Victorious Wolfpack: Basketball and Football
FINAL: NC State 93 – Jackson State 58
Friday and Saturday was good to the Wolfpack Nation as the 2014-15 basketball season officially began and the football program won its all important 6th bowl qualifying win. Coach Mark Gottfried’s squad bested Jackson State 93-58 in front of 11,158 at PNC Arena. The much-anticipated combo debut of Alabama transfer Trevor Lacey and Anthony ”Cat” Barber lived up to– not so much high expectations, but satisfied a curiosity of how well the two would play together. With both players having strong point guard skillsets, could the two coexist on the court at same time? If Friday night was any indication…they can. Barber scored a career-high 25 points and Lacey added 22 points in the season opener for both teams. If this team is to do well this year, guard play will be essential. Veteran shooting guard Ralston Turner scored 7 points in 17 minutes of play. Old reliables from last season: Beejay Anya, Kyle Washington and Lennard Freeman scored 6, 7 and 2 points respectively. As the season rolls along it will be interesting to see how Desmond Lee will also fit into the guard rotation. The strength of this team appears to be youth, some experience and a very deep backcourt. How well they gel together will determine how far the team goes.
Up Next: Hofstra on Monday, Nov. 17 at 7 p.m. in Raleigh, NC
North Carolina State Wolfpack coach Mark Gottfried. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports
Senior Day at Carter-Finley Stadium could not have been scripted any better for several Wolfpackers playing for the final time at home. Seniors Tony Creecy, Niklas Sade and Bryan Underwood each had an afternoon to remember. Creecy began the scoring fest with a two yard run on the Wolfpack’s first possession. This day also was not without some history as Sade became the school’s all-time leading scorer surpassing NC State legend Ted Brown (1975-78). Sade now has 317 career points. Leading 21-3 at the half, wide receiver Underwood took a reverse and ran untouched 75 yards for the score.
The Wolfpack dominated Wake Forest on both sides of the ball. The defense was suffocating as they held Wake Forest to 58 rushing yards and only 219 yards of total offense; which is about what the Deacs have averaged this season.
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Quick Stats
The three-headed monster rushing attack of Creecy, Shadrach Thornton and Matt Dayes, who each had a rushing TD for the first time this season, chalked up 362 yard rushing en route to a stellar day against the longtime rivals from Winston-Salem.
Thornton finished with 110 yards rushing on 16 carries. The real star however, was Dayes who had 71 yards rushing, 47 yards receiving and 3 touchdowns.
Team leader and field general Jacoby Brissett was 8 of 19 for 83 yards passing and 1 TD, but was dynamic in spearheading the rushing attack gaining 56 yards on 6 carries.
With the win, the Pack got the 6th game monkey off its back and in the process earned coach Dave Doeren his second ACC win. The Wolfpack (6-5,2-5) will have its second bye of the season next week as it prepares to face nemesis and arch rival UNC in Chapel Hill to finish the regular season.
Nov 15, 2014; Raleigh, NC, USA; North Carolina State Wolfpack running back Matt Dayes (21) drives against the Wake Forest Demon Deacons at Carter Finley Stadium. The North Carolina State Wolfpack won 42-13. Mandatory Credit: Liz Condo-USA TODAY Sports
FINAL: NC State 42 – Wake Forest 13