Horne, Burns double down to carry North Carolina State past UT Martin 81-67

RALEIGH, N.C. -- - DJ Horne scored 22 points making six 3-pointers and DJ Burns Jr. and Dennis Parker Jr. each recorded double-doubles and North Carolina State beat UT Martin 81-67 in the first-ever meeting between the two programs.

Parker scored 14 points and grabbed 10 rebounds and Burns filled the stat line with 10 points, 12 rebounds, five blocks and four assists with just a single turnover and two fouls. Jayden Taylor added 13 points for North Carolina State (7-2), which has won all five games at home this season.

Jacob Crews and Jordan Sears each scored 20 points for the Skyhawks and KK Curry scored 14.

The Wolfpack led 46-35 at halftime before UT Martin got within 51-46 with two foul shots by David Kamwanga with 14:33 remaining, but they never got closer. Ben Middlebrooks made two foul shots five minutes later to extend North Carolina State's lead to 63-52. Taylor followed with a layup after Sears' turnover and North Carolina State led by double digits the rest of the way. Parker sank a 3 and followed with a jumper to make it 76-54 with 5:42 remaining.

Crews' jumper with 10:49 before halftime gave UT Martin it's last lead at 22-21. MJ Rice put the Wolfpack up by two with a 3 nine seconds later, and the basket was part of a 10-0 run in which the Skyhawks didn't score for more than four minutes.

NC State faces his biggest test yet when it hosts 12th-ranked Tennessee on Saturday.

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