NC State was strong on effort, but low on offensive skill Saturday, which has become a familiar refrain of late.
The lack of offensive prowess led to shooting 1 of 12 on three-pointers and just five assists in losing 65-62 to California in front of 12,881 fans at the Lenovo Center.
The Wolfpack defense proved to be impressive in spurts. NC State held California to two field goals made in the last 5:04 of the game. The problem was that NC State made just three field goals during the same time period.
Related links — Box score: California 65, NC State 62 | Video reel: Jayden Taylor, Ben Middlebrooks after Cal loss
“The topic was just we've had too many games coming down to the wire like this,” NC State senior center Ben Middlebrooks said. “Too many small mistakes, too many 50-50 balls.
“I think controlling things that we feel like we aren't making the right plays at the right times. That's the majority of the game has come down to 2-3 points and haven't been able to figure things out.”
NC State dropped to 9-9 overall and 2-5 in the ACC, and the schedule doesn’t get easier. SMU is next in a week Jan. 25, and the Mustangs are 14-4 overall, followed by a quick turnaround to play at 16-2 Duke on Jan. 27. Clemson, which is 15-4 overall and 7-1 in the ACC, looms Feb. 1.
NC State will have a week off to figure out how to improve certain areas, and ponder the uphill climb that is on the horizon. Keatts feels his team will win if they can score 70-plus points.
“From where I sit, this stinks,” NC State coach Kevin Keatts said. “This is our fourth ACC game by one possession. We’ve actually had six of them [in the ACC]. We have to get consistent. We have to get physically and mentally tough to finish some of these games.”
Keatts has lamented all season that it’s been tough to get all his key players to play well at the same time. Senior forward Dontrez Styles went 0 of 4 for zero points and four rebounds Saturday. Additionally, senior point guard Michael O’Connell went 2 of 5 for four points and zero assists. NC State just isn’t talented enough to overcome a position or two struggling to contribute.
“As a coach, as you go into a game, you want to know you can count on certain dudes,” Keatts said. “What we are having is a lot of inconsistent play.
The frustration is that Virginia Tech has defeated just two other ACC teams thus far, Virginia’s lone league win was against NC State and California has just one other ACC victory.
“We have to clean up our mess,” Keatts said. “Our mess is our mess.”
Keatts felt the Wolfpack played well enough to win, but California made just enough plays down the stretch to pull out the victory.
California point guard Jovan Blacksher got free for a layup to make it 63-62 with 1:01 left in the game. The Wolfpack worked a play out of the timeout to get senior center Brandon Huntley-Hatfield a great look with a post-up and half hook in the lane.
“We drew up a great play and he got a nice shot off of it,” Keatts said. “It just didn’t go in. Some of this is bad luck and some of this is that we have to create some good luck.”
What NC State did next could be debated. Huntley-Hatfield missed his shot and Cal senior center Mady Sissoko grabbed the rebound with about 36 seconds remaining, and a 5.5-second differential on the shot clock.
NC State rolled the dice in trying create a turnover. NCSU senior Michael O’Connell fouled senior D.J. Campbell with 12.8 seconds left. Campbell made both free throws to extend the lead to 65-62.
NC State called a timeout and ran a play for senior guard Breon Pass, and he got a solid look from three-point range, but couldn’t make it.
“You have to go with who is playing well that day,” said Keatts on not having a go-to No. 1 scorer. “I thought we got a great look with Breon coming off the screen.”
NCSU had just two assists and one three-pointer made in trailing 31-29 at halftime against California. The two assists were reminiscent of when NC State had just one first-half assist in the loss against North Carolina on Jan. 11.
NC State shot 12 of 32 from the field and 1 of 8 from beyond the arc, with Middlebrooks leading the way with nine points.
California shot 48.1 percent from the field, but also struggled on offense. Outside of two three-pointer from freshman guard Jeremiah Wilkinson, who had eight points, the Bears struggled against NC State aggressive defense.
In particular, sophomore wing Andrej Stojakovic, who leads California in scoring at 19.5 points per game, couldn’t finish in the paint in the first 20 minutes. He went just 2 of 9 for four points in the first half.
Stojakovic was able to finish some of his drives in his second half, but finished 5 of 16 for 10 points and five boards, well below his season statistics entering the game.
The Bears shot 45.3 percent from the field, but had five players in double figures, led by Blacksher’s 14 points. Cal also out-rebounded the Wolfpack 38-31.
Keatts wasn’t pleased about allowing 12 offensive rebounds and felt his team lost some 50-50 balls.
“I was hoping to go into this week with a win,” Keatts said. “You can learn a lot of things and teach a lot of things with a win. Unfortunately, we didn’t get the win.”
Follow on Twitter:
@NCStateRivals or @JaceyZembal
Subscribe for free on YouTube:
For Jacey Zembal or The Wolfpack Central
Like on Facebook:
www.facebook.com/TheWolfpackCentral
Follow on Instagram/Threads/Blue Sky:
www.instagram.com/thewolfpackcentral
ATTENTION SUBSCRIBERS: Our NETWORK-WIDE, all-access pass allows you to read every premium message board in the Rivals.com network as part of a bundled add-on to your subscription!
Subscribers can add the All-Access Pass or a 3-Site Bundle in your account profile, under the Subscriptions tab: HERE
