With the sun seemingly setting early on its 2023-24 season, NC State men’s basketball regained its footing in a 74-68 victory over Miami at PNC Arena.
The Wolfpack (14-7, 6-4 ACC) entered the game on a three-game losing streak, tanking fan morale. The Pack struggled in several areas during its skid, most notably in its 3-point shooting. Against the Hurricanes (14-7, 5-5 ACC), however, the tides changed and NC State turned the 3-point shot into an effective weapon.
“It was a really good win,” said head coach Kevin Keatts. “This was a good Miami team and it was good honestly to get back home and take care of business.”
Leading the way for the Pack was graduate guard DJ Horne. The Arizona State transfer led the team with an impressive 24 points, dazzling the home crowd with three triples and keeping the ever-pursuing Canes at bay. Horne also snagged four rebounds — a crucial contribution as NC State opted to roll with a four-guard starting lineup.
“Coach gave us a really good pregame speech before the game,” Horne said. “Told the guys to trust their work and I think we went out there and did that.”
Horne scored early and often, jumpstarting the red-and-white’s offense early. By the first media timeout, Horne already posted eight points, including six from deep. Paired with strong team defense, the Pack held an early 10-4 lead.
“We just had to be hungry for this,” Horne said. “We came into this one with the mindset that we had to win this one — it wasn’t even up for discussion.”
Despite the sluggish start, Miami didn’t go down without a fight. The Hurricanes struggled to get open looks, thanks to the Pack’s aggressive perimeter defense. However, Miami pounded the offensive glass to earn second chance points. By the end of the night, Miami racked up 20 offensive boards.
“The rebounding was a product of our smaller lineup today,” Keatts said. “We thought we could play them better, [but] their center really got to the offensive glass.”
The Canes briefly seized the lead from NC State near the end of the half, with their work on the glass paying off. However, the Wolfpack was determined to not let the game slip away. Miami’s one-point lead quickly evaporated as graduate guard Michael O’Connel stepped up with a steal and a pair of layups, giving the red-and-white a 33-29 lead at halftime.
“We have a lot of fight in us, no matter the situation,” Keatts said. “We just wanted to stay the course, continue driving the ball when our shot’s not going in.”
The Hurricanes opened the second half with a quick 3-pointer, putting the crowd at PNC on edge. Not to be outdone, the Wolfpack went on a 7-0 run, capped off by junior guard Jayden Taylor’s first triple of the night.
“We talked to [Taylor] at halftime about his opportunities, pick and choose your moments,” Keatts said. “We had a great skip to him in the corner and he made a 3 that really got him going.”
Miami then began its charge back into the game, eventually bringing itself within one point of tying NC State. However, every time the Canes began to sniff hope of taking the lead, the Pack buried a 3-point shot to stay afloat. Graduate guard Casey Morsell proved to be a thorn in the side for Miami, drilling a trio of 3’s, while totalling 17 points.
As time dwindled away, NC State continued to cling to its lead. Miami’s Nijel Pack nailed a 3-pointer, cutting the red-and-white’s advantage to 56-55. Horne calmly returned a 3-pointer of his own to restore the lead. The team’s continued to trade buckets, including a flashy alley-oop for junior forward Mohamed Diarra, bringing the crowd to life.
“I want to personally thank our students and everyone who attended the game,” Keatts said. “…That means a lot to our guys because at the end it got really loud and they got involved in the game.”
Miami kept fighting, but Diarra’s bucket was an emphatic hammer on any comeback hopes for the Canes. With a suddenly roaring crowd, NC State finished the job and secured the 74-68 win over a Miami team that reached the Final Four last season.
“A win always helps your confidence,” O’Connell said. “Especially a great team like this, we know we can play with teams like this and beat them.”
Next up, the Wolfpack will look to defend home court when Georgia Tech comes to Raleigh, fresh off a victory against No. 3 North Carolina. The game will tip off at 5:30 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 3 and will be televised on the CW.
