NC State delivered a statement victory Tuesday night, dismantling ninth-ranked Louisville 79-63 at PNC Arena behind a scorching shooting performance from Casey Morsell and suffocating second-half defense that turned a competitive game into a rout.
The Wolfpack (15-8, 7-5 ACC) shot 52.7% from the field and held the Cardinals to just 28 points in the final 20 minutes to snap a two-game losing streak and hand Louisville its second conference loss of the season.
Morsell Leads Offensive Explosion
Morsell, the Virginia transfer, went 9-for-15 from the field and knocked down four three-pointers to pace NC State’s balanced attack. The 6-foot-3 guard has now scored 20 or more points in three of his last four games, providing the consistent perimeter scoring the Wolfpack have desperately needed.
“Casey was locked in from the opening tip,” NC State coach Kevin Keatts said. “When he’s shooting like that, we’re a completely different team offensively.”
Jarkel Joiner added 16 points on 6-of-8 shooting, while Dereon Seabron contributed 14 points and eight rebounds. The Wolfpack’s 79 points marked their highest total against a ranked opponent this season.
Defense Stifles Cardinals’ Attack
Louisville (18-5, 9-3 ACC) entered the game averaging 75.2 points per game but struggled to find any rhythm against NC State’s switching defense. The Cardinals shot just 38.5% from the field and turned the ball over 16 times, leading to 21 NC State points.
Sydney Curry, Louisville’s leading scorer at 14.8 points per game, was held to just 11 points on 4-of-12 shooting. El Ellis managed 15 points but needed 16 shots to get there, as the Wolfpack’s guards consistently disrupted passing lanes and contested every shot.
“We didn’t handle their pressure well at all,” Louisville coach Chris Mack said. “They forced us into quick decisions and we played right into their hands.”
Second Half Surge Seals Victory
The game remained competitive through the first 25 minutes, with Louisville holding a 45-42 lead midway through the second half. But NC State responded with a devastating 20-5 run over the next seven minutes, sparked by back-to-back three-pointers from Morsell and a thunderous dunk by Seabron that brought the crowd of 17,408 to its feet.
The Cardinals never recovered from that surge, managing just one field goal over a crucial five-minute stretch as NC State extended its lead to 62-50 with 8:12 remaining. Louisville got no closer than eight points the rest of the way.
NC State’s bench outscored Louisville’s reserves 22-8, with freshman Cam Hayes contributing seven points in 14 minutes of action.
ACC Tournament Implications
The victory moves NC State into a tie for sixth place in the ACC standings with Florida State, keeping the Wolfpack firmly in the hunt for a favorable seed in next month’s conference tournament. With games remaining against Duke, Notre Dame and Syracuse, every win carries significant weight in the final month of the regular season.
Louisville, meanwhile, sees its cushion atop the ACC shrink with Duke and Notre Dame both within striking distance. The Cardinals have now lost two of their last four games after starting conference play 7-1.
“This was a huge win for our confidence,” Morsell said. “We know we can compete with anybody when we play like this. We’ve just got to bring this energy every night.”
NC State returns to action Saturday when they travel to face Wake Forest, while Louisville hosts Boston College on Sunday afternoon.
