Following the call for his second foul, Engin Atsur turned around and dropped his hands to his side — and received his first career technical foul.

Atsur scored a season-high 19 points to go along with eight assists in an 86-64 victory against Florida State Wednesday night at the RBC Center, but the technical foul is what left Atsur puzzled after the game.

“I don’t know what happened,” Atsur said. “That was the first technical of my life — I never disrespect anyone. Seriously, it’s my first. I don’t think I deserved it, but there is nothing you can do about it.”

Wolfpack center Cedric Simmons said he was shocked when he saw the referee give Atsur the technical.

“He said he just put his hands down. I’ve never seen Engin get upset and yell at a ref, so I know it was nothing like that,” Simmons said. “I couldn’t believe it.”

Simmons said even though the technical put Atsur in foul trouble early in the second half, he continued to play tough defense.

“He hit some big shots for us,” Simmons said. “I think that he really started to play well when he began to hustle on defense. He got a couple of steals, and he was playing really aggressive on the ball — that got him going.”

After four straight games of shooting less than 50 percent, Atsur only missed one shot, going 5-for-6 from the 3-point line, 6-for-7 from the field and 2-for-2 from the free throw line.

Cameron Bennerman said while some believe Atsur has not been shooting as well recently, he was able to knock down the big shots against the Seminoles.

“People talk about how he has been in a slump, that it might be his hair, but Engin is a good shooter,” Bennerman said. “A lot of times Engin just knocks it in whenever we need one. Shooting is confidence. It’s all about confidence.”

Atsur helped the team not only with his shooting, but through finding teammates. His eight assists were one short of tying a career high.

He gave credit to his teammates’ offensive system for his ability to find open players.

“Our system allows us to drive the ball and then kick it back outside,” Atsur said. “It helps that our big guys can shoot because they have to keep them [their big guys] inside when we drive, and then we can just kick it out to them.”

Atsur’s defensive effort helped the Pack hold the Seminoles to 42-percent shooting. He also had a team-high with three steals.

Sophomore forward Andrew Brackman said the team has plenty of people that can shoot 3-pointers, but that Atsur stands out because of the effort he gives every game.

“He comes out every game and plays as hard as he can,” Brackman said. “Some days he has good days, but what he does different is that he is always there to make the hustle plays.”

Coach Herb Sendek agreed with Brackman.

“Everybody contributed tonight in some special way,” Sendek said. “I thought Engin, like he does so many times for us, really brought some toughness. He makes tough plays. He’s not afraid to get on the floor and do the dirty things exceptionally well.”

Sendek joked about Atsur’s technical after the game.

“He’s such a hot head,” Sendek said lightheartedly. “He got a technical — but that is very uncharacteristic of him.”