Gameday Live Blog/Open Thread: State vs. Alcorn State
The NC State basketball team is back at Reynolds Coliseum for the second straight "Heritage Game," this time against Alcorn State of the Southwestern Athletic Association.
It's the Wolfpack's next-to-last tuneup before a key Thanksgiving Day matchup against Memphis, so how coach Kevin Keatts' team plays is more important than the final score or the margin of victory.
Among the top priorities tonight: Get Markell Johnson going from the perimeter. He's just 2 pf 17 from 3-point range thus far (8 of 35 total). Although he's done other things well, including leading the ACC in assists, State needs his scoring and clutch shooting to have a shot at beating top teams and enhancing its postseason resume.
The Wolfpack also needs to continue flexing its muscle insicde, with the duo of Manny Bates and D.J. Funderburk rapidly developing into one of the team's strengths.
And finally, it needs to continue playing defense with the aggressiveness and intensity it showed in the second half of Saturday's win against St. Francis.
Before we get started, here's the injury update: Graduate transfer big man Danny Dixon and JUCO wing A.J. Taylor are still in street clothes and won't play again tonight. Dixon is the one the Wolfpack will miss most, because without him, the low post rotation consistts of just two players -- limiting Keatts' ability to put both Bates and Funderburk at the same time.
FIRST HALF
State starting the usual suspects: Bates, Bryce, Beverly, Hellems and Johnson.
Beverly gets things started quickly by hitting a 3 from the right corner ... at the rate he's going, Keatts is going to have to grow some whiskers when the season is done. He's shooting nearly 50 percent from distance through four games ...
That didn't take long ... Funderburk replaces Bates less than two minutes in ...
Devon Daniels comes in and his pants nearly went down. He dropped them just a little too low while tucking in his shirt. But he's all fixed up now ...
Don't judge me, but I kind of like Alcorn's uniforms ...
State has missed its last five shots since Beverly opened the game with his 3 … which is why Keatts puts in First Half Andree, who immediately sinks a trey. Then Devon Daniels, who also just came in off the bench, follows up with a bomb from the same spot to make it 9-0 Wolfpack.
Alcorn State wants time out. ....
There goes the shutout. Alcorn finally gets on the board at the 14:39 mark. 13-3 State
Johnson hasn't attempted a perimeter shot yet, but he's taken his man to the basket and scored on two straight possessions ...
Under 12 TV timeout: State 19, Alcorn 8
Johnson misses his first 3-point attempt of the night He's 2 of 18 for the season ...
Fundeburk now having his way with the smaller Braves. He's scored three straight baskets, on a breakout dunk, a baseline jumper and then on a lob from Bryce. ... State leads 32-16 at the under 8 TV timeout
Johnson hits a pullup 3 in transition (3 for 19) ...
Andree draws a charge and Keatts responds with an exaggerated fist pump on the bench. He definitely liked that ...
Johnson still looks gunshy from beyond the arc. He just passed up an open 3 at least twice on that possession. Under 4 TV timeout: State 38, Alcorn 26
He just pulled twice on the next possession, both misses. The second an airball ... 3 for 21
Alcorn's Devon Brewer got his teammates on the bench fired up with that dunk, but he also ended up with a technical foul for hanging on the rim. I guess when you're down by 12, you take whatever victories you can get ...
Johnson ends the half with another 3-point miss. He's 1 for 5 tonight and 3 of 22 on the season. This isn't just a hiccup. It's a fullblown slump and it's close to being time to get concerned.
Halftime: State 44, Alcorn 32
SECOND HALF
Second half starts the same way as the first, with Beverly making a 3 from the corner ...
Keatts must have had a discussion with Bates about aggressiveness at halftime. He's already goa block, an offensive rebound and a bucket in the first couple minutes of the second half. ...
Johnson hits a straight on 3, then misses from the corner … 4 for 24 ...
Under 16 TV timeout ... State 55, Alcorn 36
Andree with a rare second half trey ...
Andree got shoved going to the basket, no call. Daniels then clips an Alcorn ballhandler in the backcourt and gets whistled for a foul. Keatts understandably upset as he comes out onto the court for the TV timeout ...
Under 12: State 66, Alcorn 42
First Half Andree bringing a little of his magic to the second half. He's made 2 of 3 from distance since halftime …. the second one as he's fouled. ...
Bates is starting to feel his oats. All three of his blocks and all four of his points have come in the second half. Something woke him up at the break ...
The Wolfpack has outscored the Braves 27-17 in the first 12 minutes of the second half. Under 8 TV timeout: State 71, Alcorn 49
Human victory cigars about to enter for the Wolfpack ... 56.7 seconds left. State up 85-62
Final: State 87, Alcorn 64. Wolfpack is now 4-1 and will play Little Rock on Saturday
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