RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) -- Tracy Smith scored 23 points and North Carolina State took a break from ACC play with a 77-42 victory over road-wearing North Carolina Central on Saturday. The Wolfpack (14-8) improved to 84-11 in nonconference games at the RBC Center, which opened 11 seasons ago. This one was a mismatch on paper, but N.C. State struggled against the Eagles (4-19), who took the lead early and didnt surrender it until 6:37 remained in the first half. But a 15-2 run to close the first half gave N.C. State a 27-20 lead and N.C. Central made just two of its first 19 second-half shots as the Wolfpacks lead grew quickly. Smiths layup with 8:47 remaining gave him 23 points on 11 shots and put the Wolfpack in front 53-34. Smith was 5-for-5 from the floor in the second half and 9-for-11 overall. A winter storm helped limit attendance in the 19,700-seat building to less than 20 percent of capacity. C.J. Wilkerson led the Eagles with 16 points. N.C. Central lost for the fourth time this season by 30 or more points. Each of those defeats came against an ACC foe. The Eagles have yet to beat a Division I team this season. The Eagles, who are now 0-17 on the road this season, have one more season without a conference schedule before joining the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference next season. Dennis Horner added 13 points for N.C. State, which returns to Atlantic Coast Conference play on Wednesday at Virginia.
