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BASKETBALL

NC State To Host Maine On Saturday

NC State who is a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference will play their fourth straight regular season game at home on Saturday when they host Maine who is a member of the America East Conference on Saturday afternoon.

NC State comes into the game with a record of 3-0 while Maine comes into the game with a record of 0-3.

As for NC State’s previous game, they beat UNC Asheville to win their third straight game.

The Wolfpack offense hit the century mark for the second time this young season, and the defense held UNC Asheville to 33.3 percent shooting and forced 24 turnovers in a 100-49 win inside PNC Arena on Tuesday night. “according to https://gopack.com/news/2018/11/13/mens-basketball-pack-efficient-on-both-ends-of-floor-in-100-49-win-over-unc-asheville.aspx?path=mbball
 
All 10 Wolfpack players that saw time on the court found the scoring column, with five tallying double figures, led by Devon Daniels (20), Torin Dorn (13) and C.J. Bryce (13). “according to https://gopack.com/news/2018/11/13/mens-basketball-pack-efficient-on-both-ends-of-floor-in-100-49-win-over-unc-asheville.aspx?path=mbball
 
The Pack (3-0) shot 53.6 percent (37-69) from the field and had an assist on 22 of its 37 made fields goals. “according to https://gopack.com/news/2018/11/13/mens-basketball-pack-efficient-on-both-ends-of-floor-in-100-49-win-over-unc-asheville.aspx?path=mbball
 
The Wolfpack held a 22-point lead at the half (44-22) and proceeded to shoot 64.7 percent (22-34) in the second half on the way to posting 56 points. “according to https://gopack.com/news/2018/11/13/mens-basketball-pack-efficient-on-both-ends-of-floor-in-100-49-win-over-unc-asheville.aspx?path=mbball
 
NC State improves to 3-0 for the third straight season, its second straight year winning its first three games under head coach Kevin Keatts. The Pack has held each of its first three opponents to under 55 points this season, the best such streak to open the season since 1997-98. “according to https://gopack.com/news/2018/11/13/mens-basketball-pack-efficient-on-both-ends-of-floor-in-100-49-win-over-unc-asheville.aspx?path=mbball
 
On the offensive end, the Pack has scored at least 90 points in three straight games for the first time since 1995-96. “according to https://gopack.com/news/2018/11/13/mens-basketball-pack-efficient-on-both-ends-of-floor-in-100-49-win-over-unc-asheville.aspx?path=mbball
 
NC State opened the game on a 7-0 run and never gave up the lead. UNC Asheville was held scoreless through its first six possessions (five missed field goals, one turnover) and did not score until after the first media timeout at 15:38. “according to https://gopack.com/news/2018/11/13/mens-basketball-pack-efficient-on-both-ends-of-floor-in-100-49-win-over-unc-asheville.aspx?path=mbball
 
Just under 12 minutes into the game, NC State extended its lead to 24-4, with the Bulldogs opening the game just 2-of-15 from the field and committing seven turnovers. “according to https://gopack.com/news/2018/11/13/mens-basketball-pack-efficient-on-both-ends-of-floor-in-100-49-win-over-unc-asheville.aspx?path=mbball
 
The Bulldogs went on a mini 9-2 run and held the Pack scoreless for almost four minutes to get within 32-19 with 2:34 left in the first half, but the Pack ended the half on an 8-0 run in the final 1:14 to go up 22 points (its largest lead of the first half) at the break at 44-22. “according to https://gopack.com/news/2018/11/13/mens-basketball-pack-efficient-on-both-ends-of-floor-in-100-49-win-over-unc-asheville.aspx?path=mbball
 
The two teams combined to hit 11 of the first 13 shots of the second half, with NC State hitting its first six shots over the first five minutes to pad the lead to 58-32. “according to https://gopack.com/news/2018/11/13/mens-basketball-pack-efficient-on-both-ends-of-floor-in-100-49-win-over-unc-asheville.aspx?path=mbball
 
NC State starting guard Markell Johnson was limited to just four minutes, as he left the game due to an injury in the first half. “according to https://gopack.com/news/2018/11/13/mens-basketball-pack-efficient-on-both-ends-of-floor-in-100-49-win-over-unc-asheville.aspx?path=mbball

Maine however comes into the game coming off a loss to the University Of San Francisco.

Playing its third game in five days to begin the season, the University of Maine men's basketball team fell in its west-coast finale, 93-50, to the San Francisco Dons on Saturday afternoon at War Memorial Gymnasium at the Sobrato Center. “according to https://goblackbears.com/news/2018/11/10/mens-basketball-falls-to-san-francisco-in-final-game-of-west-coast-trip.aspx
 
Sergio El Darwich (6-of-9 FG, 2-of-3 3PT) and Andrew Fleming (6-of-12 FG) led the Black Bears on the offensive end, recording 14 points apiece. Isaiah White and Terion Moss added seven points against the Dons. El Darwich's 14 points is a new career-high. His previous-high of seven points was set against Minnesota Crookston as a member of South Dakota State in 2016. “according to https://goblackbears.com/news/2018/11/10/mens-basketball-falls-to-san-francisco-in-final-game-of-west-coast-trip.aspx
 
San Francisco jumped to an early 10-0 lead, before El Darwich got Maine on the scoreboard with a layup. After the Dons took an 11-point advantage at 15-4, Maine came within five points at 15-10 after a 6-0 run featuring points from Vilgot Larsson El Darwich, Fleming and White. The Dons finished the first half on a 29-10 charge to take a 44-20 lead into the locker room. “according to https://goblackbears.com/news/2018/11/10/mens-basketball-falls-to-san-francisco-in-final-game-of-west-coast-trip.aspx
 
Maine could not get back into the game in the final 20 minutes, as USF shot 75 percent from the floor in the second frame, scoring 49 points in the second-half compared to 30 for the Black Bears on 41 percent shooting. “according to https://goblackbears.com/news/2018/11/10/mens-basketball-falls-to-san-francisco-in-final-game-of-west-coast-trip.aspx
 
The Dons used a balance attack of Charles Minlend (22 points), Frankie Ferrari (13 pts.), Jimbo Lull (12 pts.), Jordan Ratino (12 pts.), Matt McCarthy (10 pts.) and Remu Raitanen (10 pts.),who all registered double-figures in scoring. “according to https://goblackbears.com/news/2018/11/10/mens-basketball-falls-to-san-francisco-in-final-game-of-west-coast-trip.aspx

Tip-off is set for 2:00pm from PNC Arena. The game will be televised on ACC Network Extra. “according to https://gopack.com/schedule.aspx?path=mbball