RALEIGH — Jericole Hellems drained six 3-pointers, scored a career-high 31 points and NC State outran Louisiana Tech 90-81 on Saturday.
All five starters reached double figures for NC State (5-1), which is undefeated at home. Casey Morsell and Cam Hayes scored 14 points each — Hayes with five assists — while Dereon Seabron and Ebenezer Dowuona scored 10 each.
Dowuona’s points were a career best and he added a career-high six blocks. Seabron added five steals.
The Wolfpack forced 14 turnovers while committing just six themselves and had 10 steals while scoring 20 points off Louisiana Tech miscues.
Kenneth Lofton Jr. poured in a career-high 30 points with a career-best 18 rebounds for Louisiana Tech (4-2), which saw its four-game win streak end. The Bulldogs were coming off a game in which they made 13 3-pointers but were held to 6-for-18 shooting from distance against the Wolfpack.
Keaston Willis, who tied a career-high with seven 3s earlier this season, was held to 1-of-7 shooting from beyond the arc and finished with seven points.
Hellems drained back-to-back 3s, the second off a Seabron steal, as NC State jumped out 8-2 and led the rest of the way.
NC State hosts Nebraska on Wednesday.
LSU 75, Wake Forest 61
DESTIN, Fla. — Efton Reid scored 14 points and sparked a big first-half run and LSU breezed to a 75-61 victory over Wake Forest in Saturday’s championship game of the Emerald Coast Classic.
Wake Forest led 11-6 after a 3-pointer by Khadim Sy with 12:18 left in the first half, but Reid slammed home a dunk that seemed to spark the Tigers (7-0). Tari Eason followed Reid with a bucket and two free throws and Brandon Murray, Xavier Pinson and Alex Fudge all hit 3s to cap a 15-0 run that left the Tigers leading 21-11 with 8:02 left in the first half.
The Demon Deacons (6-1) closed to within three points, but Eason hit a 3 to start a 7-0 spurt and LSU led 31-21 at halftime. Reid scored on a jumper and a hook shot in the first two minutes of the second half and the Tigers’ lead never dropped below nine after intermission.
Reid sank 7 of 9 shots for LSU. Darius Days scored 12 points, but hit just 1 of 6 from distance. Fudge came off the bench to score 11 and grab nine rebounds. Eric Gaines made all seven of this free throws, scoring 11.
Daivien Williams hit 12 of 13 foul shots and scored 20 to pace the Deacons. Jake LaRavia pitched in with 15 points and eight rebounds, while Alondes Williams contributed 14 points and eight boards.
The teams combined to miss 32 of 43 shots from 3-point range.
Gardner-Webb 87, Western Carolina 59
BOILING SPRINGS — D’Maurian Williams had 25 points as Gardner-Webb easily defeated Western Carolina 87-59 on Saturday.
Jordan Sears had 17 points for Gardner-Webb (3-3). Kareem Reid added 10 points and eight rebounds. Julien Soumaoro had 10 points. Zion Williams had nine points and 10 rebounds.
Marcus Banks had 10 points for the Catamounts (3-4). Marvin Price added six rebounds and Nick Robinson had eight rebounds.
Davidson 88, Robert Morris 70
DAVIDSON — Hyunjung Lee tossed in 23 points to propel Davidson past Robert Morris 88-70 on Saturday.
Michael Jones had 15 points for the Wildcats (4-2). Desmond Watson scored 11 points, while Luka Brajkovic pitched in with 10 points and eight rebounds.
Kahliel Spear had 15 points and nine rebounds to pace the winless Colonials (0-5). Jaron Williams added 13 points and Kam Farris scored 11.
High Point 90, Chowan 60
HIGH POINT — Alex Holt and Jaden House scored 17 points apiece as High Point rolled past Chowan 90-60 on Saturday.
Holt shot 8 for 10 from the floor. John-Michael Wright added 15 points, eight rebounds and eight assists for the Panthers (3-3). Zach Austin scored 11.
Jay Estime had 10 points to lead the Hawks.
UNC Greensboro 54, Vermont 51
GREENSBORO — Kobe Langley scored 19 points off the bench and helped lift UNC Greensboro to a 54-51 win over Vermont on Saturday.
De’Monte Buckingham scored 12 points with eight rebounds for UNC Greensboro (6-2), which earned its fourth consecutive home victory.
Ryan Davis scored 17 points for the Catamounts (5-3). Finn Sullivan scored 12 and Isaiah Powell grabbed seven rebounds.
Ben Shungu, the Catamounts’ second-leading scorer entering the matchup at 14.0 points per game, finished 1-for-9 shooting.
East Carolina 70, Coppin State 68
GREENVILLE — Tristen Newton hit a jump shot with a second remaining to lead East Carolina to a 70-68 win over Coppin State on Saturday.
Brandon Suggs had a career-high 25 points to lead the Pirates (5-2). Newton finished with 16 points, RJ Felton added 10 points and Brandon Johnson grabbed 19 rebounds.
Nendah Tarke scored a season-high 20 points for the Eagles (1-9), whose losing streak stretched to four games. Tyree Corbett added 19 points and seven rebounds, and Jesse Zarzuela had 13 points.
North Carolina A&T 73, St. Francis (NY) 67
NICEVILLE, Fla. — Marcus Watson scored 28 points as North Carolina A&T topped St. Francis (N.Y.) 73-67 in the Emerald Coast Classic on Saturday.
Watson made 10 of 12 shots. He added eight rebounds.
Demetric Horton had 18 points and six rebounds for North Carolina A&T (2-6). Jeremy Robinson added 11 points and David Beatty had nine rebounds.
Patrick Emilien had 14 points for the Terriers (0-6). Michael Cubbage added 11 points, and Tedrick Wilcox Jr. had 10 points and six rebounds.
Campbell 60, Stetson 58
DELAND, Fla. — Cedric Henderson Jr. dunked with under two minutes left to give Campbell the cushion it needed to hold off Stetson, 60-58 on Saturday.
Rob Perry scored at the basket and hit a 3-pointer with :20 left to get the Hatters within two, but no closer.
Ricky Clemons registered 14 points to lead Campbell (5-1). Henderson had 14 and Messiah Thompson added 12 points. Austin McCullough had six rebounds.
Perry had 19 points for the Hatters (2-3). Chase Johnston added 15 points. Christiaan Jones had 13 points and six rebounds.
Jacksonville State 93, Elon 81
ELON — Jalen Gibbs had a career-high 40 points as Jacksonville State defeated Elon 93-81 on Saturday.
Gibbs, a senior transfer from Mount St. Mary’s, hit 13 of 17 shots, including 10 of 12 from deep. His 40 points set a Gamecocks program record in the D-I era.
Darian Adams had 14 points for Jacksonville State (3-3). Brandon Huffman added 11 points. Demaree King had eight assists.
Zac Ervin had 18 points for the Phoenix (2-5), whose losing streak stretched to four games. Hunter Woods added 13 points and eight rebounds. Hunter McIntosh had 12 points and six assists. Darius Burford scored 12 and Michael Graham 10.
