NC State men’s basketball defeated the Notre Dame Fighting Irish 85-82 in a back-and-forth ACC battle for the Pack’s fifth conference win in its last six contests.

Following a deflating loss at rival North Carolina, the Wolfpack (16-5, 6-4 ACC) bounced back to avoid what would’ve been a brutal loss to the Fighting Irish (9-12, 1-9 ACC). However, the biggest win for the Pack wasn’t on the scoreboard, but rather the return of sophomore guard Terquavion Smith after a scary injury over the weekend that brought a wave of relief and excitement.

“It felt good to have my team with me,” Smith said. “To fight through that game with my team, I struggled a bit, but my team picked me up and we put it together.” 

While Smith’s return was celebrated, graduate guard Jarkel Joiner stole the show, playing one his best games of the season. Scoring 28 points on 9-18 shooting, the Ole Miss transfer carried the Wolfpack offense throughout the night. Joiner was on fire all over the court, including the free throw line where he shot a perfect 8-8. 

Joiner also shined in other aspects of the game. Despite being a 6-foot-1 guard, he paced the team in rebounding with six boards. He also stole a pass, adding to his strong defensive performance. Without a doubt, Joiner’s performance on both ends of the floor was phenomenal.

“[Joiner] has been so important to our program,” said head coach Kevin Keatts. “Our quarterback of sorts that can command respect on and off the court.” 

Graduate forward DJ Burns also played a major role in the Wolfpack’s victory. The fan favorite was a force in the paint, scoring 14 points off 7-15 shooting. His playmaking also opened up the offense as he tallied three assists and made a number of other impressive passes. 

“I feel like [my teammates] trust me on offense and I feel like that was something I had to earn,” Burns said. “My teammates believe in me, my coaches as well.” 

Besides Joiner and Burns, the rest of the Pack had an up-and-down night. Smith scored 17 points but struggled from the field, going 2-14. However, the rest of his game aided the Wolfpack. He totaled six assists and three steals, helping create opportunities for his teammates.

“I thought [Smith] did some good stuff, made some free throws,” Keatts said. “I was glad he made the decision to play.”

Junior forward Ebenezer Dowuona quietly put together a solid game, scoring seven points off 3-4 shooting. While a small sample size, it’s encouraging to see Dowuona play this efficiently. He also helped on defense, blocking three shots and getting a steal.

One of the more impressive aspects of this win was the fact that Notre Dame outshot and outrebounded the Pack, yet NC State still came away with the victory. Turnovers won the day, with NC State forcing 15 and only coughing it up twice all game. The discipline the Wolfpack showed to take care of the ball was an impressive effort.

NC State returns to the court on Saturday, Jan. 28 against the Wake Forest Demon Deacons. The game will be played at Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum at 1 p.m. and will be televised on ACC Network.]