Observations From the Game: UMKC
Here is a look back at some key stats, quotes, highs, and lows from the Wolfpack's 88-69 win over UMKC.
NC State knocked off Missouri-Kansas City 88-69 Saturday att Reynolds Coliseum. The Wolfpack improves to 8-2 on the season with the victory.
It was a sellout for State’s annual trip back to the Old Barn. The 5,500 patrons saw a performance from Torin Dorn Jr. that would hope its own with some of the greats.
The Wolfpack will have another week off before returning to action against UNCG at PNC Arena in a Saturday (December 16th) contest that is slated to tip at noon.
It was an uneven performance at times for NC State but the Wolfpack, paced by four players scoring in double figures, won going away.
HIGHLIGHTS
Torin Dorn Jr. was a highlight. He was a personal highlight. His performance of late has been terrific but the rebounding from a 6-5 wing player that NC State is getting is bordering on absurd.
It is fair to ask what Dorn will do against tougher competition, but if the bigs of NC State produce it will only accentuate his skillset even more.
* Dorn led a dominant rebounding effort by NC State. The Wolfpack controlled the board to the tune of 52-35. With the Pack shooting slightly under 50 percent from the floor for the game (33-of-68 for 48.5 percent) the rebounding compensated for the 35 missed shots.
State had 18 offensive boards. No UMKC player had more than five rebounds in the game.
* Lennard Freeman (10 points , seven rebounds) got off to a hot start in the early moments and Markell Johnson (12 points, four rebounds, four steals and three assists in 36 minutes) was terrific and consistent -- along with a Vince Carter-ish “le dunk de la mort” over a poor soul that is certain to get extensive replays.
* It is important not to overlook Braxton Beverly. His 12 points and seven assists augmented Johnson’s effort well. Like Dorn, it is up to these players to prove they can do it consistently in ACC play but doing it in December is how positive habits are formed.
* Kevin Keatts wore a red jacket on the sideline in his Reynolds debut. He is embracing not only the present and the future but also NC State’s past.
LOWLIGHTS
UMKC shot 50 percent from the floor in the second half and for a significant portion of the period the Kangaroos making more than half of their shots from the field. In the waning minutes the average trailed off.
* NC State used a 22-2 run over a span of 7:27 to seize control of the game in the first half. The Wolfpack did not complete the klll however and UMKC hung around to cut the deficit from 25 to 11 in the second half.
Better opposition would have made NC State pay for its transgressions.
PACK +/-
+/- is the points scored by a team minus the points allowed by a team while a certain player is on the floor.
Allerik Freeman: +23
Braxton Beverly: +20
Markell Johnson: +17
Abdul-Malik Abu: +16
Lennard Freeman: +10
Torin Dorn Jr.: +5
Omer Yurtseven: +5
Lavar Batts Jr.: +7
Spencer Newman: +2
Sam Hunt: -8
STAT OF THE GAME
Torin Dorn Jr.: 22 points (9-14 FG), 17 rebounds (six offensive), four assists in 31 minutes
QUOTE OF THE GAME
“I was very happy with some of the guys’ effort. When you look at TD (Torin Dorn), he has played well lately. (He had) 17 rebounds (today), his career high. Markell Johnson has practiced really well this week, and when you look at it, I thought he played well on the offensive end.
“We talked about in the locker room being able to finish games. This is a group that we just put together, and we are starting to get better. I would have liked to see us play a little better in the second half, as far as doing a great job on the defensive end, but that is something we can work on.” -- NC State head coach Kevin Keatts