NC State opens ACC play with OT win over Florida State

Marcus Hill scored 23 points and Dontrez Styles exploded for a season-high 21 as North Carolina State pulled away from Florida State in overtime to win 84-74 in their Atlantic Coast Conference opener on Saturday afternoon in Raleigh, N.C.

Styles, who was averaging 8.8 points per game, shot 7-of-13 from the floor and also had five rebounds. Hill added six rebounds while shooting 7-of-12 from the floor and 8-of-10 from the free-throw line, and Jayden Taylor chipped in 14 points for NC State (6-3, 1-0 ACC).

Two players dominated for Florida State (7-3, 0-1) as well. Malique Ewin tallied scored 23 points on stellar 11-of-14 shooting, while Jamir Watkins had 24 points. Watkins was only 4 of 13 from the floor but hit 16 of 17 free- throw attempts. Ewin also had nine rebounds and two blocks before fouling out with 1:51 to play in regulation.

With NC State down by two in the final minute, Styles caught a pass from Hill, jab-stepped with his right foot, and then rose and nailed a 3-pointer f over two defenders from the right wing.

After a miss by the Seminoles on the ensuing possession, Taylor was fouled in the scramble for the rebound and hit one-of-two free throws to extend the lead to two points.

With 12 seconds left, Watkins drew a foul and hit two free throws, tying the game. Styles missed a layup attempt at the end of regulation.

But Styles found his groove again in overtime, knocking down his third 3-pointer of the game and then snatching a steal that led to his easy layup to give NC State a 77-72 lead with 2:33 to play. The Wolfpack NC State outscored the Seminoles in the extra period.

It was a physical game that saw each team attempt 29 free throws. Florida State made 25, while NC State made 25.

NC State led by as much as eight points in the first half, but Florida State closed the gap just before intermission by making its last three shots.

Florida State made just 3 of 16 attempts (18.8 percent) on 3-pointers.

--Field Level Media