NC State’s Defense: From Maui Struggles to Lockdown Contender
There’s been a lot of chatter lately about NC State’s defense-some of it skeptical, some of it flat-out dismissive. But when you dig into the numbers and watch the tape, the story that emerges is a lot more impressive than the early-season headlines might suggest.
Let’s rewind to where this narrative started.
Back in Maui, NC State hit some turbulence. The Wolfpack struggled on the defensive end in a big way, posting two of their worst defensive performances of the season.
Against Seton Hall, they registered an Adjusted Defensive Efficiency (ADJD) of 111.6. Against Texas?
A whopping 128.6. For context, those numbers would rank near the bottom of Division I if sustained over a full season.
And yes, it looked as rough on the court as it sounds on paper.
But here’s the thing-those games were NC State’s first real tests of the season. And while the early returns were concerning, what followed was a complete shift in tone and intensity.
Head coach Kevin Keatts and star guard DJ Horne both spoke about a “hostile takeover,” and it wasn’t just talk. The team went to work-early morning practices, an increased focus on physicality, and a clear emphasis on accountability.
The question was, would it translate?
Let’s look at the numbers since that so-called takeover began-because the turnaround has been nothing short of remarkable.
UNC Asheville: ADJD 98.7
This game flew under the radar, but it shouldn’t have. UNC Asheville shot just 37% from the field-one of their worst shooting performances under head coach Mike Morrell, who’s been at the helm for eight seasons.
That’s not a fluke. That’s a team making it hard to get clean looks and finishing possessions with discipline.
Liberty: ADJD 67.3
Now this one raised eyebrows. Liberty entered the game ranked third nationally in effective field goal percentage and featured one of the top three-point shooting teams in the country.
Brett Decker was hitting 58% from deep, and Zach Cleveland was dishing out nearly nine assists per game. But against NC State?
Liberty shot just 35% overall and 21% from beyond the arc. That’s not just good defense-it’s elite-level disruption against an offense that usually hums.
Kansas: ADJD 96.2
Kansas is Kansas-loaded with talent, well-coached, and capable of putting up points in bunches. But NC State held the Jayhawks to just 30 points in the first half, their lowest halftime output of the season.
Kansas finished with 66 in regulation, a mark only two other teams-#2 Duke and #6 UConn-have managed to hold them to. The Jayhawks shot just 43% from the floor, well below their season average.
So what does all this mean?
Over those three games, NC State has averaged an ADJD of 87.4. To put that into perspective, if they maintained that level across a full season, they’d rank as the best defense in the country. For comparison, Michigan currently leads the nation with a season-long ADJD of 90.2.
Even if you throw out the Liberty game as an outlier and focus just on the UNC Asheville and Kansas matchups, the average ADJD comes out to 97.45-good enough to place NC State around 22nd nationally in defensive efficiency.
That’s a massive leap from where they were in Maui, and it’s not just about numbers. The eye test backs it up.
The Pack are rotating quicker, contesting shots with urgency, and forcing opponents into uncomfortable spots. And it’s not just random hustle-it’s clearly part of a revamped, intentional strategy.
Even Kansas head coach Bill Self acknowledged NC State’s defense, noting how little his team was able to execute offensively.
So, what’s the takeaway?
Despite some early-season bumps and a few losses, NC State’s defense is trending in the right direction-fast. The metrics reflect it.
The performances back it up. And if they can continue to clean up some minor details-like backside rotations and closeouts-they’ll be in a position to make real noise as the season progresses.
The wins haven’t piled up yet, and that’s why some folks are still skeptical. But don’t let the record fool you.
The Wolfpack are building something on the defensive end that could carry them a long way. Stay tuned.