In the first game of the inaugural Vegas Showdown, NC State men’s basketball defeated Vanderbilt 84-78. This game marked the seventh meeting between these two teams and the Wolfpack took a 4-3 series lead with the win.
The Pack (4-0) benefitted from its depth, with four players scoring in double digits, and made life tough for the Commodores (3-2) on the offensive end, forcing them into 19 turnovers. Freshman guard Dennis Parker Jr. turned in the Pack’s best performance, finishing with 18 points, nine rebounds and two blocks.
NC State came out of the gates slowly, not taking its first lead until halfway through the first half. The slow start was largely due to graduate forward DJ Burns missing his first four shots from the field, but Parker picked up the slack.
As soon as Parker entered the game for the Wolfpack, the energy shifted — the freshman scored seven of the Pack’s first nine points of the game. His defensive intensity spread throughout the entire team, and he got easy buckets in transition from the turnovers NC State created.
With the Wolfpack offense settling in midway through the first, Burns finally found his offensive rhythm, finishing the half with nine points. However, it wasn’t just his scoring that helped the Pack take a halftime lead — it was his passing and rebounding. The graduate had six rebounds and two assists at the half.
Burns’ passing opened up easy looks for everyone else, keeping the ball moving all over the court, with NC State recording 10 assists in the first frame. The ball movement led to wide-open shots and the Pack took advantage, draining five of its nine shots from three.
NC State headed to the locker room with a 43-33 lead, but the Commodores came ready to play to start the second, going on an 8-0 run to cut the deficit to two. The Pack immediately responded, going on a 17-2 run engineered by junior guard Jayden Taylor.
Only scoring two points in the first half must’ve lit a fire under Taylor, because he scored 16 of his 18 points in the second frame. Taylor worked hard on defense, as usual, and let that side of the ball fuel his offense.
The Butler transfer caused turnovers and forced bad shots then ran in transition where his teammates found him, rewarding him for his hard play on defense. Taylor was aggressive in attacking the rim, attempting seven free throws in the second half. His defensive effort was matched by Parker’s, who rolled over his stellar first half to the second.
Parker played with even more energy in the final 20 minutes, recording two blocks and snatching five of his nine rebounds. Parker was great with his shot selection all night long, shooting 70% from the field including two for three on 3-pointers.
Although Burns had his worst shooting performance of the early season, shooting 6-18 from the field, he made his presence felt elsewhere. The big man operated the offense out of the post and continually found his open teammates, notching four assists. He was also a pest defensively, contributing three steals to NC State’s total of 12.
With the win, the Pack is set to play in the championship game of the Vegas Showdown against BYU. Tip-off is set for 10 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 24.
