It’s not often that NC State takes out a team by halftime.
The Wolfpack ended the first half with a 17-2 run over the last 4:36 and the ACC Tournament game was essentially over after the first 20 minutes Wednesday. NC State rolled to a 97-77 victory at the Greensboro (N.C.) Coliseum, advancing to play Clemson at 9:30 p.m. Thursday on ESPN.
NC State improved to 23-9 overall, and will aim to get revenge against Clemson, who swept the Wolfpack, including winning 96-71 in Raleigh on Feb. 25.
“We played like we wanted to win the game,” NCSU coach Kevin Keatts said. “So good win for us. We get to survive and advance and get to move on to our next game tomorrow.”
NC State shot a blistering 63.6 percent in the first half to build a staggering 53-26 lead against Virginia Tech. Guards Terquavion Smith and Jarkel Joiner came out on fire, and the Wolfpack got a boost from backup center Ebenezer Dowuona. The trio scored all but nine points in the first half for the Wolfpack.
Smith scored 15 of the Wolfpack’s first 28 points and finished the half with 19 points and 4 of 6 on three-pointers. Joiner then caught fire to add 14 first half points and five assists.
Smith only missed two shots and finished with 30 points and eight rebounds, and Joiner added 20 points, 10 assists and seven rebounds.
“They were tremendous,” Keatts said. “Guard play takes you a long ways, and I thought those guys were really special tonight. Jarkel and T, they complemented each other. We haven't had a game probably like this where they both were on in the same game.”
NC State proved to be a perfect storm of being red-hot from deep, and playing a finesse defensive squad that gave them space. NC State finished shooting 11 of 24 on three-pointers and 61.9 percent from the field for the game.
“I thought we shared the ball,” Keatts said. “I told these guys at halftime, I thought it was only two possessions where I thought we dribble, dribble, dribble, but I thought for the most part we shared the ball.”
To further emphasize how much it was NC State’s night, Dowuona entered the game with 38 points on the season, and he’s been held scoreless in seven of his last eight games. He broke out for a career-high 11 points, with all coming in the first half. He scored in double figures for just the third time in his college career, and he added two blocks for good measure. Dowuona filled in with center D.J. Burns picking up two first-half fouls.
“I thought EB, career high in scoring today did a good job, because he rim ran,” Keatts said. “He did a great job setting great screens. Give him credit.”
Not to be lost in the hot shooting, the Wolfpack defense also proved to be a step faster than the Hokies. VT struggled to 32 percent shooting in the first half, including 1 of 8 on three-pointers. Simply put, there wasn’t one area the Hokies did well in during the first half.
Virginia Tech needed a hot second half to finish shooting 48.1 percent from the field.
“I thought we did a really good job in the first half defending the three-point line,”Keatts said. “They were 1 for 8. I thought we played with grit. When we defend like we did tonight, we're a really good basketball team.”
The lone negative to the evening was redshirt junior power forward Greg Gantt had his right knee land awkwardly. He went to the locker room and came out during the second half on crutches. NC State had been rotating three players at power forward, leaving more responsibility to redshirt junior Jack Clark and sophomore Ernest Ross.
“I don't have anything,” Keatts said. “I don't know what his situation is. I know he had ice on his knee when I just left the locker room, but I didn't get an update from the trainer.”
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