Richard Howell kept ripping down rebounds and tussling in the paint until he came through with the clutch plays that helped No. 16 North Carolina State regroup from its first loss of the season. As for the rest of the game, well, coach Mark Gottfried had plenty of reason for frustration. Howell scored 23 points, including the go-ahead basket with 3:06 left, to help the Wolfpack rally past UNC Asheville 82-80 on Friday night. But NC State trailed nearly the entire game and couldn't shake free of the Bulldogs until the final minutes, turning what should have been a chance to bounce back into a flirtation with an ugly home loss.
