NC State (6-0) was a 19-point favorite over Mercer (3-3) last night, but only managed to squeak out a 4-point victory over the Bears, 78-74.
After defeating the first 5 opponents by an average of 38.8 points, no one expected Mercer to push the Wolfpack.
The close game could be a blessing in disguise. Going into the matchup against #25 Wisconsin on the road in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge Tuesday night without being tested prior would have been a rude awakening.
There are a lot of things to not like about the Wolfpack’s showing against Mercer.