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RALEIGH —  Good news, Wolfpack fans: N.C. State is seeded 10th in the 12-team ACC tournament.

Seriously, it's good news. Because the Wolfpack will play the seventh seed — Maryland, in this case — in the first round today. And N.C. State is 9-0 all-time against the No. 7 seed.

More good news: The last time the Pack was seeded 10th, State reeled off three straight wins to reach the final in 2007.

Three guys in today's starting lineup — seniors Courtney Fells and Ben McCauley and junior Brandon Costner — were members of that team.

"It's a new season. It presents opportunities for you as a team," coach Sidney Lowe said. "I experienced that as a senior here in getting to the (NCAA) tournament. I think it's a great opportunity for teams that are either on the bubble or fighting for something to salvage the season and really finish on a good note. We're going to try to do that again this year. It's certainly feasible. It's possible, and it's one game at a time."

And so N.C. State (16-13, 6-10 ACC) comes in with renewed hope.

The Wolfpack comes in as a much-improved team since going to a big lineup — inserting Tracy Smith at center, moving McCauley to power forward, Costner to small forward and 6-foot-6 Fells to shooting guard.

The Pack also comes in hoping for a turnover turnaround. Simply put, N.C. State has won when it has held onto the ball and lost when it has given it away.

So, coach, can you win it all?

"It's realistic. You just never know what might happen," Lowe said. "It's a funny game, and it's one at a time. If you're making your shots and the other team isn't, or your defense is just solid and things are working for you and it happens day after day, you just never know. I think that's the great thing about it: It's a one-game elimination, and you get that opportunity to advance. So, yeah, I think it's possible."

First things first: a first-round rematch with a Maryland team that beat N.C. State 71-60 in Raleigh 11 days ago.

On a snowy night, Maryland guard Greivis Vasquez finished that game with a 3-pointer at the buzzer with the Terrapins ahead by eight points. The fans booed lustily.

"The fans shouldn't like it. I don't particularly like it, but I told my players at the time, you play until the buzzer, until the horn blows," Lowe said. "You don't relax and let a guy shoot a shot like that. Then it's something you just take and try to remember it and go and get another opportunity and try to win the (next) ballgame. The hard feelings, for me, is just losing the ballgame. That play, maybe if I'm out there on the floor, I'm not going to let a guy just shoot it. I'm going to stay there until the horn blows, and you won't be faced with that situation.

"But you've got to play," Lowe added. "I'm not blaming (Vasquez) for doing it. He did it. He wanted to score. That's the way he is. He's very aggressive, very confident, very cocky — and all in positive ways for him to help him play as well as he does. You've got to have that same edge and that same attitude when you know you're playing against someone like that. You've got to be prepared for that."

Look for Fells to return to the Pack lineup after sitting out the last game-and-a-half with a groin injury. N.C. State's best defender, Fells likely will shadow Vasquez.

"If he's 100 percent, I don't know, but he'll definitely play," Lowe said. "It's very important. We're going to have to be solid (defensively) on those guys. Last game it was Vasquez, and it probably could be Vasquez again. You know he's going to play well. ... Having Courtney back in there and healthy — a healthy Courtney Fells certainly should help us a great deal."

 Contact Jeff Mills at 373-7024 or jeff.mills@news-record.com