NC State Returns To Raleigh To Host Boston College

After  sweeping  Wake Forest in the regular season over the weekend NC State returns to the triangle to host Boston College Tuesday night.

NC State comes into their game with Boston College with a record of 18-9 and 8-6 in the Atlantic Coast Conference. "according to http://gopack.com/schedule.aspx?path=mbball and is coming off a win on the road over Wake Forest on Saturday.

The NC State men's basketball team never trailed in the second half as the Pack held off Wake Forest, 90-84, Saturday evening inside Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum."according to http://gopack.com/news/2018/2/17/mens-basketball-pack-holds-off-demon-deacons-for-second-straight-road-win.aspx

With the win, NC State improved to 18-9, 8-6 in the ACC, while Wake Forest falls to 10-17, 3-12 in the ACC. "according to http://gopack.com/news/2018/2/17/mens-basketball-pack-holds-off-demon-deacons-for-second-straight-road-win.aspx

The win was NC State's first at Wake Forest since Jan. 14, 2012, snapping a five-game losing streak for the Pack at the Demon Deacons."according to http://gopack.com/news/2018/2/17/mens-basketball-pack-holds-off-demon-deacons-for-second-straight-road-win.aspx

Allerik Freeman led NC State with 24 points on 6-of-10 shooting from the field and 9-of-14 shooting from the foul line. He added a team-high eight rebounds. Omer Yurtseven added 21 points, five rebounds and a career-high tying five blocks. The sophomore had a great second half as he scored 14 of his 21 points on 6-of-9 shooting and had four of his five blocks in the final 20 minutes."according to http://gopack.com/news/2018/2/17/mens-basketball-pack-holds-off-demon-deacons-for-second-straight-road-win.aspx

With 49 blocks this season, Yurtseven now ranks 10th in the NC State record book for blocks in a single season."according to http://gopack.com/news/2018/2/17/mens-basketball-pack-holds-off-demon-deacons-for-second-straight-road-win.aspx

After two straight games without double-digit assists, Markell Johnson had 10 Saturday as he registered his fourth career double-double with 10 points and 10 assists. Its the sixth time in the last eight games the sophomore has had double-digit assists."according to http://gopack.com/news/2018/2/17/mens-basketball-pack-holds-off-demon-deacons-for-second-straight-road-win.aspx

Torin Dorn also reached double figures finishing with 14 points. "according to http://gopack.com/news/2018/2/17/mens-basketball-pack-holds-off-demon-deacons-for-second-straight-road-win.aspx

Wake Forest opened the game with a 10-4 lead after four minutes, but the Pack responded with a 7-0 run to take an 11-10 lead with 14:15 remaining in the first half. The Demon Deacons hit a three-pointer to retake the lead, but it proved to be Wake's final lead of the game as the Pack rattled off nine straight after the three-pointer – part of a 16-3 overall run – to take a 20-13 lead with 11:27 left in the opening 20 minutes. "according to http://gopack.com/news/2018/2/17/mens-basketball-pack-holds-off-demon-deacons-for-second-straight-road-win.aspx

The Pack's lead was as large as nine points in the first half before Wake Forest went on a 7-0 run to cut the deficit to two, 34-32, with 1:22 left. NC State ended the half strong though as Allerik Freeman and Sam Hunt hit back-to-back three-pointers to give the Pack a 40-34 advantage at the half. "according to http://gopack.com/news/2018/2/17/mens-basketball-pack-holds-off-demon-deacons-for-second-straight-road-win.aspx

NC State pushed the halftime advantage to double-digits at the 15:53 mark of the second half and Wake Forest never got closer than eight points until a Keyshawn Woods three with 1:58 left brought the Demon Deacons within five, 76-71. The Pack responded with a Yurtseven basket and two free throws from Allerik Freeman to push the lead back to nine. Wake Forest would cut the deficit to four points on two different occasions in the 15 seconds, but NC State hit enough free throws to never allow the deficit to be cut to one possession. "according to http://gopack.com/news/2018/2/17/mens-basketball-pack-holds-off-demon-deacons-for-second-straight-road-win.aspx

Bryant Crawford led Wake Forest with 29 points, while Doral Moore had a double-double with 23 points and 12 rebounds."according to http://gopack.com/news/2018/2/17/mens-basketball-pack-holds-off-demon-deacons-for-second-straight-road-win.aspx

After playing five of its last seven games on the road, the Pack returns home to PNC Arena to close the regular season with three of its final four contests at home. "according to http://gopack.com/news/2018/2/17/mens-basketball-pack-holds-off-demon-deacons-for-second-straight-road-win.aspx

Unlike NC State who is coming off a win their last game Boston College who has a record of 16-11 6-8 in the Atlantic Coast Conference "according to http://bceagles.com/schedule.aspx?path=mbball  is coming off a loss at home to Notre Dame on Saturday.

How It Happened
Boston College suffered its most lopsided home loss of the season, falling 84-67 to Notre Dame in front of a sellout crowd of 8,606 at Conte Forum. "according to http://bceagles.com/news/2018/2/17/mbb_ndhome_recap.aspx?path=mbball

The Fighting Irish raced out to an 11-point lead six minutes into the game and never looked back.  Notre Dame pushed its lead to as many as 20 - 39-19 with 6:06 remaining - and took a 46-30 lead into the locker room at the half.  ND shot close to 67% from the floor in the first half, paced by 26 points from Matt Farrell (9-11 FG; 8-8 3FG)."according to http://bceagles.com/news/2018/2/17/mbb_ndhome_recap.aspx?path=mbball

Notre Dame scored the first 10 points of the second half, extending its lead to 26 (56-30), before the never-quit Eagles mounted a comeback.  BC outscored the Irish, 34-17 over the next 13 minutes and got as close as nine (73-64) after a Jerome Robinson 3-pointer with 5:56 left in regulation."according to http://bceagles.com/news/2018/2/17/mbb_ndhome_recap.aspx?path=mbball

But a 16-6 Notre Dame run over the next 3:47 put the game out of reach as the Eagles fell to 13-3 at home this season."according to http://bceagles.com/news/2018/2/17/mbb_ndhome_recap.aspx?path=mbball

Inside the Box Score

• Jerome Robinson was again outstanding, scoring a team-high 29 points.  The junior connected on 11-of-15 from the floor, including 5-of-8 from beyond the arc.  He added three assists and two boards in 40 minutes.
• Nik Popovic registered his second double-double of the season, with 15 points and 11 rebounds.  Five of Popovic's 11 boards came on the offensive glass.
• Ky Bowman added 13 points, three boards, two steals, an assist and a block.
• Jordan Chatman tied his season-high with six rebounds, while dishing out three assists.  The junior guard had an uncharacteristic off shooting night, going 2-for-11 from the floor and 0-for-7 from the perimeter.
• BC shot 44.6% from the floor (25-56), including 52.0% in the second half (13-25).  The Eagles converted 10-of-12 from the foul line and 7-of-21 from 3-point land.
• Boston College scored 12 second-chance points on nine offensive boards."according to http://bceagles.com/news/2018/2/17/mbb_ndhome_recap.aspx?path=mbball

Notables

• Jerome Robinson has scored at least 24 points in nine of 14 ACC games for the Eagles.
• Robinson and Nik Popovic combined to shoot 16-for-24 from the floor - good for 66.7%.  The rest of the team  - 11-for-32 (34.4%).
• Matt Farrell's 10 3-pointers in the game was one off the ACC single-game record of 11.  It also set a new Conte Forum record for 3FG made. "according to http://bceagles.com/news/2018/2/17/mbb_ndhome_recap.aspx?path=mbball

Stat of the Game
25.9 - Jerome Robinson's scoring average in ACC play improved from 25.6 before the game to 25.9 points per game.  If this holds, it will be the highest scoring average in ACC play in close to 25 years."according to http://bceagles.com/news/2018/2/17/mbb_ndhome_recap.aspx?path=mbball

Tip-off is set for 7:00pm. The game will be televised on the Regional Sports Network. "according to http://bceagles.com/news/2018/2/17/mbb_ndhome_recap.aspx?path=mbball