Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
N.C. State catches fire in 2nd half, breezes past Hurricanes
RALEIGH, N.C. — D. J. Funderburk had 19 points and North Carolina State shot 64% after halftime to beat Miami 80-63 on Wednesday night.
The Wolfpack had four players in double figures and also got a boost with the return of senior C.J. Bryce, the team’s leading scorer who had missed the past four games while being in the concussion protocol. N.C. State (12-5, 3-3 Atlantic Coast Conference) went ahead for good with a 10-0 run to close the first half, then stretched that lead past double figures before turning this one into a rout late.
Devon Daniels added 15 points, including a 3-pointer off a feed from Bryce at the 3:24 mark that pushed the lead to 75-55. N.C. State made 18 of 28 shots in the second half, including 6 of 10 from behind the arc.
Chris Lykes scored 20 points to lead Miami (10-6, 2-4), which made just 8 of 27 shots (29.6%) in the opening half. That included going the last five-plus minutes before the break without a basket, allowing the Wolfpack to take control and play from in front the rest of the way.
BIG PICTURE
Miami: The Hurricanes didn’t give themselves much of a chance with their cold shooting. Miami didn’t warm up, either, until N.C. State had asserted control of the game. It didn’t help that Miami also made just 3 of 16 tries from 3-point range and had foul problems along the the forwards trying to deal with Funderburk, who was 8 of 11 from the foul line.
N.C. State: The Wolfpack got a strong bounce-back performance after a weekend loss at Virginia
Tech, N.C. State’s second league loss in three games since the turn of the new year. There was also the promising sight of having Bryce back in action. He didn’t start and didn’t even shoot in the first half, but finished with six points and five assists.
UP NEXT
Miami: The Hurricanes host No. 9 Florida State on Saturday.