standings have to say.'' Maybe, but there's no denying that the Wolfpack's improvement under first-year coach Mark Gottfried has added some zip to the longtime rivalry. N.C. State (15-5, 4-1 ACC) is off to its best ACC start in six years and entered the week tied with Duke and Florida State for first, while the Tar Heels (16-3, 3-1) sat just behind. Seeing the Wolfpack ahead of the Tar Heels in the standings is an unusual sig Thu, 26 Jan 2012 10:18:00 -0500 http://network.yardbarker.com/college_basketball/article_external/no_7_tar_heels_host_improved_wolfpack/9667882 http://network.yardbarker.com/college_basketball/article_external/no_7_tar_heels_host_improved_wolfpack/9667882 No. 7 Tar Heels host improved Wolfpack http://www.yardbarker.com/college_basketball/articles/no_7_tar_heels_host_improved_wolfpack/9667882 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png The Wolfpack likes to keep the same lineup if it can and that has been a chore at times for Coach Mark Gottfried. "Part of the game over the course of a 30-game season, you're going to have some of those and you have to be good enough to roll on," Gottfried said of lineup issues. There have been injuries and a disciplinary action that have factored into his lineup decisions. But mostly, the Wolfpack has been successful this season and so Gottfried prefers to maintain a routine for his players. "Most people do, especially if you're winning," he said. "I do think players get in a rhythm, even players coming off the bench." The Wolfpack needed a contingency plan prior to Sunday's game at Miami in case senior guard C.J. Williams' shoulder injury prevented him from playing. But he was ready by game time and so the Wolfpack avoided another lineup change. Gottfried said the ability to deal with potential changes and real changes will help shape how the season plays Mon, 23 Jan 2012 12:47:13 -0500 http://network.yardbarker.com/college_basketball/article_external/lineup_consistency_plagues_wolfpack_gottfried/9532739 http://network.yardbarker.com/college_basketball/article_external/lineup_consistency_plagues_wolfpack_gottfried/9532739 Lineup consistency plagues Wolfpack, Gottfried http://www.yardbarker.com/college_basketball/articles/lineup_consistency_plagues_wolfpack_gottfried/9532739 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png C.J. Williams scored 15 of his 21 points in the first half to help North Carolina State beat Western Carolina 82-55 on Saturday afternoon. Lorenzo Brown and C.J. Leslie added 14 points apiece for the Wolfpack (10-4), who improved to 14-0 all-time against the Catamounts. Richard Howell had 12 points and 14 rebounds for N.C. State. Scott Wood scored 11 points for the Wolfpack. The Wolfpack shot 57.7 percent (30 of 52) from the floor, including 61 percent (17 of 28) in the first half, en route to their fourth consecutive win. N.C. State led 47-24 at halftime and scored the first nine points of the second half. Keaton Cole scored 12 points to lead Western Carolina (7-7), coached by former N.C. State assistant Larry Hunter. The Catamounts went the first five minutes of each half without a field goal. Sat, 31 Dec 2011 16:58:18 -0500 http://network.yardbarker.com/college_basketball/article_external/nc_state_82_w_carolina_55/9049891 http://network.yardbarker.com/college_basketball/article_external/nc_state_82_w_carolina_55/9049891 NC State 82, W. Carolina 55 http://www.yardbarker.com/college_basketball/articles/nc_state_82_w_carolina_55/9049891 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png C.J. Leslie scored with 0.6 seconds remaining off a full-court pass from C.J. Williams, giving North Carolina State a 67-65 win over St. Bonaventure on Tuesday night. Eric Mosley tied the game for St. Bonaventure at 65-all with 3.1 seconds left. But Williams hurled his pass to Leslie, whose off-balance jumper hit the rim and fell through. Scott Wood led the Wolfpack (7-4) with 20 points and Leslie scored 12. Demetrius Conger and Andrew Nicholson each scored 16 for the Bonnies (5-5). The Bonnies scored the game's first nine points, but North Carolina State grabbed a 26-24 lead on a 3-pointer from Alex Johnson with 7:05 remaining in the half. St. Bonaventure led 39-37 at halftime. The Bonnies built a six-point lead in the second half, but the Wolfpack rallied to take the lead four different times in the last 3 minutes, including the final margin. Tue, 20 Dec 2011 21:34:16 -0500 http://network.yardbarker.com/college_basketball/article_external/nc_state_67_st_bonaventure_65/8859397 http://network.yardbarker.com/college_basketball/article_external/nc_state_67_st_bonaventure_65/8859397 NC State 67, St. Bonaventure 65 http://www.yardbarker.com/college_basketball/articles/nc_state_67_st_bonaventure_65/8859397 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png C.J. Williams and his North Carolina State teammates were already excited about getting highly ranked Syracuse in front of a rowdy red-clad crowd. Having the Orange rise to No. 1 in time for Saturday's game only adds to that buzz. ''Any time you play a top-five team, it's a great opportunity for you to make a statement,'' Williams said Friday. ''And that's what we're looking to do. We're looking to show that we're not just a team that's going to compete with you.'' It's hardly the first time N.C. State (6-3) has faced the nation's top-ranked team at home. After all, Atlantic Coast Conference rivals Duke and North Carolina are within a 30-minute drive of campus and have brought the No. 1 ranking here 11 times. But this is only the second time a nonconference No. 1 will play in Raleigh. The other time came when Notre Dame edged the Wolfpack 53-52 in February 1979. First-year coach Mark Gottfried said ''it seems like there's a lo Sat, 17 Dec 2011 04:04:44 -0500 http://network.yardbarker.com/college_basketball/article_external/nc_state_gets_a_shot_at_no_1_syracuse/8786089 http://network.yardbarker.com/college_basketball/article_external/nc_state_gets_a_shot_at_no_1_syracuse/8786089 NC State gets a shot at No. 1 Syracuse http://www.yardbarker.com/college_basketball/articles/nc_state_gets_a_shot_at_no_1_syracuse/8786089 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png C.J. WILLIAMS (Greg Mintel/Raleigh News & Observer)FLORIDA STATE 75, UNC Greensboro (Spartans, 18,502 students, Greensboro, NC) 60 -- The Seminoles (7-3) turned the ball over a season-high 26 times against the Spartans (2-8) but still shot 52 percent from the field while getting 14 points from guard Michael Snaer, who has now scored in double figures in six consecutive games.Snaer bounced back from an 0-for-5 mark from 3-point range in the first half to finish 3-for-8 from long distance by game's end.N.C. STATE 65, North Carolina Central (Eagles, 8,612 students, Durham, NC) 60 -- Playing in his 100th career game, senior swingman C.J. Williams scored 14 first-half points en route to a career-high 21 points, as the Wolfpack (6-3) men kicked off a basketball doubleheader in Reynolds Coliseum. The Wolfpack women followed with a game against Alabama.VIRGINIA TECH 73, Norfolk State (Spartans, 5,400 students, Norfolk, VA) 60 -- Jarell Eddie scored a career-high 24 points and grabbed seven rebounds to lift Vi Mon, 12 Dec 2011 08:09:00 -0500 http://network.yardbarker.com/college_basketball/article_external/sunday_acc_basketball_scoreboard/8678368 http://network.yardbarker.com/college_basketball/article_external/sunday_acc_basketball_scoreboard/8678368 Sunday ACC Basketball Scoreboard http://www.yardbarker.com/college_basketball/articles/sunday_acc_basketball_scoreboard/8678368 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png In a game that was closer than it should have been: Senior C.J. Williams, playing in his 100th career game, scores a career-high 21 points as NC State wins another throwback game at Reynolds Coliseum, 65-60. The Pack returns to action on Saturday against third-ranked Syracuse at the RBC Center. This victory propels the Wolfpack [...] Sun, 11 Dec 2011 19:58:53 -0500 http://network.yardbarker.com/college_basketball/article_external/pack_beats_nc_central_65_60/8670865 http://network.yardbarker.com/college_basketball/article_external/pack_beats_nc_central_65_60/8670865 Pack beats NC Central 65-60 http://www.yardbarker.com/college_basketball/articles/pack_beats_nc_central_65_60/8670865 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png C.J. Williams scored a career-high 21 points, and North Carolina State held on to beat North Carolina Central 65-60 on Sunday. Scott Wood added 19 points and Richard Howell 11 for the Wolfpack (6-3). They never trailed and led by 15, but had to withstand N.C. Central's frantic comeback to snap a two-game losing streak. Ray Willis had 17 points and Dominique Sutton added 15 to lead the Eagles (5-5), who entered with the nation's No. 2 scoring offense. They finished 29 points below their average and dropped their second straight. The Eagles kept the Wolfpack within striking distance throughout before tightening things up one last time. They used a late 18-6 run to pull within 59-56 on Willis' driving layup with 1:32 left. Williams and Wood each hit two free throws in the final minute before Sutton hit a layup that made it 63-60 with 8 seconds left. Wood then sealed it with two more free throws with 5.8 seconds. N.C. State had to work harder than expected for this victory. The Wolfpack didn' Sun, 11 Dec 2011 17:48:37 -0500 http://network.yardbarker.com/college_basketball/article_external/nc_state_65_nc_central_60/8667733 http://network.yardbarker.com/college_basketball/article_external/nc_state_65_nc_central_60/8667733 NC State 65, NC Central 60 http://www.yardbarker.com/college_basketball/articles/nc_state_65_nc_central_60/8667733 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) -- C.J. Williams scored a career-high 21 points, and North Carolina State held on to beat North Carolina Central 65-60 on Sunday. Scott Wood added 19 points and Richard Howell 11 for the Wolfpack (6-3). They never trailed and led by 15, but had to withstand North Carolina Central's frantic comeback to snap a two-game losing streak. Ray Willis had 17 points and Dominique Sutton 15 to lead the Eagles (5-5), who entered with the nation's No. 2 scoring offense. They finished 29 points below their average and dropped their second straight. The Eagles kept the Wolfpack within striking distance throughout, and a late 18-6 run pulled them within 59-56 on Willis' driving layup with 1:32 left. Williams and Wood each hit two free throws in the final minute before Sutton's layup made it 63-60 with 8 seconds left. Wood then sealed it with two more free throws with 5.8 seconds. Sun, 11 Dec 2011 17:35:57 -0500 http://network.yardbarker.com/college_basketball/article_external/williams_nc_state_hold_off_nc_central_65_60/8667664 http://network.yardbarker.com/college_basketball/article_external/williams_nc_state_hold_off_nc_central_65_60/8667664 Williams, NC State hold off NC Central, 65-60 http://www.yardbarker.com/college_basketball/articles/williams_nc_state_hold_off_nc_central_65_60/8667664 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png C.J. Williams had 18 points to help North Carolina State beat UNC Asheville 84-75 on Friday night in Mark Gottfried's debut as Wolfpack coach. Richard Howell added 14 points and 15 rebounds for N.C. State, which had relatively little trouble against a veteran team coming off an NCAA tournament appearance. The Wolfpack dominated the boards and repeatedly got out in transition, taking a double-digit lead barely 4 minutes into the game and maintaining a comfortable lead the rest of the night. N.C. State never let the Bulldogs (0-1) closer than six points after that early flurry, running the lead out to as many as 19 points late in the first half and never letting the lead slip below seven after halftime. Matt Dickey scored 17 to lead the Bulldogs, who follow this game with another Atlantic Coast Conference opponent - top-ranked North Carolina - at home Sunday. N.C. State was shorthanded for this one after the school announced shortly before tipoff that sophomore forward C.J. Leslie would miss three games Fri, 11 Nov 2011 22:02:25 -0500 http://network.yardbarker.com/college_basketball/article_external/nc_state_84_unc_asheville_75/8035480 http://network.yardbarker.com/college_basketball/article_external/nc_state_84_unc_asheville_75/8035480 NC State 84, UNC Asheville 75 http://www.yardbarker.com/college_basketball/articles/nc_state_84_unc_asheville_75/8035480 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png