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'Noles fall, 'Pack still perfect at new home

 
Published Feb. 3, 2000|Updated Sept. 26, 2005

Damien Wilkins scored 19 points, Anthony Grundy added 17 and North Carolina State held Florida State to 33 percent shooting on the way to a 68-58 victory Wednesday night.

The Wolfpack is 14-0 at its new home at the Entertainment and Sports Arena. The streak is the longest for the school since winning 17 in a row in Reynolds Coliseum from 1988-89.

The Seminoles have lost five of six after a 2-0 ACC start. Ron Hale, fourth in the ACC in scoring at 17.4 points, scored 12 of his 16 in the second half.

Wilkins came into the game shooting 27.8 percent from the field in seven ACC games, but the freshman was 6-for-7 from the field and 6-for-6 from the free-throw line.

The Seminoles trailed by 11 at the half, but closed to six early in the second half before a 16-footer and baseline drive by Grundy gave N.C. State a 47-34 lead with eight minutes left.

N.C. State closed out the game 2{ minutes later by forcing two turnovers that resulted in a Wilkins layup and a three-pointer by Justin Gainey for a 17-point lead. The Wolfpack made 10 of 12 free throws in the final 1:33.

The Wolfpack made four three-pointers during a 19-3 first-half run that turned a two-point deficit into a 27-13 lead 3:34 before intermission. Reserve Archie Miller started and ended the run with long-range shots and Damon Thornton came up with three blocks.

Florida State's worst first half of the season ended with 2-for-13 shooting with five turnovers in the final 13 minutes as Hale had four points. At one point, the Seminoles had one field goal in an 11-minute span.

The previous first-half low point total for the Seminoles was 21 against Seton Hall in the seventh game of the season.

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