NC State basketball pulls away late for 79-63 win at Louisville (box score)

On3 imageby:Matt Carter01/12/22

TheWolfpacker

Despite at one point in the second half making 11 of 12 shots from the field, Louisville found itself down six points at 59-53 to NC State basketball, almost as much as its eight-point halftime deficit.

And there was only about seven minutes left.

Time after time, the Wolfpack answered the Cards, and it broke Louisville’s back late with a decisive 13-3 run to break open the contest and pull away for a 79-63 triumph.

The victory improved NC State basketball to 9-8 on the season and 2-4 in the ACC. Louisville dropped to 10-6 and 4-2. The two teams split their home-and-home this year. The Cards used a 9-0 run to end the contest and defeat NC State 73-68 at PNC Arena on Dec. 4.

The trio of freshman guard Terquavion Smith, senior forward Jericole Hellems and redshirt sophomore wing Dereon Seabron made sure there would be no repeat, this time in the KFC Yum! Center.

Smith made 6 of 7 shots in the second half, including 3 of 4 threes, and finished with a game-high 24 points. He made 6 of 9 attempts from beyond the arc overall.

Hellems knocked down a crucial three-pointer with 3:16 left to put the Wolfpack up 69-58 and went 5 of 7 from long range in the contest while finishing with 19 points.

Seabron added 15 points, seven rebounds and five assists.

The combination of Smith and Hellems helped NC State shoot 12 of 25 on three-pointers, and the Wolfpack made 56.1 percent of its shots overall.

Defensively, NC State basketball coach Kevin Keatts started the game in a zone against a Louisville team not known for three-point shooting, and they also forced 14 turnovers to have a 20-9 edge in points off turnovers.

The final stats are pictured above.

NC State is next scheduled to play at Duke for a 2 p.m. tipoff nationally broadcast on ABC.

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