Johnson’s Career Night Leads NC State Past (7) Auburn

RALEIGH, NC – NC State forced 25 turnovers and hit 10 three-pointers to upset the seventh-ranked Auburn Tigers 78-71 on ‘Keatts is a Winner’ night. The first couple of thousand fans received a shirt with the statement “Kevin Keatts is a Winner” that stemmed from his introductory press conference in 2017.

To get action started off, Braxton Beverly hit a 15-foot pull up to open the game for NC State to go up 2-0.

Auburn would respond with a quick Chuma Okeke layup to tie things up at 2. Markell Johnson scored five straight points before Beverly hit back-to-back fast break three-pointers to give NC State the 13-4 advantage with 16:26 remaining in the half.

The Wolfpack would get out to a 13-2 run to extend the lead to 15-6.

NC State’s Blake Harris went up for the poster of the season and Malik Dunbar with the vicious hit in mid-air attempting the block. Short scuffle breaks out before each team separates. The play was reviewed and Dunbar was charged with a flagrant 1 foul for making contact and not going for the ball.

Bruce Pearl was also assessed with a technical foul call. After only hitting one of the four free throws, NC State would lead 16-6. Auburn would then be held scoreless for the next four minutes with six turnovers in that span. The Tigers were forced in to 25 turnovers for the game.

Wyatt Walker with the easy layup on pick and roll from Beverly 18-6.

Auburn would end their drought with a Jared Harper fast break layup to cut the Wolfpack lead to 18-8

CJ Bryce one of two free throws. Auburn’s Okeke would get a tough layup to roll in to bring the score to 19-10 with 8:29 remaining in the half.

After a Beverly three-pointer, Auburn would go on a 9-1 run, led by Malik Dunbar, to cut the game to 23-19.

DJ Funderburk would get a layup to fall before Auburn’s Jared Harper quick response on a layup to bring the score to 25-21. Funderburk’s basket was one in a few for the Wolfpack, who would go cold for the next three minutes.

Auburn took advantage of the struggling Wolfpack, going on a 16-3 run, including seven straight points to take a 26-25 lead thanks to Austin Wiley, who had five tough points, including a layup to give the Tigers the one-point lead.

Coach Keatts’ squad would return with a 7-0 run capped off by Markell Johnson to Jericole Hellems for the sneaky two-points before the buzzer to take a 35-27 advantage heading in to the midway break.

Coming out of halftime, Wiley scored five straight points for the Tigers to open the half to cut the Wolfpack lead down to three.

NC State’s Wyatt Walker got a dunk to go before the Wolfpack would go on a scoreless two-minute stretch in which the Tigers cut their deficit do to only two points.

Johnson and Devon Daniels then took over for NC State. Hitting one crazy shot after another. Coach Keatts mentioned after the game that he thought the two were seriously “playing their own game of H.O.R.S.E” during the stretch.

Both teams would go back and forth before Auburn’s J’Von McCormick would tie the game up at 47s.

Johnson hit a deep three to take a 50-47 lead. Auburn would cut it down to one on a Horace second effort layup to bring the score to 50-49. Auburn would not be that close for the remainder of the game.

Johnson three-pointer and one 54-49 after the free throw.

Daniels and Johnson would combine for 10 points as NC State would use a 10-3 run to extend their lead to 69-57 with 4:02 remaining in the game.

The Tigers would get five straight points before NC State answered back with four of their own to hold Auburn (9-2) back and complete the upset 78-71.

Johnson finished with a new career-high 27 points. Daniels and Beverly both added 15 points each.

NC State (10-1) returns to action on Saturday to host USC-Upstate at noon.