NC State Bounces Back With Their Win Over Wake Forest In Raleigh

After being defeated by Virginia Sunday in Charlottesville NC State bounced back  Thursday night when they hosted Wake Forest.

The NC State men's basketball team closed the game on an 11-0 run Thursday night to defeat the Demon Deacons, 72-63, inside PNC Arena. "according to http://gopack.com/news/2018/1/18/mens-basketball-wolfpack-takes-down-demon-deacons-72-63.aspx

With the win, NC State improves to 13-6, 3-3 in the ACC, while Wake Forest falls to 8-10, 1-5 in the ACC. "according to http://gopack.com/news/2018/1/18/mens-basketball-wolfpack-takes-down-demon-deacons-72-63.aspx

After Wake Forest went ahead 63-61 on a Doral Moore dunk, NC State turned up the pressure on defense, forcing the Demon Deacons into seven missed shots and four turnovers in the final 4:30 of the contest. Wake Forest had just nine turnovers in the first 35:30 of the game, but coughed it up four times in the closing minutes as NC State improved to 11-2 when it had fewer turnovers than its opponents. "according to http://gopack.com/news/2018/1/18/mens-basketball-wolfpack-takes-down-demon-deacons-72-63.aspx

The game was tied at 63 with 2:11 to play after Lavar Batts, Jr. and Torin Dorn both split a pair of free throws. Markell Johnson hit a jumper to push the Pack in front with 1:48 to play and Dorn hit a jump shot on NC State's next possession – the final field goal of the game - to give NC State a 67-63 lead. The Pack closed the game with five free throws in the final 46 seconds. "according to http://gopack.com/news/2018/1/18/mens-basketball-wolfpack-takes-down-demon-deacons-72-63.aspx

Omer Yurtseven scored a game-high 22 points for the Pack on 9-of-16 shooting. The sophomore got off to fast starts in both halves as he scored seven points in the first half before the first media timeout and opened the second half with six points before the first media timeout. "according to http://gopack.com/news/2018/1/18/mens-basketball-wolfpack-takes-down-demon-deacons-72-63.aspx

The Istanbul, Turkey native has now scored 20-plus points in back-to-back games at PNC Arena. Yurtseven also had a team-best eight rebounds. "according to http://gopack.com/news/2018/1/18/mens-basketball-wolfpack-takes-down-demon-deacons-72-63.aspx

Johnson playing in his first game at PNC Arena since Dec. 2 stuffed the stat sheet as he finished with 13 points, six rebounds, four assists, two steals and a blocked shot. "according to http://gopack.com/news/2018/1/18/mens-basketball-wolfpack-takes-down-demon-deacons-72-63.aspx

Dorn added 11 points, six rebounds and two steals, while Braxton Beverly fell one assist short of a double-double with 10 points and nine assists. "according to http://gopack.com/news/2018/1/18/mens-basketball-wolfpack-takes-down-demon-deacons-72-63.aspx

NC State turned around two categories in the second half which proved crucial in the win. After being outrebounded 18-14 in the first half, NC State outrebounded the Demon Deacons, 30-19, in the second half. Wake Forest shot 51.7 percent in the opening 20 minutes, but the Pack nearly cut that number in half in the second as the Demon Deacons shot just 27.8 percent in the final 20 minutes. "according to http://gopack.com/news/2018/1/18/mens-basketball-wolfpack-takes-down-demon-deacons-72-63.aspx

The Pack was up 26-17 11 minutes into the game, but allowed Wake Forest to go on 15-0 run to take a 32-26 lead with 4:23 left in the first half. The Demon Deacons went into the locker room with a 38-33 halftime lead. NC State opened the game four-of-eight from three-point range, but missed its final eight three-pointers of the first half which allowed Wake Forest to catch up with the Pack and take the lead into halftime."according to http://gopack.com/news/2018/1/18/mens-basketball-wolfpack-takes-down-demon-deacons-72-63.aspx

Wake Forest was led by Bryant Crawford with 18 points, while Moore finished with a double-double of 15 points and 10 rebounds. "according to http://gopack.com/news/2018/1/18/mens-basketball-wolfpack-takes-down-demon-deacons-72-63.aspx

With the win NC State improves to 13-6 while they're 3-3 in the Atlantic Coast Conference. "according to http://gopack.com/schedule.aspx?path=mbball

With the loss Wake Forest falls to 8-10 while they're 1-5 in the Atlantic Coast Conference. "according to http://www.wakeforestsports.com/sports/m-baskbl/sched/wake-m-baskbl-sched.html

NC State will return to PNC Arena Sunday when they host Miami who is ranked twenty fifth in this weeks AP Top 25 poll. "according to http://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/rankings

Tip-off is set for 12:00pm. The game will be televised on the ACC Network. "according to http://gopack.com/schedule.aspx?path=mbball