NC State had a game for the ages against Duke on Wednesday.
NC State came out in a defensive frenzy and used the energy for a crucial 84-60 victory over No. 16-ranked Duke. The Wolfpack improved to 12-4 overall and 2-3 in the ACC, and play at Virginia Tech on Saturday night.
The win gave NCSU a much-needed Quadrant I victory, which was needed for any hope for an NCAA Tournament berth. Duke (11-4 overall, 2-2 ACC) was ranked No. 16 in the NET, and NCSU’s best win this season had been against No. 70-ranked Butler.
“It was probably our most complete game we’ve played the entire year, especially on the defensive end,” Keatts said. “We didn’t like how we finished the Clemson game. We didn’t like the game at all. We thought we kind of got out-toughed.
“It may have been the best defensive game I’ve coached since I’ve been here for two halves.”
To that end, the Wolfpack worked at practice leading up to the Duke game, especially on the defensive end. Keatts could tell his team was locked in from the beginning, but he didn’t know if they could sustain it. For this game, they did.
“We stayed focused,” Keatts said. “We grew up as a team. We learned from our few losses that we’ve had. It was a good first half. It was fun to watch.”
The Wolfpack defense helped spark a 15-0 lead with 12:57 left, and Duke didn’t get its first basket until 7:40 into the game. Duke shot just 7 of 24 from the field in the first half, and committed 13 turnovers. That led to a stunning 16-2 advantage in points off turnovers for the Wolfpack.
Ole Miss point guard transfer Jarkel Joiner delivered the punctuation mark at the end of the first half with a corner three-pointer. He had 11 points, six assists and four rebounds in the first half.
To prove the first half wasn’t a fluke, sophomore guard Terquavion Smith made back-to-back three-pointers during a 8-0 spurt and the Wolfpack took a dominating 52-26 lead with 17:44 remaining.
The one-two punch of Joiner and Smith shook off a disappointing last performance at Clemson on Friday. The backcourt duo combined to go 7 of 32 from the field and 3 of 16 on three-pointers for 26 points in the loss.
Joiner and Smith combined for 45 points and nine three-pointers against Duke. Keatts knows he gives Joiner and Smith offensive freedom, but he wanted more from them.
“Our two guards were really good,” Keatts said. “Terquavion hit some big shots.
“Yesterday, before practice, I sat those two guys down. I said ‘We are going to be as good as you guys are. You guys can’t be average.’
“I thought they stepped up today. They will go as far as they can take us.”
What made the victory that more remarkable is that NC State did it without senior center Dusan Mahorcic and redshirt junior power forward Jack Clark. Mahorcic was expected to miss the game, but Clark suffered a “core muscle” injury at Clemson last Friday. Newly arrived freshman post player Isaiah Miranda was also in street clothes for the game.
Junior Ebenezer Dowuona got the start at center, with redshirt junior Greg Gantt at power forward. Both players haven’t even been in the rotation at times this season. Dowuona and redshirt junior center D.J. Burns combined for five blocks, with Burns getting four of them in the first half.
NC State tied Duke 38-38 on rebounding, which was an impressive achievement. Wing Casey Morsell had a team-high nine rebounds.
“With Jack out and Dusan out, those are our two leading rebounders,” Keatts said. “I thought we had to do it by committee.”
NC State returns to action Saturday night and plays at Virginia Tech, who is 11-3 overall and 1-2 in the ACC.
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