RALEIGH, N.C. — In a thrilling matchup on Saturday, Samet Yigitoglu shined with a standout performance, scoring 20 points and sinking two vital free throws with just 18 seconds remaining, helping the Mustangs secure a 63-57 victory over North Carolina State. This contest marked the inaugural meeting of the two teams as Atlantic Coast Conference opponents.

With this win, the Mustangs improved their record to 15-5 overall and 6-3 in conference play, marking their fourth victory in the last five games. In contrast, the Wolfpack struggled to find their footing, suffering their fourth consecutive loss, which brought their season record to 9-10 and 2-6 in conference matchups.

The Mustangs started strong, heading into halftime with a solid 34-26 lead. The 7-foot-2 freshman from Istanbul, Yigitoglu, kicked off the second half by scoring the first eight points for SMU, extending their lead to 13 points at 42-29. However, after a strong three-point shooting performance in the first half, where they converted 5 of 9 attempts, the Mustangs struggled from beyond the arc in the second half, missing their initial six attempts.

Despite the Mustangs’ lead, NC State mounted a impressive comeback. They narrowed the gap from a daunting 15-point deficit to just three points, trailing 54-51 following a jumper by Marcus Hill with less than six minutes remaining. In a pivotal moment, Ben Middlebrooks grabbed a crucial rebound from Yigitoglu and was fouled, calmly sinking both free throws to bring the score to 56-55, just one point adrift.

In response, B.J. Edwards made NC State pay with SMU’s only three-pointer of the second half, followed by Yigitoglu sinking four consecutive free throws in the closing moments to secure the victory for the Mustangs.

Yigitoglu finished the game shooting 8 of 13 from the field and grabbed seven rebounds, leading SMU’s efforts. Kario Oquendo added 13 points, converting 4 of 8 shots and going a perfect 4-for-4 at the free-throw line, while Matt Cross contributed a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds.

For NC State, Hill led the team with 14 points; Dontrez Styles added 12 points and Jayden Taylor finished with 11 points alongside three steals.

Looking ahead, NC State will travel to face No. 2 Duke on Monday, while SMU will return home to take on California on Wednesday.