Wolfpack clips Eagles' wings

Ben McCauley gets his first double-double since the 2007 NIT, scoring 15 points and grabbing 11 rebounds, to help N.C. State get a convincing victory over Winthrop

RALEIGH -- N.C. State coach Sidney Lowe whistled on the sideline and waved his right arm wildly.

"Tracy," he shouted, trying to get center Tracy Smith to come out and disrupt a high ball screen 35 feet from the basket with the shot clock waning.

When Smith did what he was told, Winthrop forward Cameron Stanley was forced to attempt an off-balance 3-point attempt that missed badly. It was the kind of defensive possession Lowe has been craving, one of many that resulted in a 74-48 N.C. State win Tuesday night at the RBC Center.

The Wolfpack (3-0) held Winthrop to 28.6 percent from the field, delivering for the first time the kind of performance you would expect from an ACC team against an opponent from a so-called mid-major conference.

"Our guys were pretty good at being aggressive and really just trying to mess up their timing," Lowe said.

N.C. State had struggled at times while winning 65-59 over New Orleans and 69-56 over High Point in its first two games. But against Winthrop, senior center Ben McCauley scored 15 points and grabbed 11 rebounds and the Wolfpack ran out to a 40-24 halftime lead. It was his first game in double figures in both categories since the 2007 NIT.

As usual, N.C. State counted on post players McCauley and Brandon Costner (12 points) to get the offense started. Smith, who backs up McCauley, established himself in the lane in the second half to score nine of his 13 points after halftime.

"It's the first game we really got a comfortable lead and showed our crowd how energized we are and how we can play as a team," Smith said.

Based on recent tradition, it appeared that Winthrop would be one of the most challenging opponents on N.C. State's nonconference schedule. The Eagles have made eight NCAA Tournament appearances in the past 10 years and were the Big South preseason pick to win a fifth straight conference title.

But Winthrop (1-4) returned just two starters and entered the game with just one player -- Raleigh native and Wake Forest transfer Stanley -- averaging more than 10 points per game.

Stanley played well, scoring 15 points in his homecoming, but didn't get much help. Afterward, he spoke in hushed tones in a grim locker room after a lengthy tirade by coach Randy Peele that could be heard from the hallway outside.

"They pressured the ball really well," Stanley said. "They didn't let us reverse the ball, just took us out of our plays. They did a great job. We've just got a lot of work we have to do."

N.C. State received steady ball handling despite playing its second straight game without starting point guard Farnold Degand, who is suffering from complications from his offseason knee surgery.

Lowe said Degand has had five straight pain-free days and might return to practice after the Thanksgiving holiday, but still has only a slim chance of playing Sunday against UNC-Greensboro.

With sophomore Javi Gonzalez and freshman Julius Mays running the point in Degand's absence, the Pack committed just six turnovers.

"We're building," Lowe said. "We still have a long way to go, but we're certainly working hard and working in the right direction."