NC State didn’t have to worry about the Princeton offense or a slower pace of basketball Tuesday.
The Wolfpack thrived in an up-and-down flow to roll past Florida International 107-74 and improve to 3-0 at PNC Arena. The offensive performance was a night-and-day difference after grinding through playing Campbell last Friday, a 73-67 win. The Camels played the Princeton offense and would take possessions deep into the shot clock.
NC State hit 10 first-half three-pointers to build a commanding 57-32 hafltime lead. The steely-eyed focus from the Austin Peay game in the season opener had returned.
“This was very similar to the way we played in the Austin Peay game,” NC State coach Kevin Keatts said. “We like to play fast. I know we did a good job getting out in transition. We forced a lot of turnovers. We got a lot of steals. That is the way we want to play.”
Senior point guard Jarkel Joiner and redshirt junior wing Casey Morsell set the tone for NC State, scoring 26 points apiece and combining to go 12 of 15 on three-pointers.
Joiner was clearly in the zone from the start, and had 21 points in the first half and made 5 of 7 three-pointers. The Ole Miss transfer recalled having that feeling when he poured in 33 points and six three-pointers against Alabama last year Feb. 9, 2022.
It didn’t matter if he was trying to beat the shot clock or pulling up in transition, he was feeling it, which was good because he entered the game 1 of 6 on three-pointers this season.
Joiner hit three straight three-pointers to spark a 13-0 run to build the lead to 27-8 with 10:24 left in the first half.
“It is a good feeling seeing all your work paying off,” Joiner said. “I put a lot of work in.
“It was most definitely a heat check [moment].”
Morsell was more subtle but after going through some tough years shooting the ball in the past, the Virginia transfer was completely at ease. He made all four three-pointers in the first half and set new career-highs for points and three-pointers made.
Morsell has been a career 26.8 percent shooter from three-point land between his time at UVA and NC State. Morsell said he played with a heavy heart because he knew some of the Virginia football players who were killed or wounded Sunday night.
Junior wide receiver Level Davis Jr. of Dorchester (S.C.) Woodland High, junior wide receiver Devin Chandler of Cornelius (N.C.) Hough High and junior linebacker D’Sean Perry of Miami (Fla.) Gulliver Prep were pronounced dead. Chandler and Perry died on the bus and Davis at the hospital.
Junior running back Mike Hollins of Baton Rouge (La.) University Lab and student Marlee Morgan were wounded in the shooting.
“It has been tough,” Morsell said. “I knew D’Sean, Mike Hollins and Level. I knew those guys, so it is a sad, sad situation. Those guys had a promising future.
“That really motivated me to come out her and not take this game for granted. You never know when it can be taken away. I’m thankful just to go out here and play this game.”
The last time Morsell had that kind of performance was when he led Washington (D.C.) St. John’s to a 75-62 win over Baltimore (Md.) Mount St. Joseph on March 9, 2019. He had the same output with 26 points and six three-pointers in his last high school game.
“I remember that game and it was my last high school game ever, and we went out with a win,” Morsell said. “I love that group, still to this day.
“I was talking to those guys earlier before this game, so it all makes sense.”
The best FIU could do in the first half was score four straight points. The Panthers also committed 13 of their 22 turnovers in the first half, which helped the Wolfpack own a 18-4 points off turnovers advantage.
The game also proved to be the first time Providence transfer Greg Gantt has played in a college basketball game since March 10, 2021, against DePaul in the Big East Tournament. He missed last year with a sports hernia and knee surgery.
Freshman guard L.J. Thomas scored his first college points, and then kept it going with 12 for the game and two three-pointers, earning the praise of Keatts.
“He is getting better and he’ll be in the mix coming in,” Keatts said. “I like him and [sophomore] Breon [Pass] as guards coming in as guards off the bench and giving us a lift on both ends of the floor. I’m proud of L.J.”
NC State hosts Elon at 1 p.m. Saturday at PNC Arena.
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