DJ Burns Jr. scored 24 points as North Carolina State outlasted Georgia Tech 72-64 in Atlantic Coast Conference play in Raleigh, N.C. on Saturday to win its fourth straight game.
Burns made 11 of 21 shots from the floor and also grabbed eight rebounds for the Wolfpack (19-5, 9-4 ACC). NC State was also boosted by the play of Casey Morsell, who has 17 points, five boards and three steals. Ernest Ross added 16 points, seven boards and two blocks for the Wolfpack.
Terquavion Smith had a rough shooting day for NC State, making just 2 of 11 shots for five points, but he dished out a career-high 10 assists.
NC State’s 9-4 ACC record is the program’s best in conference play through 13 games since the 2005-06 campaign.
It’s the ninth straight loss for Georgia Tech (8-15, 1-12). The Yellow Jackets had four players score in double digits. Miles Kelly led the way with 17 points and nine rebounds, while Ja’von Franklin had 16 points, eight boards, five assists and five blocks.
Georgia Tech led early and late, but couldn’t hang on to its advantage either time. The Yellow Jackets were up by eight points with 12:06 to play in the first half, but NC State responded by outscoring
Georgia Tech 30-16 for the rest of the half, taking a six-point lead into intermission. Ross scored 12 of his points during that stretch.
NC State led by as much as nine points in the second half, but Georgia Tech held a 61-58 lead with 4:10 to play. The Wolfpack responded again, scoring the next 11 points while finishing the game on a 14-3 run to clinch the victory. Morsell and Ross each had four points in those final moments of the contest.
Key for the Wolfpack was forcing the Yellow Jackets into 17 turnovers — compared to just nine for the Wolfpack — and then flipping those cough-ups into 11 points.
–Field Level Media
