The NC State men’s basketball team got hammered by archrival No. 14 UNC-Chapel Hill Tar Heels, 107-56, Sunday afternoon at the Dean Smith Center in Chapel Hill.
The Wolfpack’s youth showed, as it looked confused and unpoised once again on the road. UNC took a 6-0 lead in the first three minutes of the game, until sophomore guard Torin Dorn’s tip-in gave the Pack its first points of the contest. NC State looked to put up a fight as Dorn’s bucket was followed by junior forward Abdul-Malik Abu’s offensive rebound and put-back.
However, the Tar Heels went on to score 20 unanswered points and held a 26-4 advantage just a little over eight minutes into the game. UNC’s defense made the day miserable for the Wolfpack, as NC State never was able to find a rhythm offensively. Sloppy play and poor execution by the Pack amounted to a total of 26 turnovers on the game and helped UNC run out in transition.
Heels junior forward Justin Jackson had his way with the Wolfpack’s lackadaisical defense. Jackson totaled 21 points on 7-of-15 shooting and shot a blistering 6 of 11 from deep. NC State also had no answer for junior guard Joel Berry, as he tallied 19 points to go along with five assists and five rebounds.
Leading up to the game, all eyes were on star freshman guard Dennis Smith Jr. The spotlight was on the match-up between Smith and Berry. However, Smith was kept quiet for majority of the contest and early foul trouble kept the electrifying point guard on the bench for extended minutes in the first half. Smith struggled all afternoon, finishing with 11 points on just 4-of-11 shooting.
With Smith on the bench for long minutes, NC State’s offense had no spark. The Wolfpack failed to find its secondary go-to scorer, as redshirt senior guard Terry Henderson also had an uncharacteristic game. The veteran guard ended the game with only four points and missed all four of his 3-point attempts.
The only players to join Smith in double figures were Dorn and sophomore guard Maverick Rowan who scored 11 apiece, but combined to hit just 6 of 18 from the floor.
Foul trouble, turnovers and an absence of hustle all were factors as NC State found itself trailing Carolina 56-23 at the end of the first half. The Wolfpack could not take the lid off the basket, making only nine of its 30 field goal attempts in the first 20 minutes of play. In the past few games, NC State had been moving the ball effectively and finding the open man; however, the team recorded only one assist at the midway of this contest.
The Heels never eased up and continued to make the Wolfpack pay for its poor defensive effort. UNC moved the ball extremely well on the offensive end, tallying 21 assists on 39 made shots. UNC also sunk 12 3-pointers, hitting 44.4 percent of its shots from downtown.
NC State had little to no fight in it, and was absolutely embarrassed by its long-time rival. UNC went on to score 107 points, which is the most points scored by the Tar Heels in the history of the series, which dates back to 1913.
The Wolfpack team on Sunday afternoon looked nothing like the one that gave Virginia Tech a 26-point beatdown just four days ago. The group must find its composure on the road as the ACC slate does not get much easier. NC State must travel to both Duke and Louisville this month, both games against Final Four-caliber opponents.
The Pack will be back on the road Wednesday, as it takes on the Boston College Eagles in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts.
Head coach Mark Gottfried drops his head into his hand as the final minutes tick off the clock as the Wolfpack fall to UNC-CH 107-56 on Jan 8. The Wolfpack shot just 36% from the field in the game at the Dean Smith Center.
