NC State men’s basketball bounced back against Boston College in an 81-70 victory, responding well after a tough loss to Syracuse earlier in the week. 

The Wolfpack (17-10, 9-7 ACC) led from start to finish, playing in full control the entire game. The red-and-white led by as many as 22 points before the Eagles (15-12, 6-10 ACC) narrowed the gap during garbage time. 

“When the GOAT is in the building, you got David Thompson in the building, you better not lose,” said head coach Kevin Keatts. “I thought our guys really responded. It was an electric opportunity for our guys.”

With this season being the 50th anniversary of NC State’s 1974 national championship, the Wolfpack honored and celebrated the historic squad throughout the game. Leading up to the game, members of the 1974 team attended one of NC State’s practices and connected with the present squad. The current team returned the favor by playing its best with the legends in the house.

“I’m so happy that we were able to honor the ‘74 team,” Keatts said. “It’s amazing, [after] fifty years you get to see the bond that those guys have. … It was a special honor for those guys to come to practice yesterday and hang out with our guys.”

Getting off to a quick start was crucial for the Wolfpack, especially defensively. After suffering a deflating loss last time out against Syracuse, the red-and-white had its back against the wall. NC State gave up 55 points in the first half against the Orange — something it was determined not to repeat. 

“Defense was a big emphasis,” said junior guard Jayden Taylor. “We weren’t proud of how we defended against Syracuse, so that gave us an edge.”

Surprisingly, the Eagles turned in a more efficient shooting performance than NC State, posting better percentages from the field and from deep. However, the Wolfpack wiped the deck in two key areas: free throws and turnovers. The Eagles committed 16 turnovers, including 11 in the first half alone. NC State capitalized with 18 points off those turnovers.

“I thought this was our best defensive effort, especially in the first half,” Keatts said. “We made an effort to defend the 3-point line, that was our game plan coming in.”

Leading the defensive charge was junior forward Mohamed Diarra, who proved to be an on-court menace. With nine rebounds, three blocks and two steals, Diarra wreaked havoc on the Eagles’ offense. As if his defensive pedigree wasn’t impressive enough, Diarra splashed a pair of 3s on the other end. 

Offensively, the Wolfpack made the most of its opportunities at the free throw line — a key offensive edge. The Pack’s offensive aggressiveness was rewarded with 24 free throw attempts. NC State made the most of its freebies, shooting at a 90.9% clip. The Eagles, on the other hand, barely had half the number of free throws. 

Hitting five of the free throws was graduate forward DJ Burns. The fan favorite led the Wolfpack in scoring with 19 points, aggressively attacking the paint. Burns set the tone early for the red-and-white, scoring eight of the team’s first 10 points. Boston College adjusted to slow down Burns, but the damage kept coming as his presence opened up the floor for shooters.

“Coach kept giving me the ball and putting me in the right positions,” Burns said. “I tried to take full advantage and I think I did a pretty good job of that today.” 

Taylor also turned in a quality performance. The Butler transfer recorded 15 points, including a pair of 3s and a crowd-pleasing dunk. Defensively, Taylor locked up on the perimeter and even blocked a shot. 

“When everyone plays well and we’re on the same page, good things happen,” Taylor said. “This is just a big confidence booster for us heading into the end of the year.” 

While the win brought a much-needed confidence boost, the Pack still has plenty of work ahead if it wants to make a run at the tournament. Playing strong two-way basketball will be critical as the red-and-white enters the final stretch. With three of the team’s four remaining games away from PNC Arena, the journey ahead will only get tougher. 

“We just come in and do what we do,” Taylor said. “… We’re not stressing about it. We keep winning and that’ll take care of everything else.”

Next up, NC State will hit the road to take on the Florida State Seminoles on Tuesday, Feb. 27. Tipoff is set for 9 p.m. and the game will be televised on ESPN2.