Samet Yigitoglu paces SMU past NC State

Field Level Media|published: Sat 25th January, 14:32 2025

Jan 8, 2025; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina State Wolfpack head coach Kevin Keatts checks on a player during the first half against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Lenovo Center. Mandatory Credit: Jaylynn Nash-Imagn Images

Samet Yigitoglu scored a season-high 20 points to help SMU erase an eight-point deficit and post a 63-57 win over North Carolina State on Saturday afternoon in Raleigh, N.C.

Yigitoglu, a 7-foot-2 freshman center from Turkey, shot 8-of-13 from the floor and also had seven rebounds and a block for the Mustangs (15-5, 6-3 ACC).

Matt Cross added a double-double of 11 points and 10 rebounds, while Kario Oquendo added 13 points and seven rebounds off the bench.

NC State (9-10, 2-6) was led by 14 points from Marcus Hill, 12 from Dontrez Styles and 11 from Jayden Taylor. The defeat, which was the team's fourth in a row, marked the seventh time this season that the Wolfpack have lost a game by two possessions or less.

NC State started the game off hot, jumping out to an 8-0 lead that was capped off by a nifty layup from Taylor. SMU then outscored the Wolfpack 31-14 over the next 14 minutes to take the lead, with that run ending after four straight buckets in the paint by the Mustangs.

SMU led by eight points at the break and then used a 15-8 run to take a 15-point lead - its largest of the game - early in the second half. The run was kickstarted by a tip-in from Yigitoglu and capped off by an impressive dunk from Oquendo.

NC State trimmed the deficit to a single point with 3:21 to play after two free throws from Ben Middlebrooks, but the Mustangs closed the game on a 7-2 run, ignited by a 3-pointer from BJ Edwards off an assist from Boopie Miller. SMU shot 6-of-16 from behind the arc and Miller dished out a team-best five assists.

Key for SMU was its prowess inside, as it won the rebounding battle 43-34 and outscored NC State 32-16 in the painted area.

For the Wolfpack, it's the least amount of points they've scored in the paint this season. That, coupled with shooting 16.7 percent from 3-point land, contributed to a lackluster offensive performance.

The loss for NC State also marked its third straight at home in the Lenovo Center.

NC State's schedule doesn't get any easier. It plays at No. 2 Duke on Monday. Meanwhile, SMU will host fellow ACC newcomer Cal on Wednesday.

--Field Level Media

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