Skip to main content
NC State

NC State basketball ends skid with win over Virginia Tech (box score)

MattCarterby: Matt Carter01/05/22TheWolfpacker
On3 image

Finally, NC State basketball finished a quality game, and in the process it snapped a five-game losing streak.

After missing opportunities in home league losses to Louisville and Florida State, a road ACC contest at Miami and a neutral court showdown with top-five Purdue, all games that NC State led with less than 10 minutes remaining, the Pack closed out a 68-63 victory over Virginia Tech.

The victory did not come without drama.

After sophomore guard Cam Hayes made a step-back jumper to put NC State up 58-50 with 7:44 remaining, Virginia Tech went on a 9-0 run to take a lead approaching four minutes remaining.

NC State would not be denied, notably on the offensive glass.

Five offensive rebounds on the Pack’s ensuing possession after Virginia Tech took its lead eventually led to sophomore center Ebenezer Dowuona making a short turnaround jumper, and the Wolfpack would not trail again.

That was the first of three second-chance baskets that the Pack scored in the final four minutes to help close out the first NC State basketball victory since defeating Bethune-Cookman in Reynolds Coliseum in Raleigh on Dec. 9.

The Wolfpack was once again led by star redshirt sophomore wing Dereon Seabron, who registered his ninth double-double of the season with 21 points and 10 rebounds. Seabron scored four straight points after Dowuona’s key bucket to pad the NC State lead over Virginia Tech.

Freshman guard Terquavion Smith (17 points and 4-of-9 shooting on three-pointers) and senior forward Jericole Hellems (15 points) joined Seabron in accounting for all but 15 of NC State’s points in the victory.

NC State improved to 8-7 on the season and is 1-3 in the ACC, while Virginia Tech falls to 8-6 and 0-3. The Hokies were playing their first game in almost two weeks thanks to a COVID-19 related pause.

The Wolfpack is scheduled to host Clemson this Saturday at PNC Arena in Raleigh for a noon tipoff that will be televised by RSN affiliates.

The final stats are pictured above.

——

• Talk about NC State basketball inside The State of Basketball

• Subscribe to our podcast on iTunes

• Subscribe to our YouTube channel

• Learn more about our print and digital publication, The Wolfpacker

• Follow us on Twitter: @TheWolfpacker

• Like us on Facebook

You may also like