NC State men's basketball associate head coach Monte Towe was a standout point guard for the 1974 national championship team and led the Pack to a 79-7 mark during his three-year basketball career.

Towe also has been a Wolfpack assistant coach for two separate stints - 1979-80 and currently since 2006. He even spent two years playing second base for the NCSU baseball program, winning an ACC championship in 1974.

Towe recently took the time to answer a few questions from The Wolfpacker.

First of all, I'm very humble and very proud to be a part of it. It's something that has always been a moment. Getting a scholarship to North Carolina State University has turned out to be as great a moment as I've ever had in my life. To be a part of 100 years, where I've gotten to know a lot of the integral parts or integral people, the people who are the Norm Sloans, the Jim Valvanos and David Thompsons and Sidney Lowes, and all those people, it kind of takes you back a little bit. Obviously, we are working really hard right now, it's hard to absorb all of it, but it's certainly great to see all of the people honored. It's great to be a part of a great, great tradition.

That is a great part of our job to see young men develop, and see them try to make progress, both as basketball players and as people. For the most part, we've done really well. We try hard every day, and the kids try hard every day. I just want them to feel when they get done here, hopefully with their degree, they are as proud of this program and feel the way we do about it. I know we had a little bit to do with them being here, and a part of the process.

Well, you see people that we've had a chance to evaluate a little bit more. I think we are getting closer to that. I think all of the kids have really tried for us, but certainly when you have a chance to go out and recruit young men for a program it gives you a better feel both ways. They have a better feel for who you are, and you have a better feel for who they are.

I think NC State has always had a great reputation in men's basketball, and we just continue to knock on as many doors as we can. Obviously, the more successful you are, the better you look in the eyes of prospects. I've always felt that NC State has great tradition. I've been on both sides. I've recruited for NC State, and I've recruited against NC State [while at Florida]. I know how it feels to be on the other side. I'm just real happy to be on this side.

I think they are doing better. I know everyone would like for them to do better. I think they are making progress. We are still working with Javi in a lot of areas. We are still working with Julius. I think it is a very difficult position. In the ACC, I think it's maybe the most talented position, year in, year out in the league, if you go back and look at the history of it. These young men have handled themselves very well.

[Fifth-year senior shooting guard] Farnold [Degand], you can throw his name in there. I think he is handling the ball a little bit more. We are getting closer all the time. You add [Marietta (Ga.) Walton High point guard signee] Ryan [Harrow] to that mix, and now you are really getting stronger and stronger. I think these guys have worked very hard. Javi and Mays have had moments where everyone wants them to do better, but overall I think they have done a really, really good job. We really would like for them to both play good at the same time. Then you'd see our best basketball team.

Tracy has always been a young man that can score the basketball. That was obvious the first time we saw him. We saw him in Las Vegas in AAU stuff before his junior or senior year. He has always had the ability to score. He is getting better in other areas of the game. He is playing harder on the defensive end. He is doing a good job on the boards and is passing the ball well. His overall game is improving all the time. His No. 1 deal is he can score the basketball, and he demands a lot of attention from the other team. Then when double teams and traps happen, he and the rest of the team have to do the right thing. He is doing a wonderful job.