NC State Wolfpack vs Davidson Wildcats Match Player Stats On Mar 18, 2021

D.J. Funderburk scored 21 points to lead a strong interior attack as North Carolina State defeated Davidson 75-61 in the first round of the NIT on Thursday night in Denton, Texas.

Manny Bates posted 14 points on 7-for-7 shooting from the field, and Jericole Hellems finished with 13 points.

NC State (14-10), which has won six of its last seven games, moves to the quarterfinals of the revamped 16-team NIT. Its next game will be March 25 against the winner of Friday's Colorado State-Buffalo game.

Bates pulled in eight rebounds and Funderburk, who shot 8-for-10 from the field, added seven rebounds.

Luka Brajkovic finished with 15 points and five assists to lead Davidson (13-9). Hyunjung Lee added 13 points, Kellan Grady scored 12 points and reserve Mike Jones chipped in 11 points.

The Wolfpack broke open the game by making seven consecutive shots from the field in stretching the margin to 65-44 with 8:54 left in the game. Cam Hayes bagged two 3-pointers during the surge.

Bates, one of the country's top shot blockers, didn't have a rejection -- nor did any of his teammates. The Wildcats were content at times with aiming for perimeter production. They were 7-for-24 on 3-pointers, with Grady going 0-for-6.

The Wolfpack built a 25-11 lead less than 11 minutes into the game. Funderburk ended up with 14 first-half points as the Wolfpack held a 40-32 lead at the break despite Brajkovic posting the only five points for either team in the final minute.

NC State shot 66.7 percent from the field in the opening half, with Funderburk and Bates a combined 11-for-13.

Grady pumped in 10 first-half points, putting the senior guard at 2,000 points for his career.

The Wildcats made it a 9-0 run with the first four points of the second half. NC State countered with an 11-2 burst for a 51-38 edge.

It was the first meeting since December 2008 between the intrastate rivals. In that matchup, Stephen Curry's 44 points led Davidson to a 72-67 victory.

--Field Level Media