Darrien Williams carries NC State past SMU in barnburner

Darrien Williams scored 25 points and Quadir Copeland had a career-high 16 assists and 10 rebounds as North Carolina State held on for an 84-83 win over host SMU on Tuesday in a wild Atlantic Coast Conference dustup in Dallas.

The Mustangs led by eight points at halftime but NC State (17-6, 8-2 ACC) rallied and swept to the front on Matt Able's 3-pointer with 10:57 to play. The Wolfpack reeled off a 20-4 run while scoring in 10 straight possessions and taking a 76-64 lead after a steal and three-point play by Terrance Arceneaux with 6:50 remaining.

SMU (16-6, 4-5 ACC) swung back, trimming its deficit to three points when Samet Yigitoglu converted a pair of free throws with 4:08 left. NC State was up 84-81 before Jaron Pierre Jr. hit a layup with 22 seconds left. Copeland then was fouled and missed both free throws with 15 seconds to play, giving the Mustangs a last chance to win.

But NC State's Tre Holloman blocked Boopie Miller's jumper in the lane with one second left, allowing the Wolfpack to escape with the victory, their fourth straight.

Able added 13 points for NC State, and Holloman and Ven-Allen Lubin scored 11 each in the victory.

Pierre led SMU with 23 points while Miller added 14 and B.J. Edwards and Corey Washington scored 11 apiece. The Mustangs have dropped two straight games.

The Wolfpack led by five points early on before SMU rallied to tie the game at 12-12 on a pair of free throws by Miller at the 13:29 mark of the first half. Those points were the first of a 7-0 run that, after a driving layup by Pierre, granted the Mustangs a 17-12 lead with 12:30 to play in the half.

NC State drew to within 24-22 on Copeland's 3-pointer with 8:03 to play until halftime. SMU parried, building the margin back to five points on Miller's layup a minute and a half later before Williams hit a free throw with 4:53 left in the half.

The Mustangs then created some separation with an 11-2 run over the next three minutes with Pierre punctuating the surge with a 3-pointer at the 2:03 mark. NC State swung back with five straight points by Williams to claw back to 42-34 at the break.

Williams led all scorers with 11 points before halftime while Pierre and Edwards scored 10 points each to lead the Mustangs.