NC State basketball runs away from Wake Forest, 90-74
Both NC State basketball coach Kevin Keatts and his counterpart at Wake Forest Steve Forbes joked that a game of horse broke out in the first half. Both teams shot at a blistering pace, but as the contest settled down, the Pack was the team that proved superior in what would be a 90-74 win at PNC Arena in Raleigh.
Senior guard Jarkel Joiner had his second straight 29-point performance, this time making 12 of 20 shots from the field, including 3 of 7 three-points. Joiner made 11 of 21 shots for 29 points in Sunday’s win vs. North Carolina.
Senior post player DJ Burns Jr., who had 31 points the first time the two teams met, had 21 this time for NC State on 8-of-11 shooting from the field.
The win capped a celebratory mood for NC State basketball, fresh off an emotional rivalry win Sunday against UNC. All surviving members of the 1983 national title team were in attendance and honored at halftime, including former Pack head coach Sidney Lowe returning for the first time since his tenure ended following the 2010-11 campaign.
TheWolfpacker.com will have more from Lowe later.
With the victory, NC State basketball improved to 22-7 overall and 12-6 in the ACC. The Pack also clinched a season sweep over in-state rival Wake Forest.
The Demon Deacons fell to 17-11 and 9-8.
Wake Forest made 10 of 11 shots to start the contest, including 4 of 5 three-pointers, but only led 25-20 at that point because the Pack was 9-of-13 shooting itself.
A 10-2 NC State run coming out of the under-8 media timeout allowed the Wolfpack to open up a 39-33 lead, an advantage that was never relinquished. The shootout in the first half ended with NC State leading 52-46.
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Wake Forest turned the basketball over four times in the first 3:15 of the second half, the last of which helped set up a three-pointer from NC State sophomore guard Terquavion Smith that put the Wolfpack up 60-50 with 16:45 to go.
The Demon Deacons would finish the game with 14 turnovers, and also cooled off considerably in the second half, making 10 of 26 shots for 38.5%.
Both teams played shorthanded by the end of the game. Wake Forest sharpshooter Damari Monsanto, who made 3 of 4 threes in the first half, appeared to injure his knee on the Deacons’ final possession before halftime. Forbes confirmed that Monsanto will have a MRI Friday.
NC State fifth-year senior forward Jack Clark took a hard, long fall on his left shoulder after losing his grip on the rim following a breakaway dunk. Clark returned to the bench with his left arm in a sling, but Keatts did not have any further update on his status.
The Pack’s next game is the home finale, hosting Clemson Saturday for a noon tipoff on RSN. The Tigers defeated NC State on Dec. 30, 78-64.
