It wasn't all that long ago that NC State fans and athletic director Debbie Yow were ecstatic with Mark Gottfried. He went to the NCAA tourney in each of his first four seasons and made it to the sweet 16 twice (2012 and 2015).
But the past two years have been a train wreck in Raleigh. The Wolfpack were 16-17 last season, but it was followed with high hopes as freshman Dennis Smith Jr., a projected NBA lottery pick, would soon make his debut.
Instead, the results -- and at times the effort -- has been embarrassing.