Purdue Escapes NC State Upset Bid in OT

BROOKLYN, NY — The top-ranked Purdue Boilermakers nearly escaped their second upset of the season as the Boilermakers ran away in overtime to defeat NC State, 82-72, Sunday afternoon in the Basketball Hall of Fame Invitational played at the Barclays Center.

With the loss, the Wolfpack falls to 7-3 on the season while Purdue improves to 9-1.

Freshman guard Terquavion Smith had his third consecutive strong performance as he poured in a career-high 21 points. Smith scored 13 of his 21 in the second half.

Dereon Seabron added 18 points and team-highs in rebounds (6) and assists (4).

Cam Hayes and Jericole Hellems both scored 12 points as four players reached double figures for NC State.

The Pack jumped out to an 8-0 lead in the first three minutes of the game. Purdue fought back to cut the deficit to two at 27-25, but NC State rattled off the next four points to stem the Boilers’ momentum and went into the halftime break with a 31-27 lead.

Smith opened the second half with a four-point play to double the Pack’s lead to eight and NC State was the aggressor in the first three minutes of the second half, taking a 44-32 lead on a Smith jumper with 16:41 to play that forced a Purdue timeout.

The Boilermakers scored the next seven points to get within five, but NC State responded with a 10-2 run, capped by back-to-back three-pointers by Hellems to take a 13-point lead, 54-41, with 9:10 to go.

The Pack still led, 62-54, at the final media timeout of the game with 3:40 to play. The Pack led 64-58 with under two minutes to go when Purdue hit a three-pointer to slice the deficit in half and then got a three-point play by Trevion Williams to tie the score at 64 with 51 seconds remaining.

It was the first time the game had been tied.

Dereon Seabron drove to the basket on the next possession to put NC State back in the lead, but Purdue responded on the other end to tie it at 66. The final seconds saw turnovers by both teams as neither team could get a good look at a game-winning basket.

In overtime, Purdue hit a three-pointer on its first possession of the extra period to take its first lead of the game. Hayes responded for NC State to get within one, but the Pack wouldn’t make another field goal until under a minute to play as Purdue hit 9-of-13 free throws in overtime to pull away for a 10-point victory.

Williams led Purdue with 22 points and 12 rebounds, nine assists and four blocks. Jaden Ivey also had 22 points for the Boilers.

Purdue had a 50-34 advantage in points in the paint and the Boiler’s, which entered the game second in the NCAA in rebounding margin at +16, outrebounded the Pack by 13.

NC State returns to action Friday when it faces Richmond in the Basketball Hall of Fame Shootout in Charlotte. The game will tipoff at 6:30 p.m. and will be televised on the ACC Network.