NC State Wolfpack takes momentum into ACC Tourney
ORANGE is the new red.
In successive games the NC State Wolfpack decimated orange clad opponents. First, the Clemson Tigers 66-61 and then on Saturday afternoon the Syracuse Orangemen 71-57. This is the same team mind you that lost to Wofford at Reynolds Coliseum by a point and to Wake Forest by four. None of that mattered today as the NC State Wolfpack (19-12, 10-8) prepares for the 2015 ACC tournament in Greensboro, North Carolina. The Wolfpack will face the Pittsburgh Panthers at 7:00pm in a second round game on Wednesday, March 11, 2015.
RECAP: Dominant NC State Wolfpack defeats Syracuse 71-57
On Saturday, March 7, 2015, NC State won its 5th game in 6 tries as it whipped a demoralized Jim Boeheim team still reeling from the news of severe NCAA sanctions the day before. The Orangemen (18-13, 9-9) season is now over after its self-imposed post season ban immediately took effect after the loss.
Boeheim said before the game ”I want to make sure today, as we play our last game and are together for (the) last time as (a) team, that the focus is on our players, and all they have done to make our university proud,” Boeheim said. ”This should be the focus this afternoon and nothing else.” Nice try, but it didn’t work.
Syracuse was game in the beginning, as they started strong and led 25-17 in the first half. The Wolfpack then reeled off a 9-0 run to end the half. Another run of 7-0 to begin the second half increased the NC State lead to eight points at 33-25. The Wolfpack would go on a 27-2 run and effectively put the game away with 9:59 remaining. The lead would grow to 20 points ending the Orangemen season and catapulting the Wolfpack into the ACC tournament.
Mar 7, 2015; Raleigh, NC, USA; Syracuse Orange forward Rakeem Christmas (25) looks to pass as North Carolina State Wolfpack forward BeeJay Anya (21) defends during the first half at PNC Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rob Kinnan-USA TODAY Sports
FINAL: NC State 71- Syracuse 57
Trevor Lacey- 19 points, 3 rebounds, 4 assists
Ralston Turner- 19 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists
Anthony “Cat” Barber- 10 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists
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RECAP:
PAYBACK: NC State Wolfpack beats
NC State avenged a January 68-57 loss to Clemson in Raleigh. The “Battle of the 8 and 8’s” turned out to be a hard-fought well-deserved victory for the Wolfpack. Both teams were in a 4-way tie for 7th place with Miami and Pittsburgh and needed this victory to gain momentum and inch its way toward NCAA tournament viability.
On Tuesday, March 3, 2015 North Carolina State sent the Clemson Tigers packing with a 66-61 victory at Littlejohn Coliseum for its fifth road win of the season. In what was billed as the last regular season game in Littlejohn Coliseum as we know it (due to impending renovations), the Wolfpack was able to weather an early storm fueled by the emotion of the building and Senior Day.
Mar 3, 2015; Clemson, SC, USA; Clemson Tigers center Landry Nnoko (35) drives to the basket while being defended by North Carolina State Wolfpack forward Abdul-Malik Abu (0) during the first half at Littlejohn Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Joshua S. Kelly-USA TODAY Sports
Halftime: Clemson 21 – NC State 20
Behind the hot shooting of senior Ralston Turner, the Wolfpack took their first second half lead (34-33) at the 12:30 mark after a put back by Lennard Freeman. Trevor Lacey drained a 3 pointer and Clemson would miss 11 consecutive shots. After some ugly play and turnovers on both sides, the Wolfpack would score on yet another Freeman put back. With 7:37 remaining the Wolfpack now led 42-33.
The run would continue as Turner, now in his groove, all but sealed the victory with a 3-point dagger from the corner to lead 49-33 for their largest margin of the game at 16. Clemson had gone on a 14 ½ minute drought and the Pack on a 19-1 run. The closest Clemson got was 5 points as time expired.
Good win for the Pack.
FINAL: NC State 66 – Clemson 61
Freshman Gabe DeVoe had 18 points off the bench and freshman Donte Grantham had 12 point and 6 rebounds for the Tigers.
Trevor Lacey- 10 points, 2 rebounds, 3 assists
Ralston Turner- 23 points, 8 rebounds
Anthony “Cat” Barber- 16 points, 2 assists, 3 rebounds
Lennard Freeman- 4 points, 6 rebounds, 2 blocks
Caleb Martin – 9 points, 3 rebounds
BeeJay Anya- 7 rebounds, 4 blocks
Abdul-Malik Abu- 4 points, 10 rebounds, 2 blocks