After Tipping Off Atlantic Coast Conference Play On Saturday In Raleigh With Louisville NC State Is Returning To Non- Conference Play, Hosting Bethune- Cookman Tonight In Raleigh

After tipping off Atlantic Coast Conference play on Saturday in North Carolina’s state capital with Louisville NC State is returning to non-conference play, hosting Bethune -Cookman tonight in North Carolina’s state capital.

Though,

They aren’t hosting Bethune -Cookman who is a member of the Mid -Eastern Athletic Conference! Though, they aren’t hosting at PNC Arena that is home to not only the NC State Men’s Basketball team but the Carolina Hurricanes of the NHL as well.

Instead, they’re hosting them at James T. Valvono Arena at William Neal Reynolds Coliseum where the NC State Women’s Basketball team plays their home games!

NC State comes into the game with a record of 6-2 while they’re 0-1 in Atlantic Coast Conference!

Their most recent game?

An Atlantic Coast Conference 73-68 opening loss to Louisville on Saturday December 4, 2021 in North Carolina’s state capital!

In NC State’s 73-68 loss to Louisville , NC State battled back from a 14 points deficit, but Louisville made two clutch three-pointers in the final 90 seconds to win, 73-68, Saturday afternoon inside PNC Arena.

The Pack found itself down 43-29 at halftime, but cut the deficit to just one possession six minutes into the second half on a Cam Hayes three-point play.

An Ebenezer Dowuona hook shot with 10:11 to play gave NC State a 53-52 lead. It was the Pack's first lead since it was 17-16.

Terquavion Smith scored on the Pack's next possession and Dereon Seabron nearly blew the roof off the building with a dunk in traffic to give NC State a 57-52 lead with 8:28 to go.

After the Pack took the lead on the Dowuona hook shot, it stayed in front until a desperation Noah Locke three-pointer at the end of the sOhot clock tied the game at 68 with 90 seconds to go. NC State's shot on its next possession was blocked and Louisville took possession with 55 seconds to play, looking for the lead.

NC State played great defense and forced a Louisville timeout with two seconds left on the shot clock. After the timeout, the Cardinals threw a cross-court pass to Matt Cross who hit a fadeaway three while falling out-of-bounds to give Louisville a 71-68 lead with 26 seconds to go.

Hayes three-point attempt to tie was off the mark and Louisville's Jarrod West made both ends of a one-on-one to clinch the game for Louisville.

Jericole Hellems led NC State with 18 points. Sith added 17 points on 7-of-11 shooting. Hayes was also in double figures with 15 points.

Seabron was one rebound shy of his sixth double-double of the season with 11 points and nine rebounds.

NC State was playing without the ACC's two-time reigning shot block champion Manny Bates and Casey Morsell (12.3 ppg.) was stretched thin and saw its bench outscored 28-0 by Louisville's.

“according to an article on gopack.com”

Bethune -Cookman is a member of the Mid -Eastern Athletic Conference!

Bethune Cookman comes into the game with NC State with a record of 1-7!

Their most recent game?

An 81-45 loss to the University Of Central Florida!

In Bethune -Cookman loss Bethune -Cookman to find their way to the tune of an 81-45 setback at the hands of UCF, Sunday afternoon in Orlando.

How It Happened

The Wildcats (1-6, 0-0 SWAC) kept things close through most of the first half of play. Marcus Garrett led the Wildcats, and all scorers, with seven of B-CU's first 10 points through nearly ten minutes of play. The Wildcats connected on just three of 14 three pointers in the half and could not get to the free throw line, attempting only two through 20 minutes while the Knights (4-2, 0-0 AAC) found their way to the line eight times. Two double-digit scoring runs put UCF up 48-21 at the half.

The Wildcats fared slightly better in the second half but were still outscored 24-33 as UCF closed out the 81-45 victory. The Wildcats shot just 33 percent from the field in the game and made only four of 22 three point attempts. UCF shot 55 percent for the game, including 9-21 from three.

Joe French led the Wildcats with 12 points, followed by Marcus Garrett's 11. UCF featured four double-digit scorers, led by Darin Green Jr., who scored 18.

As the Wildcat's grueling road swing winds down, head coach Reggie Theus expects his team to move on quickly from the loss:

"It's been a tough, tough stretch, and we've been on the road forever," Theus said. "It's not excuses. In fact, our guys have played at a high level for us. Today was the first time I thought we played below our level, and it happens. I thought we won a couple of stretches in the second half."

Theus is not one to overreact after the loss.

"It's not a matter of how you play today," Theus said. "It's a matter of how you play the next game. You really do just walk away. You walk away understanding that you're better than that, and there's so many other factors involved. We've been playing pretty well, and you are always bound to have a game where things don't do your way.

“according to an article on bcuathletics.com”

Tip off is set for 6:30pm from James T. Valvono Arena at William Neal Reynolds Coliseum!

The game is going to be televised on the Regional Sports Network!