Wolfpack Edged Out by Hokies in Nail-Biting Encounter at Cassell Coliseum
In a closely contested battle at Cassell Coliseum, the North Carolina State Wolfpack, ranked 3rd nationally, fell just short against the 13th-ranked Virginia Tech Hokies with a final score of 62-63. The Wolfpack's season record now stands at an impressive 3-1, while the Hokies improved to a solid 2-2.
The game was characterized by intense back-and-forth action and several lead changes that kept fans on the edge of their seats. The North Carolina State team started strong out of the gate with an opening quarter lead, putting up 19 points against the Hokies' 13. However, momentum shifted in the second quarter as they were held to just nine points while Virginia Tech added twelve to their tally.
After halftime, the Wolfpack came out with renewed vigor and dominated the third quarter by scoring an impressive 24 points. This surge was fueled by their aggressive play in the paint where they scored a total of twenty-two points throughout the game. Despite this effort, it was not enough to secure victory as they could only manage ten additional points in the final quarter.
North Carolina State's shooting from beyond the arc was notable as they made eight three-pointers at a thirty-five percent success rate. Their overall field goal percentage stood at forty-one percent with twenty-four successful shots out of fifty-nine attempts.
Defensively, both teams were evenly matched with each recording three blocks and three steals respectively. The Wolfpack excelled on rebounds securing forty compared to thirty-five for Virginia Tech which included twenty-seven defensive rebounds and four offensive rebounds contributing significantly to second-chance opportunities.
The assist-to-turnover ratio for North Carolina State reflected their careful ball handling; despite thirteen turnovers during play, they managed eleven assists demonstrating effective distribution among teammates.
Looking ahead for North Carolina State fans is another home game where their team will face off against Virginia Cavaliers at Reynolds Coliseum located in Raleigh on January 11th starting at 7:00 PM Eastern Time. This matchup will be available for viewing on ACC Network Extra via internet broadcast networks ensuring supporters won't miss any action from what promises to be another exciting contest.