NC State men's basketball (15-7, 7-4) won its second-straight game Saturday evening as the Wolfpack knocked off ACC foe Georgia Tech (10-12, 3-8) 82-76 in PNC Arena.
The win marked the 200th of
Kevin Keatts' career as a head coach, with 128 of those coming at NC State.
The Pack was led by
DJ Horne who posted a game-high 26 points sparked by 12 points from beyond the arc, while
Jayden Taylor contributed an ACC-high 21 points.
Casey Morsell also finished in double figures with 15, while NC State's effort on both ends of the floor was aided by a team-best six assists from
Michael O'Connell, while DJ Burns collected ten rebounds.
The first half between the Wolfpack and Yellow Jackets proved to be a game of runs, with NC State leading by as many as 11 points despite entering halftime at a one-point deficit.
After the Pack and Jackets split the opening four points of the game at 2-2, NC State used an 11-2 run to jump out in front at 13-4. The fast start from the Wolfpack was met by an immediate 8-0 counter from Georgia Tech to bring the score within one point, with NC State on top at 13-12.
While the Yellow Jackets were able to work back from down nine points to just one, another Wolfpack run ensued that resulted in NC State moving ahead by double figures. A 16-6 spurt from the Pack moved NC State ahead 29-18, with six of those points coming from the free-throw line.
The Jackets closed the opening frame on an 18-6 spurt, giving Georgia Tech a 36-35 edge at halftime. The Yellow Jackets held the Wolfpack scoreless from the field for 4:57 during the run, while later opening the half on another quick 8-3 spurt to take what would be the Yellow Jackets' largest lead of the game at 44-38 with 17:47 left.
Once again, the Wolfpack countered, but Georgia Tech had no answer for the Pack's final run of the game.
After falling behind by six points, NC State moved ahead by six just 3:24 later to cap a 12-0 run . The Wolfpack's counter extended to a 24-6 run, with NC State's lead reaching as many as 14 points when a fastbreak dunk from Taylor pushed the Pack ahead 62-48.
While the Yellow Jackets were able to erase NC State's double-digit lead and bring the score within five points, nine made free throws from the Pack in the final two minutes of play iced the game to improve NC State's home record in 2023-24 to an impressive 11-2.
The Yellow Jackets were led by Miles Kelly who contributed 20 points and grabbed 10 boards.
NC State returns to action on Wednesday, Feb. 7 as the Pack will close its three-game homestand with a matchup against Pitt. Tipoff between the Wolfpack and Panthers is slated for 7 p.m., with the first of two matchups this season between the ACC foes to be televised on ESPNU.
https://gopack.com/news/2024/2/3/mens-basketball-pack-stings-yellow-jackets-82-76