The N.C. State Wolfpack were still too talented, even when Boston College made them play at a different pace.
Scott Wood scored 16 points and C.J. Leslie 13, and the Wolfpack overcame the Eagles' slowdown in a 56-51 victory Wednesday night.
C.J. Williams and Richard Howell each scored 10 points for N.C. State (16-7, 5-3 ACC). The Wolfpack have won 10 of their last 13.
After losses to North Carolina and Virginia, it was a perfect time for the Wolfpack to face the Eagles — a team they handled easily earlier this season.
"It's a good win," said coach Mark Gottfried of N.C. State. "Any time you win on the road is good. We know that. I thought we didn't play particularly great. I thought early we missed a lot of layups, missed a lot of shots around the basket.
"They were much better tonight than they were in the RBC Center, but we anticipated that. I thought they would be a lot better — young players playing at home — but what I liked is that even on a night when we struggled to score we still found a way to win."
Coach Steve Donahue of Boston College elected to have his team hold the ball as much as possible after what happened in the first game, a 14-point loss Jan. 20.
"That was my thought coming into it — we just couldn't get into an up-and-down game with this team," Donahue said. "I don't like to play that way and we're not going to play that way, but for us to win, I've got to teach them how to compete."
Matt Humphrey led Boston College (7-15, 2-6) with 15 points. The Eagles lost their fifth straight.
Wood hit 5 of 5 free throws and has made 63 straight dating to last season, extending his school record.
"If I miss one, I miss one," he said. "I'm bound to miss one eventually. That's the way I'm pretty much looking at it."
Leslie broke a 44-all tie with a jumper from the top of the key and then hit two free throws, pushing the Wolfpack ahead by four with 3:57 left. They had a chance to go up by six, but Howell missed a breakaway layup after stealing the ball.
Howell made up for it about a minute later when he scored on a baseline drive, making it 50-46 with 2:07 to go. He missed the free throw after he was fouled on the play. That came right in the middle of a 10-2 run during a 4:18 stretch, when the Wolfpack pulled away for the victory.
"We just got fortunate there at the end to execute a little bit better than they did," Wood said. "We knew that they didn't play very well in Raleigh, so we knew that they would definitely bring their 'A' game, and I think they did tonight."
Wood hit four free throws in the final 1:38 to seal the win.
N.C. State beat BC 76-62 in Raleigh. The Wolfpack opened a 45-28 halftime lead in that game.
"I was pleased with a lot of what we did tonight," Donahue said. "This is the first time we've had a chance to play a team again that we played already, and they handled us pretty good down there."
Email
Facebook
Google
Twitter
Favorites
More
Advertisement