MIAMI, FL – JANUARY 16: FIUs mascot, Roary, fires up the crowd in the first half as the University of Alabama at Birmingham Blazers faced the FIU Golden Panthers on January 16, 2020, at the Ocean Bank Convocation Center in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Samuel Lewis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Jarkel Joiner and Casey Morsel each made six 3-pointers and finished with 26 points to lead North Carolina State to a 107-74 rout of Florida International on Tuesday night.
The pair combined for 19-of-28 shooting and 12 of 15 from long range. It was a career best for Morsel. Terquavion Smith added 15 points for N.C. State (3-0). LJ Thomas and Dusan Mahorcic each scored 12 points.
The Wolfpack entered shooting 56.1% from the field, second best in the Atlantic Coast Conference, and have posted double-digit steals in each of their three games this season. They shot 52.5% (31 of 59) and had 17 steals against FIU. Smith had six steals and three others had three apiece.
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A 12-0 run helped give the Wolfpack a 27-8 lead midway through the first half, and they led 57-32 at the break. Joiner scored 21 points, Morsel had 14, and each made a 3 on consecutive baskets to end the first half.
Denver Jones scored 19 points and John Williams Jr. had 14 to lead FIU (2-1), which shot 52.5% (31 of 59) from the field but committed 22 turnovers and was outrebounded 40-29.
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