The NC State men’s basketball team topped the Boston College Eagles 73-72 at PNC Arena Wednesday night after freshman Maverick Rowan hit a game-winning layup as time expired.
Wolfpack fans filled the stands for the final home game of the season to give a final farewell to senior Chase Cannon. Cannon, a four-year contributor to the Wolfpack, walked on to the floor greeted by friends, teammates and head coach Mark Gottfried awarded him a framed jersey during the pregame festivities
The Wolfpack (15-15, 5-12 ACC) opened game strong against Eagles (7-23, 0-17 ACC) with an epic drive down the lane by junior Cat Barber for an alley oop to sophomore Abdul-Malik Abu who converted and got the foul.
Abu scored the first 11 points of the game for the Pack, putting the team on his back. The Eagles’ conference record wasn’t indicative of their playing abilities. Boston College put up a fight consistently throughout the game, gaining the lead halfway through the first half. At one point, the Eagles’ defense shut down the Wolfpack in a five-minute scoring drought, resulting in a 13-point lead.
Barber used his lighting fast reflexes to put the Pack back in the game, scoring the last 11 points of the second half to close the gap before the break 35-34.
The Pack started the second half with an up-tempo beat and a chip on its soldier as it prepared to take the lead from the Eagles. The Pack struggled offensively to take control of the game consistently trailing anywhere between one and five points. Both sophomore Caleb Martin and Rowan made significant contributions from 3-point range combining for 26 points. The pair scored one point between them in the first half.
With a little over a minute left in the game, the Pack tied with the eagles for the fifth consecutive time in the second half, 71-71. Abu fouled freshman Jerome Robinson, the crowd goes crazy as he misses his first free throw and makes his second.
The Pack missed both of its chances to cash a winning shot but the ball went out of bounds off an Eagles’ player, giving the Wolfpack one more chance. And with less than one second left, Barber made a cut in the lane, but it was well defended by the Eagles. The lead Caleb Martin to dish the ball to Rowan under the basket for a layup to win the game.
“It was a great execution by everybody, and Mav tried to find the open and got the shot, so it was good to get that win,” Barber said.
Maverick credits his availability to him pushing off his opponent
“I pushed off a bit, but Caleb made a great pass and I finished at the end and I’m happy we pulled it off in the end,” Rowan said.
For the Pack, Barber finished the game with 24 points and six assists after playing another 40-minute game. Junior Beejay Anya set school-record for career blocks with 208.
Both Rowan and Caleb Martin shot at least 50 percent from the field scoring 13 points.
For the Eagles, Dennis Clifford led the team in scoring with 18 points while shooting 60 percent from the field.
The Wolfpack wraps up its regular season in South Bend, Indiana Saturday as it takes on the Notre Dame Fighting Irish before heading to Washington, D.C. for the ACC Tournament.
Junior guard Anthony "Cat" Barber attempts to score at the beginning of the first half of the basketball game against Boston College at PNC Arena March 2. Abdul-Malik rebounds and dunks the ball for the first two points in the first 11 seconds.
