NC State’s Smith required to health center after UNC nasty

NC State star Terquavion Smith, a predicted first-round NBA draft choice, was required to a hospital after being stretchered off the court following a frightening fall in the second half of a 80-69 loss to North Carolina on Saturday.Smith suffered elbow

and neck injuries, the school said, and he didn’t return to the game. NC State coach Kevin Keatts informed press reporters after the game that Smith had actually been taken to a hospital, but didn’t have any other updates.”Our ideas and prayers right now are with Terquavion,” Keatts said.” It’s a very psychological scenario for me right now. … My prayers and my thoughts always go to my players in these types of minutes.” NC State’s Terquavion Smith was taken off the court on a stretcher and was later on taken to a medical facility after suffering elbow and neck injuries during Saturday’s game versus North Carolina. Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports With 9:45 left in the 2nd half, Smith arrived at his back after a difficult foul by the Tar Heels’Leaky Black. Smith was driving to the rim and Black missed the ball before devoting the foul.Black was examined an ostentatious nasty 2 and ejected from the game.Smith remained on the floor for several minutes as trainers took care of him prior to a stretcher was presented.”My hope and my prayers

is that [Smith] is not hurt,”UNC coach Hubert Davis told reporters after the game.”He’s an astounding kid

and player. You never want to see anyone hurt and injured. He’s a fantastic player.”In a tweet on Saturday night, Smith wrote:”I am fine value all the prayers and issue.”A 6-foot-4 guard, Smith is No. 21 in ESPN’s NBA draft rankings. He leads the ACC in scoring( 19.1 PPG )and is 4th in helps(4.7). He had scored 12 points Saturday prior to the injury.Keatts said he thinks his players dealt with the situation after Smith’s injury well. “Our people are really close, a close-knit lot,”Keatts stated. “I thought we handled it as finest we could.”The Associated Press contributed to this report.