1. Belmont Abbey scored 80 points, but were limited to 42% shooting. Most of their damage was done from three (9-21, 43%) and from the line (15-18, 83%). In the shots more influenced by defense, they managed only 19-46 (41.3%) on twos. The Division I average last season was 47.8%, so the Wolfpack did a good job limiting any interior damage.
2. Rodney Purvis saw his first action as a member of NC State. Yes, the team took an overseas trip during the summer, but Purvis hadn't been cleared yet. He had a mixed game, making just 4-9 shots and turning the ball over 4 times. He was credited with 4 assists, which was one behind point power forward Richard Howell.
3. NC State made 42 of 70 shot attempts (60%), but only shot 3-17 from beyond the arc (17.6%). They did their damage on the inside and on fast breaks, making 39-53 (74%) of their twos.
4. NC State turned the ball over 23 times, which is four more than their high from last season. But due to the number of possessions (see No. 5), this wasn't that big of a deal.
5. The final score was 105-80, which sounds like all offense and no defense. But this was an 89 (!) possession game. The most uptempo game NCSU played all of last season was 78 possessions. And even Seattle – the most uptempo team in the nation in 2011-12 – only surpassed 89 possessions once all of last season. NC State scored 1.17 points per possession, which is what the No. 8 offense in the nation (Purdue) averaged last season, only against real defenses. NC State allowed 0.90 points per possession. Last season they held opponents to that number or below just seven times.
