RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) DJ Funderburk scored a career-high 22 points to help North Carolina State beat Appalachian State 72-60 on Sunday.
Devon Daniels added 18 points and 11 rebounds for the Wolfpack (10-3), who made just 5 of 25 3-point attempts in their final nonconference game of the regular season.
One game after his first triple-double, Markell Johnson had 12 points, a career-high 11 rebounds and six assists for N.C. State.
The Wolfpack led 50-48 with 8:30 remaining and pulled away with a 12-1 run over the next four minutes. Manny Bates sparked the surge with two putbacks.
Justin Forrest scored 25 points to lead Appalachian State (8-5). Adrian Delph added 10 points for the Mountaineers, who shot 37% from the field.
N.C. State played without C.J. Bryce, who leads the team in scoring (16.1 points per game) and rebounding (6.8 per game). The team announced before tipoff that Bryce was in concussion protocol.
BIG PICTURE
Appalachian State: The Mountaineers were having a December to remember with four consecutive victories, including three on the road, and they gave a strong effort in their final game of 2019. Appalachian State played tough defense, as usual, but its season-long struggles on free throws (8 of 16) and 3-pointers (4 of 22) continued.
N.C. State: The Wolfpack aren’t as formidable without Bryce, of course, but they proved they have enough depth and versatility to survive in his absence. N.C. State missed several open 3-point tries, but its work on the offensive glass (outscoring Appalachian State 22-10 on second-chance points) was the difference in the game.
UP NEXT
Appalachian State: The Mountaineers return home for a three-game homestand, which begins Thursday night against Georgia State.
N.C. State: The Wolfpack play at Clemson, where they haven’t won since 2015, on Saturday afternoon.
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