RALEIGH – The NC State men’s basketball team improved to 3-0 on the season with a dominating 107-74 victory Tuesday evening in PNC Arena.
The Pack had five players score in double figures, led by Jarkel Joiner and Casey Morsell who both scored 26 points. The duo combined to shoot 19-of-28 from the field, including 12-of-15 from three-point range.
For Morsell, the 26 points is a career-high besting his previous high of 22 set last season against Colgate. The Washington, D.C., native shot 10-of-13 from the field, including 6-of-7 from long range. Morsell’s previous career-best was three three-pointers in a game, which he had done five times before.
It was the 24th career 20+-point performance for Joiner as he scored 21 of his 26 points in the first half, highlighted by a buzzer beating three to give the Pack a 57-32 lead at the break.
Despite FIU scoring the first basket of the game, the Wolfpack quickly took control of the game, a dunk by Jack Clark and a layup by Dasuan Mahorcic gave NC State a 4-2 lead and the Pack would never trail again.
NC State led 8-6 when the Pack blitzed FIU with a 19-2 run to take a 27-8 lead. Joiner made three consecutive three-pointers during the 19-2 run to help NC State break the game open.
FIU closed within 13, but a 10-2 sprint built the Pack’s lead up to 21 points and the Panthers would never get closer than 19 the rest of the way.
The Pack forced 13 turnovers in the first half, the most by the Panthers in a single half this season. The Wolfpack capitalized on the errors by FIU, recording 18 points off of turnovers.
NC State finished the game with 17 steals which is the second-most by an NC State team during the Kevin Keatts era.
Sophomore guard Terquavion Smith had six of the 17 steals, a career-high for the Greenville, N.C., native and the most by an NC State player under Keatts.
Smith added 15 points and also tied his career-high with six assists.
Freshman guard LJ Thomas saw the most significant action of his young career and scored 12 points on 5-of-7 shooting.
Dusan Mahorcic scored 12 points and had a team-high seven rebounds.
The Elon Phoenix will travel to PNC Arena to take on the Wolfpack on Saturday Nov. 19. Tipoff is slated for 1:00 pm on ACC Network Extra.
