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NC State learned Wednesday night both that they can play as well as any team in the ACC, and that nothing will be easy, especially against a team like Virginia. It was a heart-wrenching fight the entire length, but the group that was better most of the night – and it was definitely the State – won.
You can’t stress a quick start to Charlottesville, and NC State started this one off like a dream, choking out UVAs defensively while knocking down a high percentage offensively. The Pack led a double-digit lead for much of the first half, although UVAs fought back – of course UVAs were going to fight back.
After the Wahoos reduced the 24-10 State lead to 25-21, NC State scored the next four with some good finishes from DJ Funderburk and Manny Bates; State’s lead at the break was 29-23.
Virginia’s struggles to shoot the ball evaporated early in the second half and Jericole Hellems twice lost Sam Hauser in the corner resulting in UVA buckets.
Virginia eventually took a two-point lead with 2:30 p.m. to go, but considering how the game unfolded, it never felt like it was a dramatic turning point in the game. State scored the next eight points to regain control and would never give up the lead again.
Against good teams, it’s going to take both ends, and State got a remarkable effort in both cases. The first hot shots sustained the attack and created a margin of error, while the defense did nothing to help the UVAs as they struggled on the pitch.
The pack’s defensive effort was noticeable, with the good possessions largely outweighing the bad. Kihei Clark was rendered virtually useless by this point, and when the State realized it, it became easier to defend the Cavs, as Clark was most often trying to infiltrate the perimeter.
UVA only finished 7-25 of three, and there will always be luck in a number like that, but the state has contested a lot of those hits, and that’s important. Sam Hauser didn’t wake up until the second half; Jay Huff was just 1-6 of three.
From start to finish, the constant theme was that of NC State freshmen. Cam Hayes struck three times in a row early in the first half to establish the Pack. Shakeel Moore came off the bench and made an almost immediate impact, with several sets of highlights. It becomes the norm for him. Dereon Seabron had some good offensive plays but was instrumental in tonight’s defensive performance.
It’s a very good win, so let’s have some ice cream.
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