NC State men’s basketball won its fourth-straight game, squashing the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets 78-66 on the road. 

Coming off of an emotional win against Miami last Saturday, many anticipated this being a potential trap game for the Wolfpack. However, NC State quickly eliminated this notion in a hard-fought victory, one that saw the red-and-white overcome several struggles. 

At the beginning of the game, NC State (15-4, 5-3 ACC) struggled to get going against a feisty Georgia Tech (8-10, 1-7 ACC) team. The Yellow Jackets opened by establishing their presence in the paint by jumping out to an early 10-point lead. The Pack didn’t have an answer for Georgia Tech’s quick start besides two early 3-pointers from sophomore guard Terquavion Smith, including a dagger from the logo. 

However, as the Yellow Jackets continued to score, the rest of the Pack started to make its presence known. Sophomore forward Ernest Ross received a perfect assist from senior forward DJ Burns and turned it into an easy dunk that kickstarted a 10-2 run. However, the Yellow Jackets warded off the Wolfpack, who continued to struggle with turnovers.

Nonetheless, the Pack continued to keep pace with Georgia Tech due to a mix of scoring from inside and outside. Because of the Yellow Jackets’ scoring success inside the paint, it was clear NC State needed to make defensive adjustments near the basket. 

The Pack finished the half strong thanks to Smith, who finished the period in double digits, showing his versatility as he scored from everywhere on the court. Smith’s efforts, along with a clutch jumper from freshman guard LJ Thomas helped NC State go to the locker room with a five-point lead. 

Entering the second half, NC State looked cold, failing to score for the first four minutes of the period. Senior guard Casey Morsell brought the Pack back to life by drilling a corner three that sparked a Wolfpack scoring spree.

This run continued as Joiner drew a pair of fouls and converted on all four trips to the line. However, just as NC State began to pull away, the team began to turn the ball over again, allowing Georgia Tech to find a way back into the game. 

The lead shrunk to as small as seven, but Smith and Joiner soon responded, with Smith nailing two 3-pointers and Joiner continuing to cash in on his trips to the charity stripe. Both also connected on clutch jumpers, erasing any doubt of an NC State win. 

Improved free-throw efficiency helped lift the Pack to victory as it shot 85% from the line, which was an impressive improvement after only shooting 60% against Miami. However, it is worth noting how the Pack seemed to struggle with turnovers, committing 15, which is more than the team average of 10.4. 

Despite this, the Pack continued to show its capabilities when Smith is clicking. He finished the night with a game-high 25 points, and Morsell proved to be a vital piece of the effort as well, finishing one rebound shy of a double-double with 12 points and nine boards. Lastly, Joiner continued to dazzle as he recorded 19 points and eight rebounds. 

NC State  leaves Atlanta with another resume-building victory as road wins have proven to be elusive in the ACC.The red-hot Wolfpack will next travel to rival UNC on Saturday, Jan. 21 to take on the Tar Heels in the Dean Smith Center. The game will be televised on ACC Network and tip is scheduled for 5 p.m.