By A.J. CARR
RALEIGH — There was a loud thud, there was blood, and there was dazed Dennis Horner’s Senior Day turning into a nightmare.
“It was scary,’’ said NC State coach Sidney Lowe, who watched from close range as Horner crashed to the floor after getting fouled by Boston College’s Josh Southern early in the second half. “I didn’t know if he would come back.”
With the mindset of a resilient boxer, Horner was determined to return. So after a trip to the lockerroom for “six or seven” super-glue stitches, he came back and helped the Wolfpack floor the Eagles 66-54 and close its regular season on a positive note.
“I was fine,’’ the lanky forward said, who looked better than fine. He scored 11 of his 14 points following the fall, including clutch baskets down the tell-tale stretch, to join Tracy Smith (19) and improving reserve C.J. Williams (14) as offensive leaders.
The victory -- framed by a sloppy start and strong finish -- pushed State’s overall record to 17-14 overall.
With the win, the Pack tied for ninth place in the final ACC standings, but will carry an 11th seed into the tournament starting Thursday in Greensboro. It’s not about seeds now, though. It’s about playing winning basketball, which State has done in three of the last four games down the stretch.
“It’s huge for the mindset of our guys to know we are playing okay and to learn from our wins,’’ Lowe said. “We need to look at how we played to win those. Hopefully we’ll take that momentum into the tournament.”
“This is a confidence boost,’’ Horner said. “We are clicking as a team. For us, it’s (about] coming out with intensity and not turning the ball over.”
In a grinding, workman-like game Sunday, State sputtered at the start with ball-handling blunders. But as BC ran its tight flex offense, the Pack eventually flexed its muscles enough to gain a 24-23 halftime lead despite 10 turnovers and guard Javier Gonzalez sitting on the bench 11 minutes with two fouls.
Then, less than two minutes into the second period, Horner went down and was led to the to the dressing room, where he exhorted the medical personnel to “please hurry.”
Fortunately, for State, several other players also stepped in and stepped up. There was the explosive Williams, attacking the basket and making key shots. There were Johnny Thomas (6 rebounds) and big Richard Howell (5 slick assists) chipping in.
Then, when it looked as if Rakim Sanders (11 points), Tyler Roche (11) and company might tilt the game BC’s way, there was Horner resurfacing.
With State trailing 50-49, he pushed the Pack ahead with two free throws, followed with a long three and later added a second trey as State forged a 62-54 lead.
During that decisive stretch the Pack played efficiently with its hands (no second half turnovers) and its head while BC coach Al Skinner lamented that “we did a terrible job defensively..”
“Dennis was patient and knew he had to move to get shots,’’ Lowe explained. “He realized he needed to keep moving and the ball would get to an open man, and that was him twice.”
As they clock wound down and victory was assured, fans in the RBC Center chanted his name: “Dennis Horner...Dennis Horner.”
Afterwards in the locker room, Lowe said Horner and senior Farnold Degand -- who also was honored in a pre-game ceremony -- thanked their teammates.
So instead of a nightmare ending at the RBC, “the night was special,’’ said Horner, who believes there could be a few more special nights.
Courtesy: Mark McIntyre
