Gameday Live Blog/Open Thread: State vs. UNCG
GREENSBORO -- There are a lot of good memories for the NC State basketball team at Greensboro Coliseum.
This, after all, is where the Wolfpack won its first national championship, upsetting the UCLA dynasty along the way. It has also won its share of ACC tournaments here.
The memories aren't so fond, however, when it comes to today's opponent at the coliseum. The last time the Wolfpack played UNC Greensboro, in 2017 at PNC Arena, the Spartans pulled off an upset and beat State 81-7
Today's game should be a good test for coach Kevin Keatts' team and it's a study in contrasts. State is an uptempo offensive team that has scored fewer than 70 points only once this season. UNCG likes to slow things down and has only allowed one of its first 10 foes to score more than 70 points.
Something's got to give. It should be a good one ...
First half
Jericole Hellems, who suffered what Keatts described as a "low-grade concussion" in last Saturday's win at Wake Forest, is in uniform and is expected to play. But he's not in the starting lineup. Grad transfer Pat Andree is taking his place. The other starters are Devon Daniels, Markell Johnson, Braxton Beverly and Manny Bates ...
Underway here in Greensberry and First half Andree strikes early … starting in place of Hellems, he drains a 3 right off the opening tip ...
And now a second one …. genius coaching move by Keatts, huh?
And now Beverly makes it 3 for 3 on threes …. #UNCG immediately calls timeout. Spartans allow an average of just 54 points per game. #NCState already has nine in less than two minutes ...
Hellems coming into the game at the 16:26 mark of the first half. He gets a big hand from the large contingent of Wolfpack fans here … State up 11-4.
This hot start is nice, but it's not a harbinger of good things for State. Remember two years ago when these teams last met, the Wolfpack led by 14 with eight minutes left in the first half before the Spartans rallied to win the game in the second half ...
UNCG's Kobe Langley is down looking as though he injured his ankle while chasing that loose ball. Spartans are already down a man with Kaleb Hunter already sidelined with a bum ankle ...
Beverly hits another three, this one of penetration from Markell Johnson. State is 4 of 5 from distance and Wes burns his second timeout in the first 7 1/2 minutes. Very Bzdelik-like. You'd never know that the guy played and learned at the hip of Roy Williams, who NEVER uses his timeouts. 18-11 State up ...
Markell Johnson showing some ups ... steals one near midcourt and with two defenders bearing down on him from behind, dunks it with ease ... Wolfpack lead up to 22-11 ...
State has already attempted 13 threes. It's on pace to threaten its season high of 29 against Detroit Mercy. Six of those 13 attempts have gone in, but it feels like the Wolfpack is settling for too many of those perimeter jumpers.. If (when) they stop going down, it could be trouble ...
Wow ... Bates just got blocked by UNCG's James Dickey on a dunk attempt ... Spartans score at the other end in transition and all of a sudden it's a one-point game: State 38, UNCG 37 with 1:02 left in the half as Keatts takes his use-it-or-lose it timeout.
That play should serve as an eye-opener to young Manny. He's getting ready to see other big guys with talent once the ACC season starts for real in a couple of weeks. It's not going to be easy around the rim and he's going to have to be tougher and more physical from here on out ...
C.J. Bryce rims one out at the buzzer and State will go into halftime up by one after a pretty entertaining 20 minutes ...
With 38 points in the first half, State is on pace to become only the second team this season to break the 70-point mark against UNCG ...
Wolfpack 38, UNCG 37
Second half
Same five to start the second half for State ... Andree, Daniels, Johnson, Beverly and Bates ...
Dickey goes to the floor for a loose ball just 17 seconds into the second half and calls ANOTHER timeout … that's three for #UNCG … Spartans might need some of those late if this stay close ...
Isaiah Miller hits a 3 from the top of the circle and #UNCG has its first lead of the day 40-38 in the opening minute of the second half ...
Second verse, same as the first ... Andree hits back-to-back threes on his first two shots of the half ... State back to within 45-44 ...
Beverly gets poked in the eye on an inbound pass .... play is stopped for him to compose himself. No foul was called, by the way .... guess he must have gotten an eyelash in there? Must have, because apparently (sarcasm font activated) there was no contact. ....
Under 16 TV timeout: State 50, UNCG 47
UNCG is unbeaten this season when outrebounding the opposition. Spartans currently have a 21-16 edge on the glass today …
Beverly with his third 3 of the game ... State now 10 of 18 from beyond the arc ... And there's Andree's FIFTH of the day ... 11 of 19. Andree now has 15 points ...
Wolfpack is on a 20-6 run, turning a 45-41 deficit into a 61-51 lead here at the under 12 ...
The most points UNCG has allowed this season is 74 against Kansas. State has 61 with 11:35 left ...
State is 10 of its first 13 (5 of 7 3-pointers) in the second half ...
Devon Daniels gets called for a techincal for mouthing off after a steal by Markell Johnson. It was especially damaging, because State had an odd-man fastbreak going. Instead of increasing its lead, it just gave up two free throws. Four-point swing. Wolfpack still leads 65-56, though ...
Daniels scores at the rim and is fouled … Wolfpack has 71 … second team this year to get at least that many against UNCG … And there's still seven minutes left ...
Under 8 TV timeout: State 71, UNCG 63
UNCG on a 17-7 run since the four-point swing on Daniels' T ... Spartains back to within 72-71 ...
Another huge swing, this time in State's favor … UNCG had three shots at the rim to take the lead. Hellems and Bates do a great job altering the shots. Then with 1 second left on the shot clock, Bryce hits a 3 from the deep left corner to increase Wolfpack lead to 75-71 with 3:45 left ...
Uh oh … Johnson makes a great move to get to the rim and score, but he came down funny and is holding his right knee. State CAN NOT afford to lose him (check back to the Georgia Tech game for confirmation) ...
Johnson is on the bench looking like he's okay ... he gave Keatts a smile as the players went back onto the court to restart the game ...
Johnson back into the game … crisis averted. State up 77-75 with 1:32 left ...
With State clinging to a 2 point lead, Johnson misses at the rim and UNCG's Dickey rebounds ... But Bryce, hustling and playing heads up defense, steps in front of Miller and gets the steal. Time out Wolfpack ... 77-75 1:04 left ...
Both teams miss, ball out of bounds to UNCG with 13.5 seconds left ... .Maybe. They're reviewing it now ...
Isaiah Miller scores with 2.1 second left to tie the game at 77. But Markell Johnson, for the second time in three games, nails one from halfcourt. This time it's for the win …. incredible ending.
It's also the second time this season UNCG has lost on a buzzer beater from at least halfcourt ...
Wow.
Final: State 80, UNCG 77
