RALEIGH — N.C. State flirted with an all-timer Saturday.
Down by 17 before the seats were warm, the Wolfpack charged back within four just shy of intermission before falling 69-57 to Notre Dame. The Irish lost Nate Laszewski after five minutes to a lower leg contusion, and the Wolfpack excelled with both teams playing smaller lineups.
State’s been doing it all season. When Notre Dame also lost Paul Atkinson for a stretch in the first half due to foul difficulties, the upset-minded hosts had Mike Brey’s team squarely in their sights.
Freshman Terquavion Smith had 19 points for the Pack, 3-10 in the ACC and 10-14 overall after a fourth straight loss. Dereon Seabron, hampered by a sore neck the past few days, had 14 points but most came late in the game. Casey Morsell and Cam Hayes each had 11 points off the bench, but senior Jericole Hellems was held without a point as the Pack shot a season-low 29.9 percent from the field.
“Tough game for us in that we didn’t have our big three play well,” head coach Kevin Keatts said. “I thought Terquavion Smith did. But you look at Seabron and you look at Jericole, then did not have great games. Those three, when they don’t play great, it’s always a tough situation for us. Even when they play well, we still need one or two guys to play well in order to have a chance to win.”
Atkinson had 15 points and 10 rebounds and Dane Goodwin 12 points and 10 boards. Blake Wesley added 14 points, Prentiss Hubb 13 and Trey Wertz 12.
Laszewski had 18 points and 11 rebounds to lead the Fighting Irish over the Wolfpack 73-65 on Jan. 26.
Six-foot-11 Ebenezer Dowuona, who had started 21 of 22 games this season before missing N.C. State’s loss against Syracuse on Wednesday, returned to play 16 minutes, scoring two points.
Notre Dame (16-7, 9-3 ACC) has won six of its last seven games, losing only a Monday home game this past week to Duke.
N.C. State took its only lead after a 10-0 run about five minutes into the second half. Notre Dame responded with a 21-4 burst over the next 10 minutes to lead by 14. State didn’t get closer than eight thereafter.
NC State staggered at the start, making only two of its first 22 shots, and Notre Dame led by as many as 17 before the Wolfpack closed the gap to 33-28 by halftime behind 15 points from Smith.
N.C. State is home against Wake Forest and Notre Dame goes to Louisville on Wednesday.