The losing streak extends to 4 with Duke and Clemson up next.
Game Summary:
Shooting failed us again. In a weird coincidence, both UNC and SMU came to Raleigh as the ACC’s leading scoring teams, and NC State held both to 63 points. However, against UNC the Wolfpack shot 36.9% and scored 61, against SMU the Wolfpack shot 29.2% and scored only 57.
The first half started well; NC State went up 8-0. Part of that could be blamed on SMU starting a lineup they haven’t started this season, but the Wolfpack played solid defense. But at the 10:44 mark, SMU hit a 3PT shot to catch up and take the lead at 14-12. The teams traded baskets until the 6:23 mark when SMU hit a 3PT, after which SMU went on a 11-4 run to close the half at 34-26. The Wolfpack missed 11 of their final 12 shots.
At the 11:50 mark of the second half SMU was up 15 (49-34) and many of us thought it was over, but from that point NC State played outstanding defense, holding the ACC’s top scoring team (84 ppg) to only 29 points in the half and forcing 8 turnovers. At the 3:21 point Ben Middlebrooks got fouled and hit both, to bring the score to a 1 point deficit at 56-55. Unfortunately, from that point, the Wolfpack went cold (sound familiar?) and scored only 2 points. Taylor missed a 2PT, Styles hit a 2PT, then both players missed 3PT attempts. Final score 63-57.
Overall Takeaways:
- NC State shot poorly from the field again, 29.2% / 16.7% / 83.3%.
- No Wolfpack player hit more than 1 3PT shot
- SMU hit 2 more 3PT shots than the Wolfpack, and won by 6
- SMU won the rebounding battle 43-35, however NC State did win the offensive rebounding 14-9.
- The Wolfpack had 9 steals, to SMU’s 1. That is our season high steals in ACC play.
- NC State forced 15 turnovers, and committed only 6. That is our season high forced in ACC play.
- The big difference was points in the paint, SMU won 32-16 on the back of an outstanding game by SMU’s 7’2” center Yigitoglu scoring 20 points, double his average.
Keatts Comments
Individual Highlights
- Paul McNeil had the best game of his NC State career. Career highs in minutes, scoring, rebounds, assists, and steals.
- Marcus Hill led the scoring with 14 (but it took him 15 shots to do it)
- Huntley-Hatfield and Taylor led the rebounding with 5 each
- Paul McNeil led the assists with 3
- Ben Middlebrooks had 3 blocked shots
Box Score