Pack Keeps Rolling…Defeats ECU 90-79

NC State  90  –  ECU  79 
Boxscore

Once you get over the preconceived notion that ECU doesn’t have a good basketball team, then you can start to appreciate what the Wolfpack accomplished against the Pirates. This is a team that is sitting at the top of the Conference USA standings,  one that nearly knocked off the #6 ranked Blue Devils, and one that wasn’t scared when entering the PNC Arena on Saturday afternoon.

Luckily, NC State was ready.  After falling behind by 9 early in the first half, the Pack reeled off a 15-0 run to closed the half. That impressive run was one of the best stretches of basketball that the Pack has played all season. It was fueled by freshman BJ Anyay who was in to spell Jordan Vandenberg, but ended up shifting the entire momentum of the game. Anya was a warrior in the paint, blocking 5 shots in a span of 5 minutes. Everything ECU threw up was knocked back into their face. Meanwhile, TJ Warren and the Wolfpack couldn’t miss.

Warren finished with a career high 32 points and answered the bell anytime ECU made a run. The was simply no answer for him in the first half and the opening minutes of the second. But when Warren cooled, it was Ralston Turner, Cat Barber and Jordan Vandenberg (who also set a career high with 18 points) who picked up the pace.

ECU’s Akeem Richmond did all he could, finishing with 23 points and knocking down five 3s, but there wasn’t enough muscle in the middle to stop the Pack from dominating the paint and winning the battle of the boards.