‘We’re ready.’ NC State basketball on an uptick, prepares to face UNC in rivalry game

N.C. State wasn’t at its best Tuesday, but managed to beat Georgia Tech.

How many times did that happen last season for the Pack in the ACC? None?

A year ago, it would take a big game from Dereon Seabron and a flurry of 3-pointers and points from Terquavion Smith to have a chance, and often that was not enough.

The Wolfpack only won four ACC games. One of those victories came at Georgia Tech, when Smith went off for 26 points, Seabron had a double-double and N.C. State got an unexpected boost off the bench from Cam Hayes, who had 14 points — and, like Seabron, no longer plays for the Pack.

But the Pack now has won four consecutive ACC games and five this season after its 78-66 win Tuesday in Atlanta. The Wolfpack (15-4 overall, 5-3 ACC) will go to Chapel Hill for Saturday’s game against North Carolina on an uptick, as one of the league’s feel-good stories, looking to be at its best against its old rival.

“This team is coming together,” NCSU coach Kevin Keatts said Tuesday. “Here’s why this team is unique in its own way, because of the accountability that we hold each other to.

“They’re coaching each other. They’re allowing each other to get on each other. But they have so much fun together.”

The Wolfpack had as many turnovers (15) as assists against the Yellow Jackets, making some sloppy passes and other bad decisions against the Georgia Tech zone. The Yellow Jackets also had 18 offensive rebounds, which Georgia Tech coach Josh Pastner said was reflection of the effort he received from his guys.

But the Pack shook off a slow start, took the lead late in the first half and never allowed Georgia Tech back in front at McCamish Pavilion, where the announced crowd of 4,242 had a distinct Wolfpack-red tint. Smith had 25 points and the Pack was 17-of-20 at the foul line as Jarkel Joiner made all nine of his free throws in finishing with 19 points.

“We’re an older group,” said Wolfpack guard Casey Morsell, a senior. “Everything we see on the road, we’ve seen before. We just know we’ve got to bring the younger guys along.

Another key factor: Georgia Tech could not make a 3-pointer.

Actually, the Yellow Jackets did make two 3’s — from Lance Terry and Kyle Sturdivant. But they missed 19 other 3-point shots, often badly, as leading scorer Miles Kelly went 0-6.

Many of the 3-pointers were open — good shots for most teams, but not Georgia Tech on Tuesday. Terry missed a 3 with five minutes left in second half that would have trimmed the Pack’s lead to three.

Smith had his share of 3-point misses — “One was 30 feet,” Pastner said — but was 4-of-11 from the arc and nailed a couple of big ones down the stretch.

“He does not hear me when I’m yelling at him,” Keatts said, smiling. “He’s one of the only guys who has figured out how to tone me out when I say, ‘Don’t take that shot,’ and then he makes it.

“We talked about driving the ball after he missed a few shots in the game, and he stepped up as you hope one of your better players will do.”

Smith, the ACC’s leading scorer, said he is looking forward to Saturday’s game at the Smith Center. He’s a Greenville native. He grew up getting a good dose of Tar Heel basketball and all things light blue.

Duke is Duke, but this is North Carolina, which beat the Wolfpack 100-80 last season in Chapel Hill. The Tar Heels led 56-31 at halftime and pushed the lead to 35 early in the second half in what was a humiliating experience for the Wolfpack.

Smith had 34 points in the game and Jericole Hellems 25, but Seabron had two points in 23 minutes. UNC rolled, hitting ten 3-pointers in the first half and 15 in the game as the Pack was helpless to stop the onslaught.

Smith picked his words carefully Tuesday in talking about Saturday’s game and the Pack’s return to the Smith Center. No bold promises but he did make a point or two.

“As I’ve said before I take that more personal because I’m from North Carolina and they never reached out to me,” Smith said Tuesday. “I was always overlooked by everybody in the state. I just take those personal, but overall as a team I think we’re ready. We’re just going to come and play hard and give them everything we’ve got.”