Here are some the thoughts from those who covered NC State Wolfpack basketball's 79-76 home win over North Carolina on Tuesday evening.
• Matt Carter, TheWolfpacker.com — Quick hits from NC State's win over Boston College
It did not seem serious at the time, and head coach Kevin Keatts said after the game that he was "not overly concerned," but the Wolfpack will still have to sweat out a MRI on Bates' left knee.
Bates would play just seven minutes before getting hurt. He was slow to get up in the corner of the court as Boston College senior guard Rich Kelly made a second-straight three-pointer on the other end of the floor to make the score 15-10 with 12:53 left in the first half.
Bates went to the tunnel to get his knee examined and then tried to walk it off behind the makeshift bench area in the end zone. After halftime, he was the last player to return to the court and wearing a wrap on his knee, but Bates made one attempt to go through the layup line and was in obvious discomfort.
Bates went straight to the tunnel after that and unsurprisingly was shortly ruled out for the remainder of the game.
The Wolfpack greatly benefited from the return of one of its key veteran players, fifth-year senior forward DJ Funderburk. After not playing since Dec. 3, Funderburk was back in the lineup Wednesday after missing nearly a month in COVID protocol.
The 6-10, 225-pounder made his presence known early with a hot start on the offensive end. Funderburk finished with a season-high 21 points, 17 of which came in the first half on 6-of-7 shooting from the field, his lone miss a three-pointer that didn’t necessarily earn Keatts’ stamp of approval.
“He had two outstanding practices,” Keatts said. “DJ is a much better player when he plays inside-out. I gave him one of those Kevin Keatts stares when he took that three in the corner. Not that I don't give those guys the freedom to take shots, but I thought we could have got a better shot.
“I thought he was tremendous. It's taken him a little bit of time. He's been out a little longer than everybody else, but I will say he worked himself to get back in shape to be able to have this type of game. We needed him. We needed him with Manny out.”
Wynston Tabbs is the junior who wouldn’t let Boston College go quietly. Shakeel Moore is the N.C. State freshman with no conscience.
Moore scored four points in the final 26 seconds to lift the Wolfpack to a 79-76 win over Boston College.
Tabbs, who scored 12 points in the second half, shot the Eagles back in the game, but Moore wouldn’t back down. His first big basket, a jumper from inside the foul line, put the Pack up one with 26 seconds left.
After an Eagles turnover, Moore dunked the ball with one second left for the final margin. He finished with 12 points, his second straight game in double figures, capping off a wild second half. Moore, the rookie guard from Greensboro, didn’t hesitate to pull the trigger.
“I put in work everyday,” Moore said. “I’m in the gym everyday. I think the confidence comes from me taking the time to work when nobody is paying attention.”
The final 26 seconds capped off a wild second half in which N.C. State (6-1, 2-0) did everything possible to hand the win to Boston College (2-6, 0-2).
DJ Funderburk thinks the NC State men's basketball team is right where it needs to be as the Wolfpack heads into 2021.
“I know I always say that, but I honestly think we’re right where we need to be,” said Funderburk, who scored a team-high 21 points in NC State’s 79-76 win against Boston College on Wednesday night at PNC Arena.
“We’re 2-0 in the conference — you couldn’t ask for anything more. We’re blessed with the games we have been able to play and we’re just gonna keep focusing on one game at a time and worry about what we need to do for that game.”
Wolfpack coach Kevin Keatts isn’t so sure about Funderburk’s statement, but the 2-0 start in the Atlantic Coast Conference is something NC State (6-1, 2-0 ACC) has only accomplished four times in two decades.
“I have no idea what the hell is talking about to be honest with you,” Keatts said with a smile.
• Joe Giglio, WRALSportsFan — NC State edges Boston College for 2-0 ACC start
NC State is finding ways to win and freshman guard Shakeel Moore is a big reason.
Moore took care of the scoring at the end of NC State's 79-76 home win over Boston College on Wednesday and senior guard Devon Daniels came up with a defensive stop.
Moore’s jumper with 26.9 seconds left from the top of the foul line gave the Wolfpack a 77-76 lead after guard Wynston Tabbs nearly willed Boston College to the road ACC win.
The Wolfpack (6-1) improved to 2-0 in the ACC for the first time under fourth-year coach Kevin Keatts and has won nine straight home games over the Eagles (2-6, 0-2).
"I like where we are, put it that way," Keatts said after the game. "We couldn't have a better record in the ACC, I should say it that way."
Hellems scored 12 in the second half, with the bulk of his work coming from the line, scoring seven of his nine attempts from the charity stripe. In total, Hellems scored 20, a near complete 180 from his defensively strong but offensively poor showing against UNC.
“Throughout the game it was a bunch of highs and lows,” Keatts said. “We got the big lead, didn’t play well in the second half coming out of halftime. We eventually lost the lead by one but found a way to win. I told these guys, ‘If you’re going to win a championship’, and I’ve been a part of a lot of them, ‘you’re going to have to win every type of game’... Proud of my guys.”
NC State will be back in action on Tuesday, Jan. 5 at 7 p.m. to face Clemson on the road in its first game of the new year, a team that had all of Tobacco Road’s numbers last season.
“I think we are right where we need to be,” Funderburk said. “I know I always say that, but I honestly think we are right where we need to be. We are 2-0 in the conference. Couldn’t ask for anything more. We are blessed with the games we have been able to play. We are just going to keep focusing on one game at a time and worry about what we need to do for that game.”
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