Huge first half leads NC State past Saint Peter’s, 85-57

NC State was about as good as it gets during the first half on Tuesday night, with outstanding execution in terms of both ball movement and shooting. The results were far too much for Saint Peter’s to overcome, and the Wolfpack went on to win despite a rocky second half, 85-57.

The shooting was the story in the first half, as NC State connected on half of its twos and made 9-11 from three. The Pack used an early 10-0 run to turn a 13-10 deficit into a seven-point advantage, and this was also the point where the Peacocks started getting buried. While State’s offense was rolling, St. Peter’s went on an 11-minute field goal drought. The Peacocks were completely overwhelmed by State’s hot shooting, and who could blame them.

State was bound to slow down after a half like that, but still, a 26-point second-half effort is disappointing. After that 9-11 start from three, State hit just one of nine over the final 20 minutes. The Pack also committed 10 of its 12 turnovers in the final half.

But in the end this was no big deal because the Pack was just that dominant in the first half. When they play that well together, it is incredibly entertaining to watch, and also it makes the second half a lot easier to forget.

State continues to showcase impressive scoring depth and balance—four players scored in double figures, but nobody had more than 12. All 10 players got double-figure minutes, and nobody logged more than 28. This will change when the competition increases, but right now it’s fun watching everybody get their shot.