NC State almost pulls off the first big win under Will Wade, but No. 19 Kansas escapes with a 77-76 overtime victory in Raleigh.
The Jayhawks edged the Wolfpack after a dramatic finish at the Lenovo Center, as Melvin Council Jr. erupted for a career night with 36 points and nine 3-pointers, lifting Kansas to the narrow win. The home crowd helped NC State force overtime, but Kansas’ sharpshooter kept converting from deep to seal the result.
NC State (7-4) remains winless this season against teams from the Power Five conferences, a category whose success would bolster a likely NCAA Tournament resume. The Wolfpack previously fell to Seton Hall and Texas at the Maui Invitational and to Auburn in non-conference play.
Head coach Will Wade acknowledged the gap in big-game wins: “We haven’t won some of these larger games, and that’s a fact. We’re close, but we need to start cashing in on these opportunities.” He stressed that even as not every matchup becomes a referendum, the team must begin turning near-misses into victories.
Council, who had entered the night shooting just 5-for-27 from three on the season, went 9-for-15 from beyond the arc, catching NC State defenders off guard by occasionally inviting long-range attempts. Kansas coach Bill Self praised Council’s performance, noting the difficulty of the looks he hit and how his team challenged him to shoot.
NC State altered its guarding strategy after Council’s third triple in the first half, but the senior kept raining in shots. He added the opening 3 in overtime, contributing to Kansas’ late scoring surge.
On the Wolfpack side, Darrion Williams hit crucial late 3s but missed a go-ahead attempt with three seconds left in overtime and then failed to connect on the final buzzer-beater. Williams had tied the game with a 3-pointer with 38 seconds left in regulation and then started overtime with a bucket, later adding two more 3s in the extra period.
Quadir Copeland produced 19 points, eight rebounds and six assists for NC State, though he also turned the ball over six times. Ven-Allen Lubin contributed 16 points and 11 boards, recording his 13th career double-double.
With the score tied at 66 late in regulation, Council missed a runner and Kansas forward Flory Bidunga failed to secure the rebound on the last possession. Copeland’s floater at the buzzer also wouldn’t fall, sending the game to overtime.
NC State’s Devin Williams, who finished with 17 points and 10 rebounds, reflected on the team’s resilience: the squad showed more fight than in earlier battles at Maui or Auburn, where they struggled to rally back. Williams emphasized the importance of maintaining that competitive edge throughout the year.
Analytics place NC State with the toughest schedule in the ACC so far, a metric that could pay dividends as conference play begins. Wade noted the defense has shown tangible improvement, even if the results haven’t fully appeared on the scoreboard yet. He stressed that progress is real and that the team will be noticeably different in the weeks ahead.
Looking ahead, the Wolfpack host Texas Southern at Reynolds Coliseum on Wednesday and will face Ole Miss in Greensboro on December 21 in a key non-conference test before ACC play resumes.
Wade’s initial vision for NC State promised a swift reckoning for the ACC and college basketball at large, with a promise of NCAA Tournament contention. He reiterated that while the program isn’t where it wants to be, improvement is ongoing, and the team is on a clear trajectory toward becoming a steady winner.
The program’s schedule includes wins over solid programs like Liberty and Boise State, which could bolster NC State’s standing in the NET and enhance momentum toward March Madness. Wade, who arrived amid bold claims of immediate impact, remains confident that the looming payoff will arrive as the team continues to develop.
How do you view NC State’s approach to big games so far this season? Is Wade’s path toward turning near-misses into wins the right one, or should the program adjust its strategy to accelerate results sooner? Share your thoughts in the comments.
