NC State Closes Out Their Non-Conference Slate With Loyola University Maryland

On Friday NC State who is ranked twentieth in this weeks AP Top 25 poll will closeout their non-conference slate with Loyola University Maryland.

NC State comes into the game with a record of 11-1 while Loyola University Maryland comes into the game with a record of 4-8.

As for NC State’s previous game they defeated USC Upstate.

Behind 62 points from the bench, the NC State men's basketball team picked up its 11th win of the season on Saturday afternoon inside PNC Arena with a 98-71 victory. It was the most points scored off the bench since at least the 1999-2000 season and sixth time in the Kevin Keatts era that the squad has scored 40+ bench points in a single game. “according to https://gopack.com/news/2018/12/22/mens-basketball-balanced-scoring-attack-leads-wolfpack-to-98-71-win-over-usc-upstate.aspx
 
Led by Eric Lockett's season-high 15 points and eight rebounds, five players put up double figures in scoring while all 10 players on the roster scored. Additionally, Blake Harris's eight assists in the contest was the most by an NC State player this season. “according to https://gopack.com/news/2018/12/22/mens-basketball-balanced-scoring-attack-leads-wolfpack-to-98-71-win-over-usc-upstate.aspx
 
The Wolfpack improves to 11-1 on the season for its best start since 2005-06, extending its win streak to five and remaining undefeated at home (9-0). “according to https://gopack.com/news/2018/12/22/mens-basketball-balanced-scoring-attack-leads-wolfpack-to-98-71-win-over-usc-upstate.aspx
 
Despite the Spartans jumping out to a 4-1 lead in the first two minutes, the Pack went on a 20-4 run over the next 6:34 for a 21-8 advantage. NC State never led by less than nine the rest of the half, and closed the first 20 minutes with its largest lead of 18 for a 50-32 lead. “according to https://gopack.com/news/2018/12/22/mens-basketball-balanced-scoring-attack-leads-wolfpack-to-98-71-win-over-usc-upstate.aspx
 
The Spartans managed to close its deficit to 11 with just less than 10 minutes left in the game, but a 24-4 run allowed the Pack to hold a 94-63 advantage for its largest lead of the game (31 points) with 2:30 to go. “according to https://gopack.com/news/2018/12/22/mens-basketball-balanced-scoring-attack-leads-wolfpack-to-98-71-win-over-usc-upstate.aspx

Unlike NC State, Loyola University Maryland lost their previous game as they lost to UMass Lowell.

Loyola University Maryland cut the University of Massachusetts, Lowell's 10-point halftime lead to four twice in the second half's first four minutes, but the host River Hawks had an answer for that Greyhounds run and others, pulling away for a 97-79 non-conference victory at the Costello Athletic Center. “according to https://loyolagreyhounds.com/news/2018/12/21/mens-basketball-river-hawks-answer-mens-hoops-runs-for-friday-night-win.aspx
 
KaVaughn Scott scored seven points in the first two minutes, 45 seconds of the second half, making the backend of two free throws with 17:15 on the clock to close the gap to 47-42 after Loyola trailed 45-35 at halftime. “according to https://loyolagreyhounds.com/news/2018/12/21/mens-basketball-river-hawks-answer-mens-hoops-runs-for-friday-night-win.aspx
 
Minutes later, Andrew Kostecka, who had a team-high 23 points, turned the corner at the top of the perimeter and aggressively drove for a dunk that made it a four-point game, 50-46, at 16:44. “according to https://loyolagreyhounds.com/news/2018/12/21/mens-basketball-river-hawks-answer-mens-hoops-runs-for-friday-night-win.aspx
 
Christian Lutete made two of three at the free-throw line on the ensuing River Hawks' possession, but Isaiah Hart scored in the paint to draw Loyola back within four. “according to https://loyolagreyhounds.com/news/2018/12/21/mens-basketball-river-hawks-answer-mens-hoops-runs-for-friday-night-win.aspx
 
UMass Lowell (7-7 overall), however, scored the next seven points, capped by a Lutete traditional 3-point play, to push the lead back to 11 in less than two minutes. “according to https://loyolagreyhounds.com/news/2018/12/21/mens-basketball-river-hawks-answer-mens-hoops-runs-for-friday-night-win.aspx
 
Save for a Kostecka putback dunk at 13:35, and a Kenneth Jones fast-break layup after a Hart steal at 8:39 that made it a nine-point gap, the UMass Lowell remained in double-figures for the rest of the rest of the game. “according to https://loyolagreyhounds.com/news/2018/12/21/mens-basketball-river-hawks-answer-mens-hoops-runs-for-friday-night-win.aspx
 
Jones scored a career-high 12 points for Loyola, while Brent Holcombe added 16 and Chuck Champion had 11. “according to https://loyolagreyhounds.com/news/2018/12/21/mens-basketball-river-hawks-answer-mens-hoops-runs-for-friday-night-win.aspx
 
In the first half, Loyola used a 12-2 run to get within two, 32-30, on a Kostecka layup with 4:43 left before halftime, but UMass Lowell scored 11 of the next 12 points with a Lutete three stretching the lead to 43-31 with 1:40 on the clock. “according to https://loyolagreyhounds.com/news/2018/12/21/mens-basketball-river-hawks-answer-mens-hoops-runs-for-friday-night-win.aspx
 
Lutete scored 34 points to lead all players, knocking down 12 of 18 shots from the field. Obadiah Noel tallied 16, while Alex Rivera and Ryan Jones each scored 13 for the River Hawks. “according to https://loyolagreyhounds.com/news/2018/12/21/mens-basketball-river-hawks-answer-mens-hoops-runs-for-friday-night-win.aspx

Tip-off is set for 7:00pm from PNC Arena. The game will be televised on ACC Network Extra.