NC State Concludes Non -Conference Slate With Win Over Loyola Maryland
NC State closed out their non-conference schedule with a win over Loyola Maryland.
The 20th-ranked NC State men's basketball team picked up its sixth straight win as it defeated Loyola Maryland, 97-64, Friday night inside PNC Arena. With the win, the Pack ends its non-conference slate with a 12-1 record and will head into ACC competition matching its best start to a season since 2005-06. “according to https://gopack.com/news/2018/12/28/mens-basketball-wolfpack-caps-off-non-conference-slate-with-97-64-win-over-loyola-maryland.aspx
Nine of NC State's players found the scoring column, and five tallied double figures. Torin Dorn led the Pack for the sixth time this season with 17 points, and Jericole Hellems followed closely behind, tying his career high with 16 points. Braxton Beverly and C.J. Bryce each posted 13 apiece, and DJ Funderburk added 10 points. “according to https://gopack.com/news/2018/12/28/mens-basketball-wolfpack-caps-off-non-conference-slate-with-97-64-win-over-loyola-maryland.aspx
As a team, the Pack shot 62.5 percent from the field, the squad's best shooting percentage this season. The Wolfpack also dished out a season-best 23 assists, led by a career-high seven from Devon Daniels. “according to https://gopack.com/news/2018/12/28/mens-basketball-wolfpack-caps-off-non-conference-slate-with-97-64-win-over-loyola-maryland.aspx
NC State dominated the paint, outscoring the Greyhounds 58 to 26 in that category, a season-best +32 margin. “according to https://gopack.com/news/2018/12/28/mens-basketball-wolfpack-caps-off-non-conference-slate-with-97-64-win-over-loyola-maryland.aspx
Hellems scored through contact and completed the three-point play to give the Pack a 10-point lead (40-30) with 1:23 remaining in the first half. It started an 8-0 run for NC State to close out the opening half, and the Pack took a 45-30 lead into the halftime break. “according to https://gopack.com/news/2018/12/28/mens-basketball-wolfpack-caps-off-non-conference-slate-with-97-64-win-over-loyola-maryland.aspx
The Pack blocked seven shots in the first half, tying its season high in the first 20 minutes of action. NC State ended the outing with a total of 13 blocks, a tie for the second-most by a team in PNC Arena history. “according to https://gopack.com/news/2018/12/28/mens-basketball-wolfpack-caps-off-non-conference-slate-with-97-64-win-over-loyola-maryland.aspx
NC State continued to pull away in the second half, extending its lead to as many as 38 points late in the game. After shooting 63.3 percent in the first half, the Pack also shot over 60 percent (.618) in the second half, and the Greyhounds did not get closer than 13 points for the remainder of the game. “according to https://gopack.com/news/2018/12/28/mens-basketball-wolfpack-caps-off-non-conference-slate-with-97-64-win-over-loyola-maryland.aspx
Loyola Maryland's Andrew Kostecka tallied a game-high 27 points on 9-of-17 shooting to lead the Greyhounds. “according to https://gopack.com/news/2018/12/28/mens-basketball-wolfpack-caps-off-non-conference-slate-with-97-64-win-over-loyola-maryland.aspx
NC State will return to the court on Thursday when they open their Atlantic Coast Conference slate down in Miami.