NC State (8-2) beat UNCG (8-3) 80-77 on a Markell Johnson half court buzzer beater this afternoon. The Box Score is below.

Senior Point Guard Markell Johnson likes half court shots, hitting 2 in the past 3 games.

After sinking one at the buzzer against Wisconsin heading into the half, the Wolfpack took the lead, and would never lose it.

Today, responding to Isaiah Miller’s basket to tie the game at 77, Johnson inbounded the ball with 2.1 seconds left, and heaved the ball from a couple of yards behind the half court line, and the ball touched nothing but net, securing an 80-77 victory for the Wolfpack.

The game winner from Markell Johnson. pic.twitter.com/Fph7fsKBjm

— Technician Sports (@TechSports) December 15, 2019

Johnson finished with 19 points and 7 assists, which were both team highs, shooting a clean 8 of 14 from the field. This was another example of “2nd Half Markell”, scoring 14 of his 19 points after the break.

The Wolfpack led every minute of the first half, but they allowed the Spartans to make it a tight game at the break. After leading by 12 points with 6 minutes to go in the half, NC State allowed the home team to make it a 1-point game at the break.

The story was the same in the second half. The Spartans took the lead quickly at the start, leading for the first three minutes (by 5 points at one point), but the Wolfpack quickly grabbed control again, leading by 13 points with 10 minutes left. Unfortunately, they didn’t do what was necessary from keeping the scrappy home team from  creeping back into the game.

NC State didn’t maintain fundamentals, failing to block out UNCG all game long, allowing the Spartans to grab 18  offensive boards, compared to only 2 of their own. UNCG scored 17 second chance points, compared to NC State’s 4.

If it wasn’t for the sharpshooting of the Wolfpack, this could have been a very different game. NC State shot an impressive 57% from the field, 46% from three, and 100% from the charity stripe. UNCG got to the free throw line more, out rebounded the Wolfpack (37/23), and turned the ball over less (12/13).

Redshirt Senior Guard C.J. Bryce quietly did what he’s done all year, scoring 17 points, on 6 of 10 shooting (2-4 3PT).

Graduate Senior Pat Andree had the hot hand at the beginning of each halves, connecting on 5 of his 8 three-point attempts, finishing with a season-high 15 points in his second start of the year.

The Wolfpack improved to 8-2, and will play at #10 undefeated Auburn on Thursday night.

The 9th ranked NC State Women’s Basketball team improved to 10-0 this afternoon, beating in-state foe Elon (3-5) 62-49 in Reynolds Coliseum.

Outside of Sophomore Center Elissa Cunane and Junior Forward Kayla Jones, the Wolfpack shot terribly. As a team, the Wolfpack shot 36.2% from the field (Elon did as well), and a dismal 19.2% from three, compared to the Phoenix’s 27.8%.

Cunane entered the game ranked 12th in the nation in double-doubles, picking up her 4th consecutive one this afternoon. In a career day, the Sophomore had 28 points (career high) and 16 rebounds. Cunane was 9 of 15 from the field.

Jones had 12 points and 7 rebounds, on 5 of 8 shooting.

Even though Senior Guard Aislinn Konig didn’t shoot well, she did hit three more three-pointers, moving her into a tie for 3rd in school history with Myisha Goodwin-Coleman with 234.

After today’s victory, NC State has now won 35 consecutive non-conference games in Reynolds.

Also, it’s worth noting that today was head coach Wes Moore’s 150th victory at NC State.

The Wolfpack will host Chattanooga on Thursday night at 6:30pm, for their last non-conference game of the regular season.

Photo Credit

NC State (7-2) will head to Greensboro today to play UNCG (8-2), and the Wolfpack currently sit as 1.5-point favorites, after opening as 2.5-point favorites. The Total is sitting at 136.

NC State is 5-4 Against the Spread this season, and UNCG is 6-3.

NC State

• North Carolina State are 4-2 ATS in their last 6 games.
• The total has gone OVER in 4 of North Carolina State’s last 6 games.
• North Carolina State are 7-1 SU in their last 8 games.
• North Carolina State are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games against UNC Greensboro.
• North Carolina State are 8-1 SU in their last 9 games against UNC Greensboro.
• North Carolina State are 5-0 ATS in their last 5 games on the road.
• North Carolina State are 4-1 SU in their last 5 games this season.
• North Carolina State are 13-2 SU in their last 15 games against an opponent in the Southern conference.
• North Carolina State are 7-1 ATS in their last 8 games played in December.

UNCG

• UNC Greensboro are 6-3 ATS in their last 9 games.
• The total has gone UNDER in 8 of UNC Greensboro’s last 10 games.
• UNC Greensboro are 5-0 SU in their last 5 games.
• UNC Greensboro are 14-2 SU in their last 16 games at home.
• UNC Greensboro are 7-1 SU in their last 8 games this season.
• The total has gone OVER in 4 of UNC Greensboro’s last 5 games against an opponent in the Atlantic Coast conference.
• UNC Greensboro are 3-7 ATS in their last 10 games played in December.
• UNC Greensboro are 8-3 ATS in their last 11 games played on a Sunday. (OddShark)

This marks the 9th time these two teams have played one another since 2006, and the Wolfpack have been favored in every single game.

UNCG upset the Wolfpack two years ago in Raleigh in Kevin Keatts first year, beating the home team by 5, despite being 8.5-point underdogs.