Clark's Career-High 36 Points Not Enough in ACC Tourney Loss to NC State

Tuesday, March 12

WASHINGTON, D.C.

4:30 p.m.

University of Louisville

8-24,3-17ACC

NC State

18-14,9-11ACC

Louisville

NC State

Clark's Career-High 36 Points Not Enough in ACC Tourney Loss to NC State

March 12, 2024 | Men's Basketball

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By: Zach Greenwell

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Skyy Clark scored a career-high 36 points, but it wasn't enough as the Louisville men's basketball team fell 94-85 to NC State in Tuesday's first round of the ACC Tournament.

Clark scored 18 points in each half and made 7 of 9 3-pointers – the most by a Cardinal since 2020 – but NC State netted 33 of 40 free throws and scored 22 points off UofL's 16 turnovers.

Clark's 36 points were the most ever by a UofL player in an ACC Tournament game, and the most overall by a Cardinal in a conference tourney game since Russ Smith's 42 against Houston in 2014.

He made 7 of 8 shots before the break, including 4 of 5 3-pointers. The Cards (8-24) led 23-11 after a 3 by Clark and still by 10 with 9:38 to go in the half, but NC State answered with a 15-4 run to take a 35-34 lead with 4:34 left.

Clark responded with another 3, and junior forward Brandon Huntley-Hatfield's 3-pointer from the corner with 46 seconds remaining helped Louisville take a 46-45 lead into the break. The Cardinals shot 66.7% from the field and behind the arc in the first half.

NC State (18-14) scored the first five points of the second half and led all the way until Clark buried another 3 to tie it at 75-all with 4:48 to play.

Clark hit yet another 3-pointer to cut it to 83-80 with 2:36 left, but the Wolfpack netted six straight free throws to put it away.

Huntley-Hatfield finished with 17 points, seven rebounds and a career-high four assists, while freshman guard Ty-Laur Johnson added eight points.

Casey Morsell paced NC State with 25 points.