#12 seed Virginia Tech was able to hang with fifth-seeded North Carolina State into the early stages of the second half, but the preseason ACC favorites just had too much for the league’s last-place team in posting an 80-63 win in the first round of the ACC Tournament on Thursday.
The two teams traded the lead five times in the first half, and State led only 28-27 at the 4:54 mark when an Erick Green turnover turned into a T.J. Warren dunk that ignited a mini 8-2 run that allowed the Wolfpack to open a 38-32 lead at the break.
A Jarrell Eddie jumper at the 14:55 mark of the second half pulled Tech to within 48-42, but N.C. State went on an 11-0 run over the next 2:54 to break the game open.
Tech would not get the margin back to within single digits thereafter.
ACC Player of the Year Erick Green had an off-night, scoring 15 points, 10 points off his season average, and made just five of his 19 shots from the field.
Eddie led the Hokies (13-19) with 21 points on 9-of-14 shooting from the field.
Richard Howell scored 22 points and pulled down 12 rebounds for N.C. State (23-9), which also got nine points and 12 assists from Lorenzo Brown.
State will play #4 seed Virginia (21-10) at 2 p.m. on Friday in the ACC Quarterfinals.
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