Raleigh, N.C ? The moment came when the outcome already was decided, yet that hardly mattered to North Carolina State’s Ilian Evtimov.

Looking over at the players for No. 12 George Washington, he saw the body language of an opponent that knew it was beaten.

“That’s such a good feeling to get when you’re on the court, and you’re doing that to the other team,” Evtimov said. “And you know that even though you’re ahead, you’re stomping, and you keep playing hard, you keep playing defense.”

Cameron Bennerman led five players in double figures with 17 points, Cedric Simmons got his second career double-double, and the 19th-ranked Wolfpack easily gave the Colonials their first loss of the season, 79-58, Friday night.

Simmons had 14 points, 10 rebounds and four blocks, and point guard Engin Atsur tied a career high with nine assists for N.C. State (11-1), which gave coach Herb Sendek the best start of his nine-year tenure. The best field-goal-percentage defense in Div. I held the Colonials (8-1) to 31 percent, by far their worst effort of the season.

“They’re one of the best teams in the country, and it shows in almost every statistical category,” GW coach Karl Hobbs said.

No. 2 UConn 111, Quinnipiac 75

Hartford, Conn. – Hilton Armstrong had a career-high 26 points, and Craig Austrie set a Connecticut freshman record with 14 assists.

No. 4 Memphis 90 Purdue 70

Memphis, Tenn. – Joey Dorsey had 16 points and 13 rebounds to lead the Tigers.

No. 5 Florida 84, Florida A&M 47

Gainesville, Fla. – Joakim Noah scored 18 points, and Chris Richard had 13 points and nine rebounds.

No. 6 Illinois 84, Tennessee-Martin 46

Champaign, Ill. – James Augustine scored 19 points, and his 11 rebounds made him Illinois’ career leader.

No. 18 Kentucky 71, Ohio 63

Cincinnati – Joe Crawford and Ramel Bradley had career highs of 23 and 16 points to rally UK.

No. 22 Wake Forest 87, Charleston Southern 47

Winston-Salem, N.C. – Shamaine Dukes had 11 points and tied Wake Forest’s freshman record with 10 assists.

No. 25 West Virginia 80, Canisius 68

Morgantown, W.Va. – Kevin Pittsnogle scored a career-high 34 points.