news-record.com

RALEIGH — Winthrop coach Randy Peele figured he'd go zone against an N.C. State team shooting 31 percent from the 3-point line on the year. Sure sounds feasible. The Wolfpack will see plenty of packed-back, dare-you-to-try-it stuff from here on in.

But at least for seven minutes in Tuesday night's 68-52 victory, the Pack suddenly morphed into teams of Paul Westhead or Rick Pitino, circa 1990. State didn't merely score on 10 consecutive possessions; it racked up 27 points in that span. In the process, it went 6-for-7 from downtown against the Eagles zone, which perpetually seemed one pass behind the action.

"My concern was guarding (Pack forward) Tracy Smith," said Peele, who coached UNCG to the first NCAA tournament trip in its Division I history in 1996. "I didn't think we could guard him one-on-one. And so anytime the ball went into Smith, we left the passer and went to trap Smith. During that stretch is when they really started getting going on 3-pointers."

What followed that 32-9 start wasn't always artful, but it didn't have to be against a Winthrop team that stood 343rd out of 347 Division I teams in field-goal percentage and 322nd in scoring coming into the contest. Truth be told, State could have won while scoring as few as 19 points over the final 28 minutes after its early salvo.

Scott Wood, who was in a 2-for-20 long-range slump before a 2-for-4 performance at Arizona last weekend, found a home on the baseline. Farnold Degand, who had scored nine points in four games all season, occupied the wings. And life was suddenly very good.

"Our team kind of fed off Scott's 3-pointers because he hadn't been shooting the ball well," point guard Javier Gonzalez said. "That (success) gave us a lift."

Smith and Dennis Horner won't necessarily drop-step their way to low-post hoops all night in the ACC, but the Eagles were agitated about both guys. And while the Pack went through a second-half drought, all but five of its 26 field goals were assisted on the night. Nationally, assists are credited on about 42 percent of made baskets.

"The ball was being swung well," Degand said. "Dennis and Tracy garnered a lot of attention. I just spotted up and got ready to shoot it."

State (9-3) didn't cruise. Winthrop (5-7) sliced the deficit to eight points with 12 minutes left, but it wouldn't get closer. Only twice in 12 games have the Eagles shot 40 percent or better from the field.

The Pack now turns its attention to UNCG, which it plays at the Greensboro Coliseum on Thursday.

WINTHROP (5-7) — Middleton 2-8 0-0 4, Morgan 2-12 0-0 4, Buechert 3-6 1-4 7, Jones 2-3 0-1 5, Robinson 0-6 2-2 2, Davis 0-1 0-0 0, Gamble 1-2 0-0 2, Burton 0-4 4-5 4, King 0-0 2-2 2, Dreher 6-10 0-3 14, DeWitt 0-0 0-0 0, Malcolm 1-2 0-0 2, Corbin 3-9 0-0 6. Totals 20-63 9-17 52.

N.C. STATE (9-3) — Gonzalez 2-6 3-5 8, Wood 3-8 0-0 9, Williams 3-6 0-1 6, T.Smith 4-8 1-4 9, Horner 4-8 2-3 12, Howell 5-9 0-0 11, Painter 0-0 0-0 0, Degand 3-5 0-0 9, Vandenberg 1-2 0-0 2, Davis 1-1 0-2 2, Mays 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 26-53 6-15 68.

Halftime—N.C. State 41-29.
3-point goals—Winthrop 3-18 (Dreher 2-5, Jones 1-1, Burton 0-1, Morgan 0-1, Davis 0-1, Gamble 0-1, Robinson 0-2, Corbin 0-2, Middleton 0-4), N.C. State 10-21 (Degand 3-4, Wood 3-6, Horner 2-2, Howell 1-2, Gonzalez 1-5, Williams 0-2).
Fouled out—Middleton.
Rebounds—Winthrop 40 (Buechert 8), N.C. State 42 (Gonzalez 10).
Assists—Winthrop 9 (Middleton 4), N.C. State 21 (Gonzalez, Wood 4).
Total fouls—Winthrop 17, N.C. State 16.
A—13,233.