RALEIGH— The North Carolina State Wolfpack won one for the ACC Wednesday night.

With Maryland, North Carolina and Florida State all losing in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge earlier in the evening, tying the event at four wins apiece, everything boiled down to the Pack.

“We’ve got the best league in the country,” said Archie Miller after State defeated Penn State 84-76 as the ACC took the Challenge 5-4. “We just wanted to hold up our end.”

The Wolfpack led from the 15-minute mark of the first half. Herb Sendek got marquee performances from several players, but the headliner was Anthony Grundy.

The junior slasher burned the Nittany Lions for 29 points, hitting 11-of-12 free throws in the final two minutes when Penn State cut a 22-point lead to single digits.

He was also the surprise marquee player. Jon Crispin, a Penn State senior averaging 24 points per game, combined with brother Joe to score 57 points and nail 13 3-pointers a week earlier in an upset win at Kentucky.

Grundy was going to make sure it didn’t happen in the Entertainment and Sports Arena. He guarded Crispin most of the night and held him to 4-of-23 shooting and five measly points.

“I took it as a challenge,” Grundy said. “Coach really pushed me. He didn’t tell us the matchups but I figured I’d be checking him.”

Grundy had plenty of help. Big men Ron Kelley and Kenny Inge combined for 27 points and 24 rebounds (16 by Inge). And a new big man emerged in freshman Marcus Melvin.

Getting some playing time because of Damien Wilkins’ sprained ankle, he had his second consecutive double-figure game. He finished with 16 but made his presence felt in the first half, scoring 10 points in 10 minutes. He capped off a 40-33 Wolfpack lead at halftime with a vicious slam dunk after a Crispin turnover.

“With Damien going down, somebody had to step up,” said Melvin. “I’m feeling comfortable now.”

Wilkins wasn’t the only one sitting. Mike Bell, Cornelius Williams and Damon Thornton were all on the bench watching.

“We had a great team effort tonight,” said a very pleased Sendek. “We found a way to get through it. It was a gutsy effort.”

Salisbury’s Scooter Sherrill played eight first-half minutes but helped spark the first N.C. State run.

The West Rowan All-American came in at the 15:12 mark after Crispin’s free throw gave Penn State a 7-6 advantage. When Sherrill went back to the bench some 512 minutes later, State led 20-12. He drilled a pull-up jumper for a 14-9 lead, grabbed rebound and also fed Kelley for a basket.

The Pack ran away with the game early in the second half. Keyed by 3-pointers from Grundy and Miller, the Pack went on a 12-3 run. Melvin then fueled a 12-4 spurt, scoring six points on a layup, a putback and a left-handed hook. With 9:19 left, State was up by a whopping 67-45 margin.

During it all, Crispin kept firing and kept missing and no one was able to take up the slack.

“The Crispins aren’t the only guys on our team,” scoffed Penn State coach Jerry Dunn. “I thought N.C. State did a good job defensively on both of those guys, but there are going to be nights where people do that, and we have to have other folks step up. I thought that was the biggest difference.”

Sendek said, “I thought Anthony Grundy had his best all-around game. I don’t think he’s put together a better defensive effort. He played 38 minutes and logged 100 miles but still had the composure to hit the key free throws down the stretch.”

And the Pack needed every single one.

With 5 minutes left, State led 70-54. With two minutes left, the Nittany Lions had cut it to seven.

With the older Crispin shut off, former North Mecklenburg star Titus Ivory, a senior, took up the slack, scoring 18 second half points. But Grundy was simply too much.

Asked what he thought about Crispin being one of the best guards in the country, Miller said, “If you go by tonight, you have to ask yourself if Anthony Grundy is one of the best guards in the country.”

That question has yet to be answered but thanks to N.C. State’s heroics, the league is the best when it comes to the ACC/Big Ten Challenge.

“It is the second year in a row the ACC has won it,” said Sendek. “Hopefully, we can receive a little more credit for it than in the past and receive some recognition in the spring.”

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NOTES: Penn State is 2-1 while State is 3-2. ... The Crispin brothers managed just three shots beyond the arc, missing them all. ... Penn State center Gyasi Cline-Heard is the son of Garfield Heard. ... Sherrill was frustrated after playing just three minutes in the second half and 11 overall but added he will bounce back. For the season, he is shooting 53 percent from the field. ... Recently fired Wake Forest coach Jim Caldwell, a former Penn State assistant and friend of Dunn, sat behind the Nittany Lion bench.