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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) -- Justin Gainey missed three free throws over
the final 1:11 that could have put North Carolina State's lead out
of reach.
But those misses didn't matter after Gainey hit a jumper from
the right of the foul line with 1.3 seconds left to give the
Wolfpack a 68-66 victory over Maryland (No. 15 ESPN/USA Today, No. 12 AP) on Thursday night in the Atlantic Coast Conference opener for both teams.
| | North Carolina State's Justin Gainey hits the game-winning jumper with 1.3 seconds left. |
"It was tie game, those are the easier ones to make, I think,"
said Gainey, who scored all 14 of his points in the second half.
"I was open. I had to knock that one down."
The Terrapins (11-3) tied the game 66-66 on Danny Miller's
basket with 18 seconds to go. When N.C. State (10-1) got the ball
back, Gainey nearly ran out the clock and hit the 15-foot jumper
for the win.
Terence Morris' long 3-point attempt for Maryland missed at the buzzer.
Gainey was fouled twice in the last minute, but he didn't make
any of the free throws. But when Gainey had the ball at the end,
those previous misses didn't distract him at all.
"When Miller made that shot, that's when I stopped thinking
about those free throws," Gainey said.
The game was the first ACC contest at North Carolina State's new home, the 19,722-seat Raleigh Entertainment and Sports Arena.
Morris led Maryland with 20 points and 12 rebounds, while Juan Dixon had 14 points and Lonny Baxter and Miller each had 12.
The Wolfpack had lost to Maryland five straight times in Raleigh and in nine of the last 11 meetings overall.
"Anytime you beat a team that's beat us the way they have in
the past, it feels good, kind of like you've lifted the weight off
your shoulders," said Damon Thorton, who led N.C. State with 15
points.
The Wolfpack pushed the lead to 64-58 when Damien Wilkins hit two foul shots with 3:36 remaining, but Dixon made two baskets to
make it 64-66 with 1:21 to go.
"We had a chance at the end of the game to take the game into overtime, but we didn't play good enough defense. We made a mistake on the last play, and they still had to put the ball into the
basket and they did," Maryland coach Gary Williams said.
The Wolfpack, down 27-25 at halftime, opened the second half
with three straight baskets to go up 31-30. The lead changed four
more times before N.C. State went ahead 36-34 on Wilkins' free
throw with 15:56 left.
N.C. State increased its lead to 46-40 on Gainey's 3-pointer
with 13:00 remaining, but Maryland went ahead 54-53 on Dixon's
basket with 6:46 to go.
The Terrapins couldn't keep the lead for long, and Anthony
Grundy hit a 3 to put the Wolfpack ahead again 58-56 with 5:45
left. Grundy finished with 14 points.
N.C. State's new head football coach Chuck Amato, whose hiring was announced earlier Thursday, attended the game and received a standing ovation during halftime. Amato, a former player and coach
for the Wolfpack, was an assistant coach for national champion
Florida State.
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ALSO SEE
Mens College Basketball Scoreboard
Maryland Clubhouse
North Carolina State Clubhouse
AUDIO/VIDEO
Justin Gainey's jumper wins the game.
avi: 1001 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
Danny Miller gets the basket and the foul.
avi: 577 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
Damon Thornton dunks over the 7-footer.
avi: 529 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
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