Yesterday evening at the Lenovo Center, the North Carolina State men’s basketball team faced off against Virginia Commonwealth University in a rigorous game. For the first time this season, the Wolfpack had to fight until the end for this victory. The final score was 85-79.
In the first half senior forward Darrion Williams, who finished with 28 points, got off to a good start – allowing the Wolfpack to take the lead for most of the game, with the Rams trailing closely behind, no more than 4 points by halftime. Senior Guard Tre Holloman, with 25 points, sealed the win for the Wolfpack – going 6 for 6 on all his free throws in the second half with 18 seconds left.
VCU did not back down in this game, capitalizing on every bad pass and turnover made by the Wolfpack and ensuring strong defensive rebounds. The Rams kept the Wolfpack playing vigilantly the whole night. However, with 9:20 left of the second half the Wolfpack started to extend the lead, going from a two-point lead to a 6-point lead. From there, the Wolfpack remained focused on making free throw shots and rebounding.
In the post-game press conference interview, Tre Holloman, Ven-Allen Lubin, and Darrion Williams were asked how they stayed calm and composed during the final minutes of the game. Tre Holloman said that as seniors, they’ve been through many battles, similar to last night’s close game. ‘We stayed calm and breathed,’ Holloman answered, saying this is how they pulled off last night’s win. The next game for the Wolfpack will be Monday, the 24th, at Lahaina Civic Center.
