The N.C. State Wolfpack pulled away at the start of the second half, going on an 11-4 run to take a nine-point lead at the 13:30 mark for the largest by either team up to that point. The San Diego St. Aztecs never came closer than three points after that, as N.C. State advanced to the third round of the 2012 NCAA Tournament, 79-65, on Friday.
2012 NCAA Bracket, NC State Vs. San Diego State Score: Wolfpack Pull Away For 79-65 Win
Chase Tapley and Jamaal Franklin combined to score the Aztec' first 19 points of the second half, and all but seven of the Aztec's 36 points in the second half. They helped their team keep close with the Wolfpack with key 3-pointers, combining for seven treys.
Tapley in particular came out motivated in the second half, with 14 points in his first 10 minutes out of the locker room. He showed no fear charging into lane among the trees as he finished with 19 points on 7-for-18 shooting for the day, all coming after intermission. Franklin led the Aztecs with 23 points, adding eight rebounds.
Despite excellent outings from its top two scorers, San Diego State couldn't quite overcome N.C. State's efficiency on offense. The Wolfpack shot 57.4 percent from the floor led by Richard Howell's 22 points on 10-of-12 shooting. Lorenzo Brown added 17 points and nine rebounds to help N.C. State win the rebounding battle, 30-25. C.J. Leslie provided 15 points, as well as several highlights at the rim:
The Wolfpack will face the winner of the Georgetown-Belmont game to be played later on Friday. Click here for a full printable NCAA Tournament bracket.
For up-to-the-minute scores on all NCAA Tournament games, please check out SI.com’s complete scoreboard.
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