Box Score

RALEIGH, N.C. - If NC State freshman Julius Hodge was experiencing first-game jitters, it certainly didn't show. Playing in the first regular season game of his college career, the 6' 6" rookie from the Bronx, New York recorded a double-double as the Wolfpack opened its season in the Black Coaches Association Invitational with a 95-51 victory over out-manned Prairie View A&M.

NC State advanced to the winners bracket, where it will face San Jose St. at 7 p.m. on Thursday. The Spartans defeated Fairleigh Dickinson on Wednesday 65-57.

Hodge, who finished with 16 points and 11 rebounds, had plenty of company in the box score as the Pack placed a total of six players in double figures. Energetic freshman Josh Powell (13 points), guard Scooter Sherrill (13), point guard Clifford Crawford (12), guard Anthony Grundy (12), and forward Marcus Melvin (12) all made major contributions to the balanced effort.

And while Hodge may not have had any butterflies in his first game, many of his teammates seemed to be a little tentative at the outset when the Wolfpack fell behind 14-8 early. But the Panther bubble would soon burst. A three-point basket by Scooter Sherrill that tied the game at 14-14 ignited a 24-0 blitz that put the Pack in total control.

"We got off to a slow start, we kind of had glassy eyes," said NC State coach Herb Sendek. "Once we settled in and some shots started to fall, we loosened up and started to play a little bit."

And play they did. After Prairie View ace guard Greg Burks scored seven quick points, Sendek called on the defensive mastery of Cliff Crawford, whose ball pressure seemed to take Burks out if his comfort zone. And when Burks went south, so did the Prairie View offense. In falling behind 32-14 at the 5:07 mark of the first half, the Panthers missed 14 consecutive shots. Prairie View also added six turnovers for good measure during the decisive stretch.

"I think they went through a string there where they had 20 straight possessions where they didn't score," Sendek said. "That's what you've got to do, especially when your first few shots don't fall."

And once Prairie View started missing shots and turning the ball over, NC State got its running game in high gear. The points came quickly and in a variety of ways. Grundy hit a pair of two point shots and a long range bomb that ended the 24-0 run. Powell was active inside, grabbing offensive rebounds and scoring on dunks, layups and free throws. And Crawford always seemed to be in the middle of it all with disruptive defense and open floor prowess on the break.

"I thought Cliff was outstanding," Sendek said. "If you take last Saturday's exhibition and combine it with tonight, he has 12 assists and two turnovers. That is a dramatic improvement. His ball pressure was terrific, he's probably doing that as well as anyone we have."

Late in the half, Hodge showed the crowd why he was one of the nation's most sought after prep prospects last year when he scored eight consecutive points in less than a minute to blow NC State's lead out to 48-27. The Wolfpack's advantage at intermission was 48-29.

"I wasn't nervous at all," Hodge said. "I think the first four or five minutes of the game I was a little too anxious. I was trying to make the big play too fast. So I tried to stay within the framework of the offense when I came back in. I made some big plays towards the end of the half to put us up by a lot of points. Archie Miller with his great senior leadership was telling us that we needed to step on the gas and we couldn't just try to just survive this game. We went on a 24-0 run, that's a big run for us."

For obvious reasons, there wasn't a lot of suspense in the second half as the Wolfpack continued to pour it on. NC State shot 52.2 percent for the game (35-of-67) and owned a 51-34 rebounding advantage. Prairie View hit just 29.4 percent of its shots (20-of-68) including an icy 26.3 percent in the second half.

Hodge's debut was indeed smashing, but the pre-season favorite for ACC Rookie of the Year honors will be looking for more when he and his teammates return to the floor for a second round game in the BCA Invitational on Thursday night at 7 p.m.

"I think I scored pretty well and rebounded but I didn't account for any assists," Hodge said. "I kind of want to get five or more assists because I know I can pass the ball."

More assists and no jitters.