NC State Wolfpack

By Tony Haynes

This time, unfortunately, the Internet rumors were true. For weeks now, the chat rooms have been full of rumors about the impending transfer of Marshall Williams. Even though I knew all along that the 6'4 guard was homesick and missed his girlfriend, I tried to convince myself that he would eventually decide to stay.

From NC State's first practice last October until the day his season ended with a knee injury in early February, it was obvious that Williams brought the Wolfpack a unique toughness it had sometimes been lacking in recent years. It wasn't just a mental toughness; there was also a physical presence there that most young backcourt players don't possess.

The day before NC State faced Wake Forest in the NIT Semifinals last month, Deacons coach Dave Odom mentioned in a conversation that Williams was one of the most physical guards he'd ever seen. With his ability to body up on opposing guards and keep them in front of him, Williams was a defensive stopper in every sense of the word.

The tools to become a defensive demon were all there: Physical strength, quickness and tenacity.

It was that tenacity which impressed Wolfpack coaches right away. Williams practiced at game-speed every single day. He loved to play the game and he loved to play it hard. It was really no coincidence that he was out on the floor every time a game was on the line.

Remember the December game at Purdue? Williams prevented the Boilermakers from getting off a potential game winning shot when he stripped the ball away in the final seconds.

And how about that January 19 classic at Duke? It was Williams who took Justin Gainey's intentional miss at the free throw line and scooped the ball back in the basket to send the game to overtime.

As the season meandered through December and January, it became obvious that Herb Sendek and his coaching staff wanted and needed Williams out on the floor as much as possible. Whether it was turning a defender around with that wicked crossover dribble or making a deflection on defense, Williams had a knack for making big plays when he was out on the court.

Perhaps none of us were able to fully appreciate the guy until he got hurt. Williams' absence in February really showed up when, during a seven-game losing skid, NC State had a difficult time getting crucial defensive stops late in tight ball games.

Despite this loss, NC State's basketball program is moving forward. If the team can remain healthy, there's every reason to believe that the Wolfpack will have a chance to put together a tremendous season next year. But there's no denying that this defection hurts.

Marshall Williams, I believe, will become an outstanding college basketball player. It's just too bad he'll be wearing another uniform for the final three years of his career.

Marquette is getting a good one.