Wolfpack's Streak Halted by Hokies' Steadfast Defense at Reynolds Coliseum
In a conference game that saw the North Carolina State Wolfpack fall to the Virginia Tech Hokies, the scoreboard read 72-61 in favor of the visitors. The Wolfpack, ranked 3rd nationally, now hold a record of 1 loss while the 16th-ranked Hokies celebrate their victory with no losses on their record. Despite a valiant effort on home turf at Reynolds Coliseum in Raleigh, North Carolina State was unable to maintain their winning momentum against a determined Virginia Tech team.
The Wolfpack started strong with an impressive first quarter performance scoring 19 points but were slightly outdone by the Hokies' 21 points. As the game progressed, Virginia Tech managed to extend their lead by consistently outscoring North Carolina State in subsequent quarters. The home team's shooting accuracy was below par with only 36 percent from field goals and a mere 33 percent from beyond the arc compared to Virginia Tech's more efficient shooting percentages of 40 and 37 respectively.
North Carolina State did excel at free throws, boasting an impeccable rate of making all attempted shots from the line. However, this flawless performance was overshadowed by their inability to match up with Virginia Tech's rebounding as they were outrebounded by a significant margin; The Wolfpack secured only 31 rebounds against Virginia Tech’s dominant total of 48.
The defensive prowess displayed by both teams resulted in each tallying seven steals throughout the contest. Yet it was blocks where Virginia Tech held an edge over North Carolina State with five compared to two for the home side. This defensive strength contributed greatly to containing North Carolina State’s offensive efforts.
A critical aspect where North Carolina State struggled was in ball distribution; they recorded just four assists which paled in comparison to eighteen assists dished out by Virginia Tech players – showcasing better teamwork and fluidity on offense for the visiting team.
Looking ahead for fans of The Wolfpack is another challenging matchup as they are scheduled away against Pittsburgh Panthers at Petersen Events Center located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on February 11th at noon Eastern Time. This upcoming game will be available for viewing via ACC Network Extra online broadcast networks ensuring fans won't miss any action as North Carolina State looks forward towards redemption after this tough loss.