Melvin Council Jr. Erupts for 36 as No. 19 Kansas Outlasts NC State in Overtime Thriller
RALEIGH - Sometimes a player gets hot. And then sometimes, he catches fire in a way that rewrites the scouting report in real time.
That’s exactly what happened Saturday night at the Lenovo Center, where Kansas guard Melvin Council Jr. delivered a career-defining performance, pouring in 36 points - including a staggering nine 3-pointers - to lead No. 19 Kansas past NC State, 77-76 in overtime.
Council, who came into the game shooting just 18.5% from deep on the season (5-for-27), flipped the script in a way that left both teams stunned. He knocked down 9-of-15 from beyond the arc, scoring Kansas’ final 13 points in regulation and another clutch triple to open the extra period. It was the kind of performance that doesn’t just win games - it silences gyms.
“We had one guy that was probably the best performer that I think I’ve had on the road in my 23 years at Kansas,” said Jayhawks head coach Bill Self. “He was unbelievable and made hard shots. They dared him to shoot.”
That dare turned into a nightmare for NC State.
The Wolfpack had their chances late. Darrion Williams, who hit several clutch shots down the stretch, had two clean looks to win it - one with three seconds left in overtime and another at the buzzer - but both missed the mark. Williams finished with 17 points and 10 rebounds, showing why he was the ACC’s preseason player of the year, but it wasn’t quite enough to overcome Council’s eruption.
Williams had tied the game at 66 with a deep three in the final minute of regulation, then scored immediately off the overtime tip. He knocked down two more triples in the extra frame, keeping NC State within striking distance until the final horn.
But Council just kept answering.
Early in the game, NC State’s defensive approach was clear - sag off Council and dare him to shoot. It was a calculated risk based on the numbers, and it backfired in spectacular fashion.
“The scouting report on him was to just kind of sag off him a little bit,” said NC State forward Ven-Allen Lubin. “Coaches saw that he wasn’t a really good 3-point shooter, so we kind of wanted to dare him to take those shots.”
After Council hit his third triple in the first half, NC State adjusted. Head coach Will Wade called it the “line of demarcation.” But by then, the floodgates were open.
“He’ll tell his grandkids about that one,” Wade said afterward.
Kansas needed every one of Council’s buckets. Star freshman Darryn Peterson, who scored 17 points, was limited in the second half and didn’t play in overtime due to what appeared to be hamstring tightness. With Peterson sidelined, Council took full control of the offense.
The game was tied at 66 when Council missed a runner and Kansas big man Flory Bidunga couldn’t finish the putback in the final seconds of regulation. NC State had a chance to win it in regulation, but Quadir Copeland’s floater at the buzzer came up short, sending the game to overtime.
Copeland had a strong all-around game for the Wolfpack, finishing with 19 points, eight rebounds and six assists. Lubin added 16 points and 11 boards, notching his 13th career double-double.
Despite the loss, NC State showed plenty of fight. The Wolfpack are now 7-4 under first-year head coach Will Wade, but they’re still searching for a marquee win. They’re 0-4 against teams from the top five conferences, and this one - against a ranked Kansas team - was there for the taking.
Kansas, now 8-3, has had an up-and-down non-conference slate. The Jayhawks have dropped games to North Carolina and Duke but notched wins over Notre Dame and Syracuse. Saturday’s win adds to their recent dominance over the Triangle’s ACC programs - Kansas swept NC State, UNC, and Duke last season in home-and-home matchups.
Self made it clear he’d like to keep those matchups going.
“Anytime you can play those three … and you throw Louisville in the mix, I mean those are four teams that would be great home and homes,” he said.
But on this night, it wasn’t about the rivalry or the schedule. It was about Melvin Council Jr. - a player who came in cold from deep and left the building with a performance that won’t soon be forgotten.
Sometimes, all it takes is one night to change everything.