Lees-McRae at NC State
On November 2, 2022, Lees-McRae men’s basketball traveled to an ACC opponent for the first time When the Bobcats faced NC State at PNC Arena.
Following pregame drills, the Bobcats gathered in the locker room to get their marching orders from the coaching staff. The energy in the room was palpable as each student-athlete prepared to kick-off the season against the first ever ACC opponent in program history. Entering his twelfth season at Lees-McRae College, Head Coach Steve Hardin urged his players to have fun, play within themselves, and bring high intensity in the first half.
The game started with a flurry of activity from the Wolfpack that propelled them to a 27-2 advantage midway through the first half. One bright spot for the Bobcats was the play of Justin Nichelson. The senior from Boynton Beach amplified his defensive intensity which led to eight easy points for Lees-McRae. Despite crawling out of a scoring drought, the Bobcats finished the half down, 55-21.
The Wolfpack were able to widen their advantage in the second half. Terquavion Smith led all scorers with 18 points and NC State went on to win, 107-59. Nico Ashley, a newcomer to Lees-McRae, finished as the Bobcats leading scorer with 13 points on 5-9 shooting from the field. Despite the loss, the game also functioned as an alumni event for the green and gold. Over 80 members of the Lees-McRae family attended the game to show their support and reconnect with their alma mater.
