North Carolina State University Athletics
Men's Basketball Corrals Mustangs, 91-63
12/30/2000 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
By Tony Haynes
RALEIGH, N.C. - There's no turning back now. In its final tune up before the start of what will certainly be a brutal ACC schedule, NC State hammered outmanned and overmatched Cal Poly on Saturday afternoon, 91-63.
Guard Anthony Grundy, who has established himself as NC State's most consistent player this season, led three double-figure scorers with 21 points. The 6-3 junior also added seven rebounds, six assists and five steals in a fabulous all around performance.
"A lot of times people think that in order to get ahead as a basketball player you have to shoot more and score more," said Wolfpack head coach Herb Sendek, "but Anthony has done it with passing. The last two games, he has 15 assists and only three turnovers. He really has a great understanding of how to play and he's making guys better on our team."
Grundy's 8-for-14 day from the field included a 5-of-8 touch from three-point range. Archie Miller (20 points), who came in shooting over 60 percent from the three-point line, did nothing to hurt his average by knocking down 4-of-7 long-range bombs. With 15 points, Damien Wilkins also reached double-figures.
NC State (8-3) put Saturday's game away fairly quickly. Miller's three-pointer from the left-hand corner at the 4:48 mark of the opening half concluded a 12-2 spurt that gave the Wolfpack a 32-14 advantage. Miller then canned two more bombs as the Pack opened a 20-point bulge at 40-20. Damon Thornton's rebound basket at the buzzer left NC State with a comfortable 43-23 halftime lead.
Thornton and Kenny Inge provided the sturdy interior defense the Wolfpack needed on Cal Poly's leading scorer, Chris Bjorklund. The 6-8 Bjorklund, who came in averaging 21 points per game, was held to only two points and two shots in the first 20 minutes.
"In our league, the Big West, our big kids can score inside, but tonight we couldn't get our shots off inside," said Mustangs coach Jeff Schneider. "NC State had everything to do with that. They're just bigger and longer and we just couldn't score over the top of them."
If there were any doubts lingering about the final outcome, the Wolfpack put them to rest by putting together a 15-2 run at the beginning of the second half. Grundy drilled a pair of threes, and Miller added yet another during the three minute blitz.
NC State's biggest lead of the day was 36 points at 75-39.
Freshman Jamaal Scott finished with 19 points for Cal Poly (5-4) while Varnie Dennis added 10. Bjorkland, who was just 5-of-12, closed with 12.
With its 19 assists as a team on Saturday, NC State now has a total of 40 over its last two games.
"We've improved a lot offensively," Grundy said. "Guys have learned that when we pass the ball, we score more. Hopefully we can continue it and carry it over into conference play."
Said Sendek: "The biggest thing for us right now is that we're playing about as unselfishly as a team can. In fact, we might have scored a few more points tonight if some guys wouldn't have passed up good shots. Of the two evils, if that's what you would like to call them, I would much rather have a team like we have, that's unselfish and looking to make the extra pass."
Overall, NC State hit 49.2 percent from the floor (31-63), including 55 percent in the second half. The Pack was also 12-of-24 from three-point land. Cal Poly was 25-of-68 for 36.8 percent.
NC State had a 45 to 35 rebounding advantage.
Next up for the Wolfpack, a meeting with eighth ranked Virginia next Saturday in Charlottesville.
"We just have to bring it to them just like they're going to bring it to us," Grundy said. "Watching them on TV, it's helter-skelter as usual. They cause a lot of chaos and cause people to turn the ball over. But we're not a slow team ourselves."
Get ready. The wars are about to begin.
