What we learned as NC State basketball edged South Carolina in an exhibition
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Paul McNeil hit the opening and game-winning 3 to lift N.C. State 88-86.
- Wolfpack defense sagged early, allowed 36 paint points and lost rebound battles.
- Second-half pressure forced late turnovers and showcased roster cohesion.
Paul McNeil hit N.C. State’s opening shot.
Forty minutes later, he banked in the game-winning 3-pointer as the shot clock wound down, a situation the sophomore was never in last year. As the lone scholarship player remaining from the previous coaching regime, it felt right that he was the hero.
“That’s P2. He’s 70% in practice,” Wolfpack guard Quadir Copeland said. “We know what kind of shooter he is. We know what kind of player he is, and he’s not a person where you got to build his confidence. He already had confidence. He had an off shooting night in the first half. He still kept shooting. At the end of the day, he gonna go in guns blazing, and we’re gonna have his back.”
N.C. State defeated South Carolina, 88-86, in their exhibition Sunday, the unofficial season opener for first-year head coach Will Wade and his new roster. March is five months away, but the game in Greensboro felt like an NCAA Tournament preview, featuring all the excitement and emotion one would expect in a postseason contest.
The Wolfpack trailed by 11 points with 8:23 remaining, but didn’t let that snowball into a blowout. It used a 17-2 run and forced six turnovers in 6:21 to retake a two possession lead that turned into a win.
The Wolfpack lacked fire and defensive intensity in the first half, giving up 45 points to the Gamecocks, including wide open 3s from Myles Stute and Eli Ellis, and an easy layup by Kobe Knox due to missed defensive assignments. It allowed South Carolina to score 20 points in the paint and seven on second-chance opportunities. N.C. State trailed by seven points at the break.
“They sliced our defense up,” Wade said. “Our press was pretty poor. We’ve got a lot of work to do, but appreciate Paul bailing us out there at the end.”
A common issue, Wade said, was that players trapped when they didn’t need to, they couldn’t stay in front of Meechie Johnson, and there are still communication issues when it comes to understanding what the group needs defensively.
The second half featured a better pace and a defensive toughness expected from a Wade-coached team. N.C. State forced two shot clock violations in the first 2:46. It didn’t maintain that defensive intensity the entire time. It allowed South Carolina to score 86 points, after all, and score 36 points in the paint.
But, the team turned that on when it mattered most. N.C. State forced 10 second-half turnovers and five in the final five minutes.
Four players, led by North Carolina transfer Ven-Allen Lubin, finished in double figures. Lubin scored 18 points and pulled down five rebounds in the win, while Darrion Williams added 14 points — 10 in the second half — and a game-high seven rebounds.
“We did a good job in the six minute game, something we work on,” Wade said. “We’re down 7970 and walked it down to win, but we’ve got to make sure we don’t put ourselves in that position. … “we’ll get back to work this week and certainly try to improve.”
The Wolfpack details need work
Rebounding and interior scoring lacked a punch, two things that are correctable and often come down to effort.
South Carolina took a 45-38 lead at halftime due in part to its more aggressive rebounding effort. The Gamecocks out-rebounded the Wolfpack 19-16 at the break, though the margin felt larger, and took four more shots.
N.C. State’s rebounding effort was better at the beginning of the second half, but it still struggled as the game progressed. The Gamecocks finished with a rebounding advantage of 32-29, some of their boards leading to open shots.
Additionally, one of the team’s other obvious deficiencies came in the lane, its interior shooting sometimes lacking finesse.
The Wolfpack started the night 3 of 9 (33.3%) on layups, with Lubin and Copeland making the only first-half layups. It improved in the second half, finishing 9-19 (47.3%), and the team still had six tip ins, but this new squad will still want to improve its efficiency on what should be their best shots.
“I feel like [Wade] is definitely gonna focus on our attention to detail with things. That’s his thing,” Copeland. “He’s big on focusing on the little things and stuff like that. … I think he’s definitely gonna hone in on that and just get us all back on track.”
NC State has obvious team bond
Wade said in the offseason his team has “good fiber,” referencing the bonds that extend beyond the court. The players concurred, and Williams said the best teams he’s been on were the closest. N.C. State’s brotherhood was obvious early.
Tre Holloman high-fived every player when he came to the bench, and he took part in a minor scuffle with South Carolina’s Johnson. Holloman defended Copeland after getting shoved by Johnson.
The five on the floor gathered together during timeouts and before free throw opportunities, often putting their arms around each other and providing encouragement. Copeland was the first player off the bench when Wade called timeout, the team down 11. He made sure to remind them of their capabilities and keep them calm.
While hugs and high fives themselves won’t win games, N.C. State looks like a team that can stay together when it hits rough patches. That actually does lead to success.
South Carolina may be better than expected
The Gamecocks were picked to finish last in the SEC in the preseason media poll, but they showed a lot more toughness and skill than one might expect.
South Carolina had four players in double figures and took the Wolfpack down to the wire in a pseudo-home exhibition for N.C. State. Holloman, Copeland and Wade think USC will finish better than 16th in their conference.
“They got coaching staff. They got some good players. They shot the lights out,” Holloman said. “They should be good.”
Eli Ellis dominated the Wolfpack on both ends of the floor, scoring 23 points on 7-10 shooting and pulling down five rebounds. He also dished out three assists. Johnson also eclipsed 22 points.
The Gamecocks, as a team, shot over 50% for the game and rained it in from 3, while keeping N.C. State off balance. The late-game turnovers and 25 foul calls hurt South Carolina’s chance at winning.
“I think their guard play is much improved,” Wade said. “I think they shoot the ball well. Then [Lamont Paris] has got a flotilla of bigs. He can try every big out and see which one’s working that day. Whichever one works, he can play them. But I think they’re going to be a good team.”
This story was originally published October 26, 2025 at 8:16 PM.
