RALEIGH, N.C. -- Guard Dennis Smith Jr. scored 30 points, including a pair of free throws with 16.7 seconds remaining, as North Carolina State defeated Loyola of Chicago 79-77 on Saturday at PNC Arena.

Smith, a freshman guard, also had seven assists. He has reached the 20-point mark in four consecutive games. Guard Torin Dorn added 20 points and guard Terry Henderson scored 19 points for the Wolfpack.

N.C. State (5-1) broke a 71-all tie when Abdul-Malik Abu's tip-in followed by Smith's steal and basket.

The Wolfpack used a 15-0 run spanning the two halves to build a 51-43 lead, but the Ramblers responded to reclaim the lead.

Loyola (5-2) led 69-68 with less than seven minutes left. The Ramblers hung close despite a late-game stretch without a field goal for more than six minutes.

Forward Aundre Jackson scored 18 points and guard Ben Richardson added 16 for Loyola. Guards Milton Doyle and Clayton Custer scored 12 and 11 points, respectively.

N.C. State scored the last eight points of the first half to grab at 44-43 lead at the break. The Wolfpack shot 58.1 percent from the field in the opening half.

Loyola shot 7-for-12 on 3-pointers in the first half, but had only one offensive rebound.

Henderson scored N.C. State's first 10 points, though Loyola held a 19-10 lead at the time. The Ramblers made eight of their first 10 shots from the field and later stretched their edge to 25-14.

This was a campus game as part of the Paradise Jam.