Pack Falls to Miami in ACC Opener

Saturday, December 31

Coral Gables, FL

4:30 p.m.

NC State

11-3 (0-1)

Miami

11-2 (1-0)

NC State

Miami

12/31/2016 7:28:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

Dennis Smith, Jr., leads NC State with 21 points in his first ACC contest

The NC State men's basketball team lost its ACC opener to Miami, 81-63, Saturday afternoon at the Watsco Center. The Pack is now 11-3, 0-1 on the season, while the Hurricanes move to 11-2, 1-0 and extend their home winning streak to 21 games.

Dennis Smith, Jr., led the Pack with 21 points and five assists. The ACC's Preseason Rookie of the Year scored 16 of his team-leading 21 points in the second half. Abdul-Malik Abu finished the game one rebound shy of a double-double with 11 points and nine rebounds. Smith and Abu were the only Pack players to reach double figures as NC State was held to a season-low 63 points.

Miami scored the first five points of the second half to push its nine-point halftime lead to 14, one minute into the final period. The Pack dug its heels in on defense over the next six minutes, holding the Hurricanes without a field goal during that stretch, but the Pack could never put a major dent into the deficit as the closest NC State got in the second half was nine points.

The Pack started slow in the first half as NC State connected on only three of its first 18 shot attempts. Trailing by eight points, 18-10, with 12:29 left in the half, NC State went on a 14-6 run to tie the game at 24. Maverick Rowan provided NC State the spark it needed, hitting two three-pointers off-the-bench during the run. Miami closed the half by outscoring the Pack, 17-8, to take a 41-32 lead into the break.

NC State finished the game shooting 38.9 percent from the field, marking just the second time all season the Pack failed to shoot over 40 percent in a game.

Miami finished the game with 17 offensive rebounds and a 40-16 advantage in points in the paint. Ja'Quan Newton led four Miami players in double figures with 21 points.

The Pack is back in action Wednesday, January 4, when it hosts Virginia Tech in its ACC home-opener. The game will be televised on the ACC Network and will begin at 9 p.m. ET.