NC State
Miami
Keeping With Tradition, Pack Wins Thriller
1/23/2011 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Jan. 23, 2011
RALEIGH, N.C. - On a day devoted to remembering NC State's rich basketball tradition, the current Wolfpack team paid its respects with a thrilling 72-70 victory Sunday afternoon at the RBC Center.
After leading by as many as 17 points in the second half, the Wolfpack allowed Miami to take a one-point lead in the final minute, but held on for the victory, thanks to a put-back basket by Tracy Smith and a free throw by first-time starter C.J. Williams.
Durand Scott gave the Hurricanes their first lead of the second half with one minute to play on an inside jumper, but Smith grabbed it right back for the Wolfpack (12-7 overall, 2-3 ACC) when he rebounded Harrow's miss and put it back up for a 71-70 advantage.
Miami called time out with 37.1 seconds to play, but Williams stripped the ball out of Reggie Johnson's hands and grabbed the loose ball. Williams was fouled and made one of his two free throws for a 72-70 lead at the 15.9 mark.
Miami (12-7, 1-4) tried to set up for a final shot, but State's smothering defense prevented the Hurricanes from getting off a shot.
More than 100 former players, coaches and support personnel were recognized during halftime of the contest, as the accomplishments of NC State's first 100 years of basketball were relived during a highlight video on the RBC Center scoreboards.
Lowe changed his starting lineup for the third consecutive game, putting Williams in for freshman C.J. Leslie. Freshman Ryan Harrow started at the point, with sophomore Richard Howell in the post, along with regulars Scott Wood and Tracy Smith.
Howell responded by scoring a career-high 17 points and grabbing five rebounds. Smith added 16 and seven rebounds, while both Wood and freshman Lorenzo Brown both hit double figures with 11 and 10, respectively.
Miami was led by Malcolm Grant's game-high 23 and Johnson's 20.
The Wolfpack jumped out of the gates with strong defense and exceptional shooting, taking a 12-2 lead in the game's first four minutes. Grant and Adrian Thomas kept the Hurricanes in the contest with their outside shooting, combining to make four 3-pointers in the first half.
The Wolfpack owned a 37-30 lead at intermission and stretched it to 55-38 with 12:33 to play. But it couldn't extend its lead beyond 17 points.
Miami came back to tie the game at 64 with four minutes to play.
The Wolfpack returns to action Tuesday night when it travels to Clemson for a 7 p.m. contest at Littlejohn Coliseum.
• By Tim Peeler, tim_peeler@ncsu.edu.
