Wolfpack cracks top 10 in AP poll with top defense

RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA - Chuck Amato has believed for years a good defense goes hand-in-hand with winning championships. Undefeated North Carolina State is well on its way to achieving both goals in 2002. <br> <br> The Tenth-ranked Wolfpack (9-0, 4-0 ACC) head into this weekend&#39;s game against Georgia Tech as the Atlantic Coast Conference&#39;s top team in total defense, allowing 301.4 yards a game, or about 58 less than a season ago. <br> <br> The Wolfpack last led the ACC in defense in 1988 when five players were named all-ACC on that side of the ball. <br> <br> N.C. State&#39;s improvement has come without a defensive coordinator. Buddy Green left last offseason for the same position at Navy, and Amato decided he and his other defensive coaches would split the duties. <br> <br> So far so good as the Wolfpack has allowed an average of 14.5 points in its four ACC wins over Wake Forest, North Carolina, Duke and Clemson. N.C. State allowed 23.1 points in eight league games a season ago.