Freshman forward T.J. Warren set season and career highs in points and rebounds, playing an essential part in N.C. State’s eighth conference win against Florida State Tuesday night at PNC Arena.
Warren scored 31 points and grabbed 13 rebounds, his first double-double of the year and his collegiate career. It was Warren’s fifth start of the season and the fifth time he has scored 20 or more points on the year.
His previous career highs were 22 points and eight rebounds, both against Penn State in the Puerto Rico Tip-Off Nov. 15. He has now scored in double figures 16 times in 25 games.
“My teammates did a good job finding me on the offensive end and everything just fell into place,” Warren said.
His 31 points are the first time a freshman has scored 30 or more points since Brandon Costner scored 30 against Duke on March 8, 2007. Former player J.J. Hickson scored 31 as a freshman against William & Mary University on Nov. 15, 2007 and ranks 14th most in Atlantic Coast Conference history.
“We all know [Warren] can score the ball,” senior forward Scott Wood said. “He’s a real good player for us. He stepped up when we needed him and we know he’s capable of that.”
His contributions, along with double-digit performances by Wood and junior forward Calvin Leslie, guided the team to an 84-66 win against the Seminoles.
Leslie recorded his eighth double-double of the season with 19 points and 10 rebounds. Wood went 3-for-5 from three-point land taking on 13 points. The team now leads the ACC in double-doubles with 29 on the season.
Wood is now ninth in program history with 302 three-point baskets and extended his ACC lead in three pointers among active players. He now needs 19 to tie N.C. State’s all-time leading scorer, Rodney Monroe for most in program history.
The Pack jumped out early, grabbing a quick lead and didn’t look back as Florida State never led in the ballgame.
State’s ability to dominate the Seminoles on the boards, 45 rebounds to 21, gave the team an upper hand in second chance points, 26-6, easily the deciding factor in the game.
“I think that was one of our better complete games where we rebounded the ball really well,” head coach Mark Gottfried said. “I thought we adjusted to some things defensively throughout the game and defended pretty well.”
The team tallied 24 defensive and 21 offensive rebounds.
State seamlessly scored at will under the basket, which can be credited back to the team’s stellar rebounding performance, outscoring the Seminoles 42-30 in the paint.
After losing three straight conference games to Virginia, Miami and Duke, the Pack is currently on a three game winning streak, claiming victories against Clemson, Virginia Tech and Florida State.
“I do think there’s some momentum gained,” Gottfried said. “You always want your team to be playing its best basketball in February and March. Hopefully we can continue to improve and play well.”
“We needed a game like this, we needed to play well,” Gottfried said. “I feel good about how we played so it was an important game for us tonight.”
The Pack (19-7, 8-5 ACC) will be back in action on Saturday as it takes on bitter rival UNC-Chapel Hill (17-8, 7-5 ACC) on the road. Tip-off is scheduled for 4 p.m.
