Three takeaways as BYU Cougars’ 3-point barrage took down NC State Wolfpack in Las Vegas
Between NC State’s defensive breakdowns and ejections the Vegas Showdown final Friday night, the Wolfpack hope what happened in Vegas will stay in Vegas.
N.C. State fell to unbeaten BYU, 95-86, losing its first contest of the season in dramatic fashion.
Casey Morsell led the Wolfpack with a career-high 28 points, while Jaxson Robinson scored 23 points for the Cougars (6-0).
“I thought it was a really hard fought game. If you asked me, it felt like a January, February ACC game,” Wolfpack head coach Kevin Keatts said. “Give credit – we played against a very good BYU team. I thought we did some really good things. I thought our guys fought. That’s what you get. It was a high-level emotional game.”
Here are three takeaways from the loss.
Getting chippy
Things got heated between the two teams with 15:18 left in the game. NC State freshman guard Dennis Parker got in the faces of BYU players and shoved one after Morsell’s layup. Several Wolfpack (4-1) players left the bench.
The teams were given double technicals, while forward Ben Middlebrooks and guard KJ Keatts were ejected for leaving the bench.
With about 1:35 left, things escalated further. Guard Jayden Taylor exchanged words with BYU’s Dallin Hall. Forward DJ Burns got in between, trying to limit further issues. On the next possession, Taylor was given another technical foul and ejected.
Then, Keatts was given a technical and subsequently tossed. Keatts said he wanted more information on the officials’ decisions.
“I was expecting to get a little bit more explanation – why there were a couple of calls, technicals on my guys – I’m the head coach. I didn’t feel like I was getting the answers to why it was happening,” Keatts said. “I’m going to stick up for my players, especially if I’m not getting an explanation why something’s going on.”
This came a day after BYU’s Atiki Ally Atiki punched Arizona State player Akil Watson in the face during Thursday’s first day of Vegas Shootout play. Atiki didn’t play against the Pack, while Noah Waterman was allowed to play. He left the bench in the scuffle.
Additionally, this came after NC State guard DJ Horne was given a technical in the Wolfpack’s 84-78 win over Vanderbilt Thursday and the team received two Flagrant 1 calls across the tournament.
“We’re gonna face teams like like them again. Teams that try to get us out of our comfort zone and try to get us out of character,” Morsell said. “We’ve just got to stay poised, stay who we are. There are going to be times where we go through something like that again.”
3-point defensive failure
One of the Pack’s greatest strengths this season became one of its greatest weaknesses on Friday. The Wolfpack struggled to stop the Cougars’ perimeter offense. BYU made 14 of 34 3-pointers.
Coming into the game, the Pack hadn’t given up more than seven opponent 3s. BYU scored nine in the second half alone, and that cost the win.
Keatts said he didn’t think there was anything wrong with the game plan. The Cougars take a lot of 3s and made them at a high clip.
Morsell said he thought the team did well in the first half, giving up five triples, but it wasn’t able to make the necessary adjustments.
An increased number of 3s comes with playing Power Five teams, as opposed to mid-majors, but N.C. State can play better defense than it did in its Vegas finale.
“I think we’re a big help defense team,” Morsell said. “They took advantage of it, took advantage of the drive and kicks. We just got to improve on scouting reports and grow from it.”
Starting strong
N.C. State struggled to get the offense rolling in all four previous games. In its win over Vanderbilt, the Wolfpack didn’t hit double figures until the 12:16 mark. That wasn’t an issue in its second game of the Vegas Showdown.
The Pack scored 14 points within five minutes of play. It made seven straight shots and went on a 9-0 run in the early minutes, making it easily the most efficient start of the season.
Burns started 2-2 from the field in that period, while the team went 2-2 from the perimeter.
Shooting cooled down after the first timeout, but seeing the Wolfpack find an offensive rhythm from the tip and the stifling defense – it led 14-5 at the first break – was extremely promising.
This story was originally published November 25, 2023 at 12:42 AM.
