Looking to get a step closer to securing their first NCAA tournament berth in three years, the NC State Wolfpack (20-9 10-6 in ACC) won their fourth straight conference game, beating the Florida State Seminoles 92-72 in Raleigh, NC on Sunday night. The Wolfpack shot 50% from the floor, including 13 of 22 from 3-point range. Meanwhile the Seminoles (19-9 8-8 in ACC), who never led in the game, missed all 15 of its 3-point attempts.
The game started with just six total points scored in the first two minutes of the game with the Wolfpack taking a 2-0 lead after a tip in by Center Omer Yurtseven. Seminoles Guard Braian Angola got the visitors on the scoreboard with two free throws to tie the score at two. But Yurtseven added a dunk & after Guard Torin Dorn's layup, the Wolfpack Center took his game to the outside & drained a three pointer giving NC State a seven point lead.
Trailing 9-2 the Seminoles got their first basket of the game on a dunk from Forward Christ Koumadje, assisted by Angola. But the Wolfpack added their second three pointer of the game when Guard Allerik Freeman, who led all scorers with 25 points, hit a three pointer.
The two teams exchanged free throws for the next 90 seconds with both teams getting four free throws apiece. And Forward Mfioundu Kabengele added a layup to the Seminoles point total. But with just under 12 minutes left in the first half, Dorn hit on a conventional three pointer when he finished a layup & a free throw. And the Wolfpack lead was 21-10.
The Seminoles were able to chip into the 11 point lead following another dunk by Koumadje & their own old-fashioned three pointer from Guard Phil Cofer. But after the two teams went scoreless for the next minute & their lead down to six, the Wolfpack went on a 15-4 run. The run started with a long range three pointer from Guard Markell Johnson. Johnson added a second three pointer during the Wolfpack run & after a layup by Forward Abdul-Malik Abu, the score was 38-21.
That 17 point deficit for the Seminoles increased to 20 with two minutes left in the half when Dorn scooped in a layup. But because of two baskets by Koumadje, who led the Seminoles with 10 points in the first half, the Wolfpack lead was 19, 48-29 at the half.
One of the biggest reasons for the Wolfpack's 19 lead at the half was three point shooting, NC State hit on five three pointers, while Florida State missed on all eight of its shots behind the three point line in the first half. And after Johnson hit another three point with less than 30 seconds gone in the second half, the Wolfpack had a 22 point lead. But a minute later, Dorn made a layup making the score 55-31, giving the impression their first half hot shooting didn't go away at halftime.
Over the next two minutes, the Seminoles got eight points from Angola to cut their deficit to 18. And after a basket by Dorn, Florida State got a layup plus a free throw from Cofer, followed by another dunk by Koumadje getting them within 15 points. But back to back three pointers from the NC State backcourt, first from Sam Hunt then Freeman, making the score 65-44. And less than five minutes later, Hunt added his third three of the first 10 minutes of the second half, making the Wolfpack lead 25.
After that three pointer by Horn, making the score 75-50 with under 10 minutes left in the game, there were only a few things to settle including how large would the Wolfpack lead get up to & whether or not the Wolfpack would score 100 points.
Florida State will look to bounce back on the road this Wednesday night at 9 pm when they play their final road game of the year at Clemson.