Recap: NC State vs. Cleveland State

Raleigh, NC (Sports Network) - C.J. Leslie poured in a career-high 19 points to go with eight rebounds on Saturday, as No. 25 North Carolina State handled Cleveland State, 80-63, at Reynolds Coliseum.

Richard Howell recorded a double-double with 17 points and 10 boards, while T.J. Warren added 16 points off the bench for the Wolfpack (6-2), who have won two straight since a Nov. 27 loss to No. 3 Michigan.

"We found some gaps and holes in their defense," NC State coach Mark Gottfried remarked. "This is a good win."

Charlie Lee led Cleveland State (6-3) with 15 points and Devon Long donated 12 points and nine rebounds in the setback, snapping the Vikings' two-game winning streak.

"[NC State] is a talented offensive group," Cleveland State coach Gary Waters admitted of the Wolfpack. "That talent will allow them to win a lot this year, but I think if we hadn't turned the ball over unnecessarily, it might have been a different game."

With the game locked at, 13-13, five minutes into the contest, Leslie threw down a dunk to send the Wolfpack on a 10-1 surge that the junior forward capped with a 3-pointer to give NC State a nine-point edge with 11:08 left in the half.

The lead ballooned to 17 later in the first on a Warren triple and the Wolfpack carried a 47-32 advantage into the break.

Cleveland State pulled within 10 just over six minutes into the second half on a Lee 3-pointer, but Lorenzo Brown answered with back-to-back buckets to make it 61-47 with 12:30 left in the contest.

The Wolfpack held the visitors at bay from there, never allowing the Vikings to get closer than 11 the rest of the way.