First-half surges send NC State to blowout of Colgate

Field Level Media|published: Mon 18th November, 21:17 2024

Nov 18, 2024; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina State Wolfpack forward Ben Middlebrooks (34) dunks ball during first half of the game against the Colgate Raiders at Lenovo Center. Mandatory Credit: Jaylynn Nash-Imagn Images

Ben Middlebrooks poured in 19 points off the bench, Marcus Hill scored a season-high 17 points and North Carolina State was in control from the opening minutes in a 72-49 victory over Colgate on Monday at Raleigh, N.C.

Hill, a high-scoring transfer guard from Bowling Green, made 6 of 10 shots from the field. Brandon Huntley-Hatfield contributed 11 points as the Wolfpack (4-0) won their fourth straight home game.

Nicolas Louis-Jacques scored nine points and Parker Jones and Brady Cummins each scored eight points for Colgate (1-3), which is winless in three road outings. The Raiders committed 16 turnovers.

The teams had horrid perimeter shooting numbers, with Colgate at 5-for-26 (19.2 percent) and NC State at 3-for-14 (21.4 percent) on 3-point attempts. With two treys, Jones was the only player in the game with more than one long-range basket.

The Wolfpack compiled a 21-2 advantage in points at the free-throw line, with Middlebrooks going 9-for-9.

Despite missing 42 shots from the field, Colgate pulled in only nine offensive rebounds. Part of that was connected to Dontrez Styles' 11 rebounds for the Wolfpack.

Colgate was saddled with too many scoring droughts in both halves.

A 17-0 spurt gave the Wolfpack a 19-6 lead less than 8 1/2 minutes into the game. An 8-0 boost later in the half increased the margin to 17 points on a layup by Jayden Taylor.

The Wolfpack led 40-22 at halftime. Colgate went four minutes without a point early in the second half as NC State's edge grew to 56-28.

When Raiders reserve Chandler Baker scored on consecutive possessions on a personal five-point burst, it seemed like a breakthrough for the visitors. Five points, including a three-point play from Middlebrooks, in a 22-second span recaptured the momentum for the Wolfpack.

The halftime numbers were concerning for Colgate, which battled Syracuse to the end on Nov. 12 in a two-point loss. The Raiders shot 34.5 percent from the field and didn't attempt a free throw in the first half. They made 10 shots from the field and committed 11 turnovers before the break.

Overall, NC State shot 48.4 percent from the field to Colgate's 34.5 percent.

--Field Level Media