NC State Tops Mercer To Closeout Their Six Game Homestand
For the first six games of the regular season NC State won those games by a large margin. To close out their homestand though they won by a closer margin as they topped Mercer.
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
NC State will hit the road for the first time this regular season on Tuesday when they visit Wisconsin for the ACC/ Big Ten Challenge.
Tip-off is set for 9:00pm from the Kohl Center. The game will be televised on ESPN2.