WRAL Sports Fan

College Basketball

Hickson Powers State Past Western Carolina

By J. Mike Blake

Dec 29, 2007

RALEIGH, N.C. — Freshman J.J. Hickson scored a career-high 33 points, going 10 for 11 from the field and 13 for 16 at the free throw line to lead N.C. State to the 74-62 victory over Western Carolina.

Hickson hit a free throw with six minutes left in the game to break the 55-55 tie and take the first lead of the game for the Wolfpack, which never again fell behind the Catamounts en route to its fifth straight win.

Hickson also grabbed 13 rebounds, had three blocks and converted four old-fashioned three-point plays for the Wolfpack.

In a game where the Pack hit just 5 of 12 in 3-pointers, Hickson’s teammates made sure to find the big man underneath throughout the game.

“I knew my teammates were lacking on the perimeter so I took it upon myself to go in and try to carry my team. I have to give my teammates credit for giving me the ball and trusting me,” Hickson said.

Hickson even hit the open floor for a few transition baskets, including a wide-open thunderous dunk that was started by a Courtney Fells block and Marques Johnson deep pass.

“I give credit to his teammates, the fact that they looked for him.” Coach Sidney Lowe said. “They knew he had an advantage down there, because we had opportunities where we had some outside shots but we turned them down to go to the big man inside.”

Turnovers were a key problem early on for the Pack, who had 11 in the first half but did tighten up in the second to finish with 14. State was extremely efficient on offense, amassing 20 assists on 21 field goals and shooting 52 percent from the field. Those numbers were helped immensely by Hickson’s dominance in the paint.

“Give him the credit because obviously he was working in there, but certainly his teammates were looking for him,” Lowe said.
It took State almost 34 minutes to take the lead from Western Carolina, coached by former Herb Sendek assistant Larry Hunter.

“I couldn’t be more proud of our team with the way that they competed today. We played with an extra bit of toughness and intensity,” Hunter said.

Hunter’s team hit seven 3-pointers in the first half to take the 41-32 halftime lead.

But the Catamounts’ shooting stroke turned cold in the second half, falling to just 24 percent from the field.

“At halftime they were shooting 50 percent. We had to cut down their shooting percentage and challenge their shots,” Hickson said.
As State got stops on the defensive end, it turned to Hickson the offensive end.

The ball went to Hickson, who had clear mismatches in the post, nearly every time down the court in the last five minutes of the game.
“We’re not a real physical type of basketball team. We don’t have those type of bodies and we’re young,” Hunter said. “We just got tired. They had more depth and size.”

State’s other big men, Ben McCauley and Brandon Costner, each scored in double-figures, 12 and 10 respectively. Costner also added seven assists, and it was the second straight game in which McCauley scored double-figures off the bench.

Saturday’s game was the second 30-point game in Hickson’s young career, having already gone for 31 against William and Mary in his collegiate debut. His 33 points were just two off the most-ever for any State freshman.