RALEIGH, N.C. – Big runs in each half allowed NC State to pull away from Colgate 72-49 in a tough-shooting Monday night at the Lenovo Center. The Raiders dropped their third consecutive game, falling to 1-3 overall while NC State coming off its Final Four run improved to 4-0. 

Nicolas Louis-Jacques led the Raiders with nine points. Brady Cummins and Parker Jones each finished with eight. Defensively Sam Wright and Cummins hauled in five boards apiece to lead the team. 

COACH LANGEL'S COMMENTS

"When we're playing a team like NC State that applies so much pressure in the full-court and half-court we can talk about taking care of the basketball, being strong with the ball, and making good decisions, but at the end of the day you have to respond in the moment. We had some looks and shots by guys we want to be taking those shots that could've made it a different game, but we just didn't make them. We stuck together and fought hard. Hopefully we learned a lot of good lessons. That will be our choice in how we respond. The road stays challenging ahead. It's one game at a time. It's up to us if we can keep learning, keep growing, and keep improving."

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Colgate's defense was forcing issues early for NC State and a Jalen Cox jumper in the lane had the Raiders in front 6-2 four minutes into the game. Cummins and Jones were also in the scoring column, and Colgate held NC State scoreless for nearly three minutes of game time.
• A layup in the lane by Brandon Huntley-Hatfield turned the tables for the Wolfpack, who embarked on a 17-0 surge that lasted 4:39 to go in front 19-6 with 11:35 showing.
• Back-to-back buckets for Jeff Woodward and Louis-Jacques pulled the Raiders within 19-10 but it was a three-point barrage from there. NC State canned three treys over a four-minute span and the home team's lead ballooned to 34-13 with 3:48 left on the clock. 
• Colgate created some good looks from the perimeter but knocked down only 2-of-12 in the first half and trailed NC State 40-22 at the intermission. 
• The first four minutes of the second half had a similar start until NC State used a 10-0 run to establish its largest lead of the game 63-33 midway through the stanza. 
• Colgate emptied the bench late in the second half with all 14 players getting in the game. Blake Forrest led the reserves with 21 minutes of action. He finished with four assists, three rebounds, and three steals. Chandler Baker and Kyle Carlesimo added five points apiece. 

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
 

• Colgate shot 33 percent for the game (21-63) and 19 percent from three-point range (5-26). NC State finished with a 44 percent clip from the field (24-54) and 21 percent from behind the arc (3-14). 
• The Raiders turned it over 11 times in the first half and finished with a season-high 16 turnovers, allowing NC State to outscore Colgate 17-4 in points off turnovers. The Wolfpack held a slight edge in rebounds 41-37, while Colgate bested the home team in offensive boards 9-5. 

UP NEXT
Colgate (1-3) next heads to Cambridge., Mass., to take on Harvard on Friday at 7 p.m.