The Canes found themselves as underdogs to open their conference slate, as the 18th-ranked Wolfpack brought a 12-1 record into the Watsco Center. Their lone loss was a 4-point defeat to #22 Wisconsin on 11/27. NC State also brought depth that would appear to trouble Miami’s 7-man rotation, as Coach Kevin Keatts’ squad typically runs 10-deep.
Despite the Wolfpack’s distinct advantages, Miami played a near-perfect first half, committing only 4 turnovers despite averaging over 12 per game coming in, and turning the Wolfpack over 9 times in the same time frame. Still, NC State was even with or ahead of the Canes for the majority of the opening period, until Chris Lykes sparked a 17-2 run to close the half by drawing 2 offensive fouls on the opposing backcourt, and then using those extra possessions to get to the basket on multiple occasions.