NC State Men's Basketball Struggles in Final Minutes of 74-64 Loss to No. 2 Duke

 

NC State Men's Basketball Struggles in Final Minutes of 74-64 Loss to No. 2 Duke

DURHAM, N.C. — NC State men’s basketball continues to struggle in closing out games, as they fell to No. 2 Duke 74-64 on Monday night. The Wolfpack has found itself in tight contests throughout the ACC season, but despite being competitive, they’ve often come up short in the final moments.

With just over three minutes remaining, NC State (9-11, 2-7 ACC) trailed 65-62, giving them a chance to pull off an upset against the Blue Devils (18-2, 10-0 ACC), who were 20-point favorites. However, Duke ended the game with a 9-2 run to secure the victory.

In eight of NC State’s nine ACC games, the contest has been within one possession with under four minutes to play, but the Wolfpack has only managed to win twice. The issues have varied, from blowing double-digit second-half leads against Virginia Tech and Virginia, to offensive struggles late in games against teams like SMU, California, UNC-Chapel Hill, and Duke. When asked about the team’s difficulties in finishing games, head coach Kevin Keatts pointed to a lack of a "closer."

“We don’t have a superstar,” Keatts said. “We’ve got a bunch of really good players who need each other to play well, but we don’t have that go-to guy in every game.”

Duke, on the other hand, has that superstar in freshman forward Cooper Flagg, a projected No. 1 pick in the upcoming NBA draft. After scoring only five points in the first half, Flagg exploded for 23 points in the second half, dominating the final minutes. When Duke needed a crucial basket down the stretch, the ball went to Flagg, and he delivered.

“Cooper is as good as advertised, and I think he’s the difference in the game,” Keatts said. “If I had Cooper Flagg, maybe we win that game too.”

For NC State, the closest thing to a superstar was freshman guard Trey Parker, who scored a career-high 15 points, emerging as the Wolfpack's primary scorer in the second half. Parker, who had been averaging just 10 minutes per game, scored 10 of NC State’s first 16 points in the second half, hitting tough 3-pointers and finishing drives to the basket.

“He’s been really focused lately, and it showed tonight,” said senior guard Dontrez Styles. “He’s got to keep building on it. I’m proud of him.”

Had NC State capitalized on its strong first half, they might not have needed a player to step up in clutch time. The Wolfpack started the game strong, building a double-digit lead and quieting the Cameron Crazies. They made seven of their 12 3-point attempts, a stark contrast to their struggles from beyond the arc earlier in the season. While they kept Flagg in check, Duke ended the half on a 7-0 run, which helped them regain momentum.

That momentum carried over into the second half, where the Blue Devils extended their run to 19-0, taking a 45-37 lead. During that stretch, Parker felt like the Wolfpack wasn’t matching the intensity they had early in the game.

“It was just about doing the dirty work,” Parker said. “We’ve got to box out, rebound, and go for loose balls.”

What’s been most frustrating for NC State is that they’ve done enough in many games to win. They’ve held some of the top-scoring teams in the ACC, including SMU, UNC, and Duke, well below their usual point totals, but have still come away with losses. The games have often come down to one or two crucial plays, and the Wolfpack has struggled to make them when it counts.

“It’s tough to lose,” Keatts said. “I think we’re playing better. We just have to get over the hump. I don’t know when it’ll happen, but we will.”

Despite the loss, both Styles and Parker remain optimistic that the team is close to breaking through, especially after pushing a national title contender to the limit. With no chance at an NCAA Tournament at-large bid, NC State's only hope for a tournament berth lies in closing out games and potentially repeating their ACC Championship run from last year.

NC State's next opportunity to turn things around will come Saturday against Clemson, the second-place team in the ACC. Tipoff is scheduled for 1:30 p.m.

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