Strong Second Half Effort Sends Wolfpack to Opening Night Win

Courtesy GoPack.com

RALEIGH, N.C. – The NC State men’s basketball team outscored Bucknell by 18 points in the second half to pull away for an 88-70 win on Tuesday night inside PNC Arena.

Jericole Hellems led NC State with game-high 22 points. The senior forward was 7-of-13 from the field and a perfect 5-of-5

Terquavion Smith poured in 20 points for the Pack. The 20 points are the fifth-most by a freshman in their program debut in NC State history. Smith added a game-high four steals.

Dereon Seabron posted his second career double-double with a career-best 18 points and 11 rebounds. He shot 8-of-13 from the field and six of his 11 rebounds came on the offensive end.

NC State had to play the final 39 minutes of the game without the ACC’s two-time defending shot block champion as Manny Bates exited with a shoulder injury less than a minute into the game.

Bucknell shot out of the gate to a 13-1 lead less than five minutes into the game. The Pack closed within two, 15-13, on a Hellems dunk, but the Bison responded with a 9-0 run to push the lead back to 24-13 with 10:12 to go. The Pack methodically chased down Bucknell the rest of the half, finally drawing even on a Hellems three-point play with 1:12 to go. Smith gave NC State its first lead of the night, seconds later, stealing the ball and laying it in for a 40-38 lead.

Bucknell scored a last second tip-in to knot the game at 40 at halftime.

The game was still close early in the second half, the Pack’s lead was just two, 53-51, after an Andrew Funk three-pointer with 12:29 to go, but NC State went on an 11-0 run in a quick 1:41 of game-time to take a 64-51 lead with 10:48 to play.

The Bison never got closer than nine the rest of the way as NC State’s lead was as big as 21 in the closing minutes.

Xander Rice led four Bucknell players in double figures with 14 points.

The Pack returns to action Saturday, Nov. 13 when it hosts Colgate inside PNC Arena. Tipoff is scheduled for 2 p.m. and the game will be shown on ACC Network Extra.