NC State Roars Back in 2nd Half for Comeback Win

RALEIGH, N.C.- The North Carolina State Wolfpack howled back in the 2nd half to defeat the East Tennessee State Buccaneers 77-63.

Preston Edmead led the Wolfpack in scoring with 20 points and a career-high 10 assists, making this his first career double-double and career high in assists. After the game, he commented on his double-double: “I think getting in the paint, getting a lot of paint touches, you know, I’m surrounded by shooters, so once I get in the paint the defense gotta make a decision, and if they collapse I’ll kick it out, and I know I’m ultra confident in my shooters.

Paul McNeil Jr. finished with 16 points, four rebounds, and two assists, but most importantly, was 5-for-13 from the perimeter when it mattered most. Coming off the bench with a spark was Christian Hammond, who added 13 points, four rebounds, two steals, and an assist.

The Wolfpack and the Buccaneers delivered a competitive first half. NC State showed good balance on offense; luckily, they stayed within striking distance thanks to perimeter shooting led by Preston Edmead, Christian Hammond, and Paul McNeil Jr. ETSU’s ability to create turnovers, capitalize on scoring opportunities, and shoot effectively kept the Buccaneers slightly ahead heading into halftime with a 36-35 advantage.

NC State came out of halftime with a much stronger sense of urgency, turning a one-point deficit into a commanding advantage over East Tennessee State. The Wolfpack found its offensive rhythm and began taking advantage of scoring opportunities, going on a 17-2 run with 9:55 remaining in the 2nd half, while also putting heavy pressure on the Buccaneers defensively. ETSU made NC State work in the opening 20 minutes, but the Wolfpack took control after the break and pulled away down the stretch.

The Wolfpack improved their offensive execution after the half, had better control of the game’s pace, created separation for more consistent scoring, and turned up the heat on defensive pressure. Head Coach Justin Gainey had this to say following the win: “I thought we got great looks and we just didn’t knock them down, you know; what concerns me is we got to come out the gate defensively and be locked in and not allow our offense to dictate how we’re defending.” NC State’s key stats were 26 points in the paint, 25 bench points, and they turned defense into offense, scoring 24 points off turnovers.

Up next for the NC State Wolfpack will be right back here at the Lenovo Center on Tuesday, November 10th vs. Presbyterian Blue Hose at 7:00pm.