RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Nolan Smith scored 22 points to help No. 4 Duke beat North Carolina State 92-78 on Wednesday night, avenging last season’s surprising road loss to the Wolfpack.
Kyle Singler added 18 points for the Blue Devils (17-1, 4-1 Atlantic Coast Conference), who dominated early to lead by 14 at halftime then turned away a second-half comeback to extend their recent dominance in the series. Duke has won 29 of 34 meetings with N.C. State (11-7, 1-3) since 1995 and improved to 5-2 against Sidney Lowe’s Wolfpack.
N.C. State earned a surprisingly easy 88-74 win against the Blue Devils last season in which Tracy Smith scored 23 points and the Wolfpack shot 58 percent. The Blue Devils held the Wolfpack to 22 percent shooting in the first half to build a double-digit lead.
Then, after N.C. State closed within five, Smith led a 7-0 spurt that took back control.
