NC State flirted with adversity but senior guards Michael O’Connell and Casey Morsell came up big to lead the Wolfpack a 94-85 win over Louisville on Tuesday in the ACC Tournament in Washington, D.C.
Morsell had his second biggest scoring game of the season with 25 points and he made all 13 free throws to lead the way. He helped offset the explosive performance by Louisville sophomore guard Skyy Clark, who erupted for seven three-pointers and 36 points.
NC State improved to 18-14 overall and play Syracuse at 7 p.m. Wednesday on ESPN2. The Orange swept the season series this year. Louisville fell to 8-24 and it is likely the last game for second-year coach Kenny Payne.
“That was a heck of a battle until the end and we are fortunate,” NCSU coach Kevin Keatts said. “Neither team played any defense, but we happened to score 94 points. I thought guys stepped up. Jayden Taylor had a good game. He scored the ball and had eight rebounds. Michael was solid and made baskets when we needed him too.”
NC State took control in the second half and after a serious Louisville challenge, handled its business thanks to back-to-back three-pointers by Taylor, who filled in for the injured senior star guard D.J. Horne who has a hip flexor. Taylor second three-pointer pushed NCSU’s lead to 81-77 with 3:28 left in the game.
From there, O’Connell and Morsell took advantage of Louisville being in foul trouble and combined to make 11 straight free throws to put away the Cardinals. The Wolfpack went 33 of 40 at the free-throw line, while the Cardinals made all 11 attempts.
“Casey Morsell was really, really good,” Keatts said. “Maybe we should play all of our games back here at the DMV because he was really good [in his return home].”
It looked bleak for the first 10 minutes due to a variety of reasons.
Clark erupted for 15 points playing off the ball with freshman Ty-Laur Johnson starting at point guard for the eighth time this season. Clark was the No. 40 recruit and verbally committed to Kentucky in high school. He ended up signing with Illinois, but lasted a semester on the court and transferred to Louisville.
“I thought Louisville came out very, very aggressive,” Keatts said. “I thought Kenny made a really great decision, kind of starting four guards. Starting Ty-Laur gave them a tremendous advantage.”
NC State didn’t have Horne and then senior center D.J. Burns picked up back-to-back fouls within 18 seconds and he went to the bench with 13:29 left in the half.
NC State needed an offensive boost and two unlikely guard helped provide it. O’Connell came alive for 11 of his 16 points in the first half. Additionally, junior combo guard Breon Pass hit a pair of needed three-pointers.
“It could be our last game of the season,” O’Connell said. “We didn’t want to end it on this note. We had a common message of playing together and do what we do.”
Louisville’s 12-point lead started to fade and the Cardinals led 46-45 at halftime. UL shot a blistering 66.7 percent from the field thanks to Clark and junior center Brandon Huntley-Hatfield, but the Cardinals helped the Wolfpack get back into the game with nine first-half turnovers. Louisville finished with 16 turnovers, including two big ones by Clark in the final 2:03.
“We talked about it at halftime, it was a shootout,” Keatts said. “Our defense wasn’t very good. When you get a guy like Skyy Clark, who is in the tournament and playing well, you have to really defend him. I thought he had a tremendous game against us.”
NC State had two distinct games with Syracuse. The first matchup was all Orange 77-65 up in Syracuse, N.Y. Sophomore guards Judah Mitnz and J.J. Starling combined for 46 points in a 77-65 win, and the game wasn’t overly close.
Syracuse sophomore wing Chris Bell went bonkers in the first half and hit eight three-pointers and scored 26 points, but was scoreless in the second half. NC State was down 55-40 at halftime, but charged back before falling 87-83 at PNC Arena in Raleigh on Feb. 20. Horne had 32 points in the loss.
“We typically switch 1-through-4 and guard ball screens with our five,” Keatts said. “To play a team like Syracuse, and you guys have seen it, they can score from different positions. We have to be prepared to guard them.”
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