REYNOLDS COLISEUM/RALEIGH—Although reared as true-blue Tar Heels while growing up in Eastern North Carolina, my brother and I jumped and screamed just as vociferously as 10 and 12-year-olds, respectively, the night N.C. State won the 1983 NCAA championship. So, it was one of the memorable moments of my childhood when, several months later, my family included an impromptu swing by Reynolds Coliseum during an otherwise innocuous weekday outing to Raleigh. Arriving outside the arena’s brick edifice, we noticed a side door standing slightly ajar. Seeing no one around, my father, brother and I stepped through, took a few steps forward and soon found ourselves standing completely alone on the Wolfpack’s then-Tartan home court. Wide-eyed and mouths agape, youngsters giddily ran to midcourt, taking turns touching the nets while shooting faux-layups.
The N.C. State men’s basketball team stopped playing home games in Reynolds in 1999. Nowadays, Historic Reynolds Coliseum™ hosts an annual “heritage” game each December, and this year’s edition took place Saturday against the Cleveland State Vikings, a 20-win and NIT team from last season that entered the game against the No. 25 Wolfpack with a 6-2 record. However, the Wolfpack rode some of that old Reynolds magic, along with a raucous crowd of 7.234, to an 80-63 win over the Vikings.
Five Wolfpack players scored in double-digits, led by C.J. Leslie’s 19 points and Richard Howell’s 17 points and 10 rebounds, the senior forward’s fourth double-double this season. Freshmen Rodney Purvis got the start over fellow frosh T.J. Warren, and Purvis obliged with 11 points while Warren chipped in 16 off the bench, including going 2-2 from three-point range.
The Vikings led early, and the game was tied 13-13 five minutes into the contest. However, a dunk by Leslie gave the Wolfpack the lead for good, and the margin that didn’t fall below double-digits after Scott Wood netted his only points of the game with seven minutes left in the first half.
By garbage time, even freshman marksman Chase “The Shooting” Cannon notched the first points of his college career with a last-minute 3-pointer. For more on the Morehead City native, enjoy this YouTube compilation of his long-shooting exploits filmed during his senior season of prep ball with the Miller Mavericks in Charlottesville, Va.
You must be logged in to post a comment.