NC State
4-0
Maine
0-4
NC State Improves to 4-0 with 82-63 Win Over Maine
11/17/2018 3:15:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Raleigh, N.C. — The Wolfpack men's basketball team improved to 4-0 for the second year in a row and the 29th time in program history with a 82-63 victory over Maine on Saturday inside PNC Arena.
NC State's balanced offensive attack was on full display as three players recorded doubles figures and eight of the 10 players scored at least five points. Every player that entered the game for the Wolfpack also entered the scoring column. Torin Dorn led the team with 15 points, while C.J. Bryce and Markell Johnson followed close behind with 14 points and 13 points respectively.
Sharing the ball throughout the game, the team assisted on 21 of its 30 field goals. Johnson recorded a team-leading five assists as six players had at least two assists.
NC State snagged 11 steals on the day, including a career-high four steals for Dorn. It's the third time in four games this season NC State has had double-digit steals.
The Black Bears finished with 18 turnovers and 17 assists as the Pack has now forced all four opponents this season into more turnovers than assists.
The Wolfpack got off to a quick start in the opening minutes, posting the first 15 points of the game to put Maine in a hole it could never climb out of.
Johnson and Bryce rattled off back-to-back three-pointers on NC State's first two possessions and Wyatt Walker added a lay-up on the Pack's third possession and started the fourth with a steal as NC State raced out to a 10-0 lead barely two minutes into the game and forced a Maine timeout.
Jericole Hellems provided a spark off the bench for the Pack, connecting on three consecutive field goals to stretch the Pack's lead to 20 in the first half, 37-17.
Johnson went 3-for-3 from long range in the first half, including a four-point play, to lead the Pack with 10 points in the first half.
NC State shot 52.9 percent from the field in the opening 20 minutes, including 53.3 percent (8-for-15) from long range, to take a 48-24 lead into halftime.
The Black Bears would never get closer than 19 points in the second half as the Pack cruised to victory.
UP NEXT
NC State will look to improve to 5-0 against Saint Peter's at PNC Arena on Tuesday, November 20 at 7 p.m.
