NC State didn’t just beat Presbyterian. It owned the paint, owned the glass and turned the game into a one-way track meet on the way to a 94-60 win.
The Wolfpack’s edge came from the kind of work that usually decides lopsided games before the highlight plays even start. NC State piled up 52 rebounds to Presbyterian’s 32, grabbed 20 offensive boards and scored 50 points in the paint. That 20-offensive-rebound mark was the program’s most since a four-overtime game against Nebraska in 2021 and the most in regulation since 2014.
Fifth-year forward Ven-Allen Lubin was the biggest force in the building. He finished with 21 points, 10 rebounds and 2 blocks, hitting 10 of 17 shots and setting the tone inside from the start. After NC State opened the game slowly and missed on its first several looks, Lubin took over by scoring the Wolfpack’s first 10 points.
“We know that we’re great playmakers, great scoring in the post,” Lubin said. “And so he just wants the guards to kind of get us a look. And so just for them to really execute that and find me early on, it just really helps, you know, get me into the game and also for us to get some offensive flows.”
That early stretch was messy for NC State. Presbyterian blocked four shots in the opening minutes and made the Wolfpack work for everything as NC State started 1-for-8 from the field.
But once the Wolfpack settled in, the game tilted hard. The defense locked down Presbyterian to 6-for-24 shooting in the first half, held the Blue Hose to 0-for-6 from deep and forced 10 turnovers.
NC State also kept Presbyterian off the board for the final 7:12 of the half and walked into the locker room up 46-19.
“Our guards, they fought,” head coach Justin Gainey said. “A lot of times their rebounds are the unclean rebounds, the longer rebounds, almost to 50-50 balls, right?
And those are toughness plays. And those guys were gritty, and they got in there and stuck their nose in and rebounded.”
Presbyterian came out of halftime with some life, ripping off a 10-0 run in the first three minutes. But NC State answered quickly.
Senior guard Christian Hammond buried a pair of 3-pointers, and junior guard Paul McNeil Jr. followed after a quiet start by catching fire from outside. He hit three triples, including a four-point play, and helped fuel a 16-4 run that shut the door on any comeback idea.
“It was mostly having the team telling me to keep shooting,” McNeil Jr. said. “My teammates keep my confidence up, so that would keep me going.”
McNeil Jr. added a double-double with 12 points and a career-high 12 rebounds. He was one of four other Wolfpack players to reach double figures. Darius Adams scored 12, Hammond finished with 13 and sophomore forward Zymicah Wilkins turned in a career night with 13 points and 7 rebounds.
“I brought my A game tonight,” Wilkins said. “Teamates helped me … and I got into it.”
NC State’s bench made a major difference too, pouring in 41 points. Gainey pointed to that depth as a key part of what this team can become.
“Our bench is going to be key,” Gainey said. “And our depth is going to be key, not only in games but in practice, helping us get better … iron sharpens iron.”
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NC State's Early Depth Is Giving The Wolfpack A Different Look
NC States 94-60 win over Presbyterian offered another early look at a Wolfpack team that is starting to show more ways to beat an opponent. Ven-Allen Lubin powered the front line with 21 points and 10 rebounds, while Christian Hammond, Paul McNeil Jr. and Zymicah Wilkins all chipped in with meaningful scoring and work on the glass as the Wolfpack moved to 3-0.
What stood out just as much was how the offense spread itself around. NC State piled up 50 points in the paint and got 41 points from the bench, a sign that the rotation is already giving the team a different feel than it had in recent seasons. The challenge now is whether that depth can keep translating once the schedule tightens and the competition gets more demanding. [Read more 🡒]
Philip Rivers Could Be Closing In On NC States Biggest Job
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Rivers has not publicly confirmed the hire, but he has acknowledged that conversations are ongoing about what comes next. For a program looking to reset after making a change at the top, the possibility of bringing back one of its most recognizable former players adds an unmistakable layer of intrigue, even as the final steps remain to be completed. [Read more 🡒]
NC State Has No Margin For Error Against Syracuse
NC States defense left plenty to clean up after the Duke game, when the Wolfpack gave up 238 rushing yards and watched Nate Sheppard carve through them for 217 yards and three touchdowns. Even in a game with a rare bright spot, safety Andrew Pellicciotta turned a missed 50-yard field goal into a 109-yard touchdown return, reportedly the first play of that kind in program history, but the bigger takeaway was how much ground the Wolfpack surrendered on the other side of the ball.
Interim head coach Todd Goebbel didnt hide from the breakdowns, and he also didnt sound rattled by them as NC State turns to Syracuse. The Wolfpack know the margin for error is thin now, especially if the defense is going to be tested again, and the next step is proving the preparation matches the urgency of the moment. [Read more 🡒]