LOCKER ROOM REPORT: Wolfpack Players
NC State guard Terquavion Smith and forward Ebenezer Dowuona met with the media following the Wolfpack's 88-73 road loss to No. 8 Duke Saturday afternoon.
Smith led the Wolfpack offense against the Blue Devils with 19 points while also recording two rebounds, one assist, and one block. Dowuona finished with 10 points on 5-for-11 shooting with nine rebounds, one assist, and one block.
Terquavion Smith
Was there something Duke did differently in the second half that hindered the team’s scoring?
Not really. We just weren’t hitting shots. We were putting up a lot of shots, but we just weren’t hitting them. I just feel it was us not hitting them.
What kind of challenge does playing a team like Duke present?
To me, it’s honestly not a challenge because I’m a confident person. I bring energy myself, so I like when a team is high-ranked and brings energy off the bench. I don’t think that was a problem.
What are your thoughts on your first game at Cameron Indoor Stadium?
It’s a great environment with good vibes and a lot of people. It was loud in here. It was everything I expected.
What changed in the second half that allowed you to cut the Blue Devils’ lead from 19 to nine?
We started getting downhill, and we started stacking stops on defense. When you stack stops on defense, everything else works.
How tough was it to face Duke’s size without Dowuona in the lineup?
It really wasn’t tough. That’s where the heart comes in. “Heart over height” is a motto I go by.
Ebenezer Dowuona
What makes Duke such a challenge inside?
Really, I thought it was our defense. We just relaxed a little bit defensively. We’ve just got to lock in a little bit. I felt like we slacked a little bit. That was really it.
Mark Williams had a great day getting to the boards and getting points. What makes him a great player and allows him to have great success?
He’s a good athlete. He’s got size. I just feel like what makes him a good player is his size more than anything. He had a good day.
How tough was it for you to be on the bench in the first half with foul trouble?
It was tough. I wasn’t expecting that. I came in with three putbacks, and I was expecting to bring more energy to the team, and then the two fouls came in. It is what it is. Jaylon [Gibson] came in and did his job.
Can you talk about the energy burst toward the end of the game?
It was all mentality. We’ve got to keep going regardless of whether we’re winning or losing. I felt that was where our energy came from. We were down by a lot, and we came back to cut it to nine points. Overall, it was really our defense.