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NC State 97-66 South Carolina Upstate (Nov 4, 2024) Game Recap

NC State 97-66 South Carolina Upstate (Nov 4, 2024) Game Recap

Wolfpack Dominate Season Opener

The NC State Wolfpack kicked off their 2024-25 season with a convincing 97-66 victory over the South Carolina Upstate Spartans on Tuesday night at PNC Arena. The Wolfpack, ranked No. 14 in the preseason AP Poll, were led by a balanced scoring attack and a dominant performance on the boards.

Balanced Scoring Leads NC State

Five players scored in double figures for NC State, led by Terquavion Smith's 18 points. Jarkel Joiner added 17 points, while Casey Morsell contributed 16 points and Ebenezer Dowuona scored 15 points. Jack Clark chipped in with 10 points off the bench.

Wolfpack Control the Glass

NC State outrebounded South Carolina Upstate 45-29, including a 17-6 advantage on the offensive glass. D.J. Burns led the Wolfpack with 11 rebounds, while Dowuona and Morsell each grabbed 8 rebounds.

Strong Defensive Effort

The Wolfpack defense forced South Carolina Upstate into 16 turnovers and held the Spartans to just 37.7% shooting from the field. NC State also blocked 7 shots, led by Burns' 3 blocks.

Spartans Struggle

South Carolina Upstate was led by Demetric Horton's 14 points. Justin Bailey added 12 points, while Trae Broadnax scored 11 points. The Spartans shot just 26.9% from three-point range and were outrebounded by 16.

Conclusion

The Wolfpack's victory was a solid start to their season and a good sign of things to come. NC State showed a balanced scoring attack, dominated the boards, and played strong defense. The Wolfpack will look to build on this performance when they face No. 1 North Carolina in their next game on Friday night.