NC State Hits The Road For The First Time This Season As They Visit Wisconsin For The ACC/ Big Ten Challenge
After beginning the regular season at home with a six game homestand NC State will hit the road for the first time this season when they visit Wisconsin for the ACC/ Big Ten Challenge on Tuesday night.
NC State who is a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference comes into the game with a record of 6-0 while Wisconsin who is a member of the Big Ten comes into the game with a record of 5-1.
As for NC State’s previous game, they topped Mercer on Saturday to closeout their homestand.
Three members of the NC State men's basketball team scored in double figures to lead the Wolfpack past visiting Mercer, 78-74, Saturday evening inside PNC Arena. “according to https://gopack.com/news/2018/11/24/mens-basketball-bryce-hits-1-000-career-point-mark-as-pack-defeats-bears.aspx?path=mbball
Torin Dorn led the Pack (6-0) in scoring for the fifth time in six games, tallying 19 on the evening. CJ Bryce netted his 1000th career point on the way to posting 17, and Markell Johnson added 16 points of his own to help lead the Wolfpack past the Bears. “according to https://gopack.com/news/2018/11/24/mens-basketball-bryce-hits-1-000-career-point-mark-as-pack-defeats-bears.aspx?path=mbball
NC State's 6-0 record marks its best start to a season since it opened the 2014-15 campaign with six wins in a row. “according to https://gopack.com/news/2018/11/24/mens-basketball-bryce-hits-1-000-career-point-mark-as-pack-defeats-bears.aspx?path=mbball
The Pack maintained its signature defensive pressure as it forced the Bears into as many turnovers as made field goals. “according to https://gopack.com/news/2018/11/24/mens-basketball-bryce-hits-1-000-career-point-mark-as-pack-defeats-bears.aspx?path=mbball
Mercer opened the game hot, knocking down its first four attempts of the game on its way to hitting eight of its first 10 field goal attempts to build an early 21-14 lead, its biggest of the night. The seven-point margin is the largest deficit NC State has faced this season. “according to https://gopack.com/news/2018/11/24/mens-basketball-bryce-hits-1-000-career-point-mark-as-pack-defeats-bears.aspx?path=mbball
NC State responded with a 12-2 run during which Mercer went without a field goal for four and a half minutes. “according to https://gopack.com/news/2018/11/24/mens-basketball-bryce-hits-1-000-career-point-mark-as-pack-defeats-bears.aspx?path=mbball
A pair of free throws by DJ Funderburk put NC State up 32-30 late in the opening half, and the Bears would not lead again for the remainder of the outing. The Pack went into halftime with a 37-32 advantage. “according to https://gopack.com/news/2018/11/24/mens-basketball-bryce-hits-1-000-career-point-mark-as-pack-defeats-bears.aspx?path=mbball
The Pack brought its strong play to close the first half to the start of the final 20 minutes as the Pack rattled off a quick nine points to open a double-digit lead, ultimately extending its lead to as large as 21 points, 56-35, with 13:07 to go. “according to https://gopack.com/news/2018/11/24/mens-basketball-bryce-hits-1-000-career-point-mark-as-pack-defeats-bears.aspx?path=mbball
NC State held Mercer to just three points in the first 7:59 of the second half, part of a run that saw the Pack outscore the Bears 42-14 over a 20 minute stretch of the game. “according to https://gopack.com/news/2018/11/24/mens-basketball-bryce-hits-1-000-career-point-mark-as-pack-defeats-bears.aspx?path=mbball
Mercer was not done though as the Pack committed 16 fouls in the second half and the Bears responded by hitting 18 of 23 free throw attempts in the final period to slowly whittle away the Pack's lead. “according to https://gopack.com/news/2018/11/24/mens-basketball-bryce-hits-1-000-career-point-mark-as-pack-defeats-bears.aspx?path=mbball
Mercer's Djordje Dimitrijevic scored a game-high 25 points including a perfect 11-for-11 from the foul line. He scored 19 of his 25 in the second half as he scored the Bears final six points on drives to the basket. “according to https://gopack.com/news/2018/11/24/mens-basketball-bryce-hits-1-000-career-point-mark-as-pack-defeats-bears.aspx?path=mbball
Dimitrijevic's final lay-up with seven seconds left cut the Pack's lead to two, but graduate transfer Eric Lockett sealed the win by calmly knocking down two free throws. “according to https://gopack.com/news/2018/11/24/mens-basketball-bryce-hits-1-000-career-point-mark-as-pack-defeats-bears.aspx?path=mbball
Mercer finished the game 25-of-34 from the free throw line, while the Pack was just 16-of-29. “according to https://gopack.com/news/2018/11/24/mens-basketball-bryce-hits-1-000-career-point-mark-as-pack-defeats-bears.aspx?path=mbball
Unlike NC State who won their previous game Wisconsin meanwhile lost to Virginia in the Battle 4 Atlantis Title Game who like NC State is a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference.
Ethan Happ scored 22 points and added 15 points but it wasn't enough as the No. 25 Wisconsin men's basketball team fell to No. 4 Virginia, 53-46, on Friday in the Battle 4 Atlantis championship game. “according to https://uwbadgers.com/news/2018/11/23/mens-basketball-no-25-badgers-drop-battle-4-atlantis-title-game-to-virginia.aspx
Happ also added 6 assists, marking the 5th time this year he has put up a performance with 10+ points, 10+ rebounds and +5 assists. Happ also matched a season high with 4 blocks. “according to https://uwbadgers.com/news/2018/11/23/mens-basketball-no-25-badgers-drop-battle-4-atlantis-title-game-to-virginia.aspx
The preseason All-American moved into a tie for 4th in school history in career blocks with Brad Sellers with 120 swats. Happ needs 34 blocks to pass Frank Kaminsky for the school record. “according to https://uwbadgers.com/news/2018/11/23/mens-basketball-no-25-badgers-drop-battle-4-atlantis-title-game-to-virginia.aspx
After a forgettable first half, Wisconsin (5-1) shot 52 percent after halftime to cut into the deficit. The Badgers got as close as five four separate times in the second half, but could never overtake the Cavaliers (6-0). “according to https://uwbadgers.com/news/2018/11/23/mens-basketball-no-25-badgers-drop-battle-4-atlantis-title-game-to-virginia.aspx
For the third-straight game in the Bahamas, the Badgers outscored its opponent in the second half as UW outscored Virginia 28-20. UW ended the game making 5 of its final 7 shots. “according to https://uwbadgers.com/news/2018/11/23/mens-basketball-no-25-badgers-drop-battle-4-atlantis-title-game-to-virginia.aspx
Tip-off is set for 9:00pm from Kohl Center. The game will be televised on ESPN2.