North Carolina State pulled away from Mount St. Mary's for an
80-65 victory in a non-conference matchup at the RBC Center on
Saturday afternoon. Sophomore Sam Atupem tallied 15 points and 10
rebounds for his first career double-double to pace the Mount. The
Mount drops to 2-7 while NC State improved to 7-2.
Atupem scored the game's first field goal to give the Mount a
2-0 lead before NC State rattled off a 20-4 run over the next seven
minutes for an early 20-6 advantage. Trailing 25-12 at the midway
point of the half, but Mount fought back to cut the deficit to
29-23 after a Jeremy Goode three-pointer with 6:33 left in the
half. After NC State rebuilt the lead to 11, Atupem scored the
Mount's final four points of the half, including a tip-in with two
seconds left to make the score 42-35 at the half.
The Mount battled in the second half and cut the lead to three,
47-44, after a Chris Vann three-pointer with 15:30 left in the
contest. The Wolfpack countered on the next possession on a
Courtney Fells three-point field goal for a 50-44 edge. The Mount
hung in the game and trailed 59-53 after a Gus Durr lay-up at the
10:56 mark, but the Wolfpack went on a 5-0 run over the next four
minutes to take control of the game.
Atupem was 7-for-12 from the field for his season-high 15 points
to pace the Mount. Goode added 11 points, seven assists and three
boards while Vann scored 10 points, his eighth-straight game in
double figures. NC State played six players in the game with every
one recording double figures in scoring. Fells and Ben McCauley
each had 16 points to lead the way while Gavin Grant added 15
points, seven rebounds and seven assists for the Wolfpack.
The Mount was whistled for 26 fouls in the game and NC State was
21-for-28 at the line compared to the Mount's 4-of-7. North
Carolina State shot 56.3 percent from the field while the Mount was
held to 38.0 percent.
Mount St. Mary's controlled the boards and grabbed 20 offensive
rebounds in the contest to hold a 21-to-8 advantage in
second-chance points. For the game, the Mount outrebounded the
Wolfpack 39-to-34.
Mount St. Mary's returns to action on Monday, Dec. 18, with a
7:00 p.m. game at Winthrop.
Game Notes...The Mount falls to 1-16 all-time against ACC
teams...The Mount is now 0-3 all-time vs. North Carolina
State...Atupem has made 21-of-31 (.677) from the field over the
past four games.
