NC State basketball didn’t make it easy on itself, but the Wolfpack found a way to close things out against Mississippi State, finishing with a 77-74 win after ending the night on a 12-2 run.
The two teams spent most of the game trading punches, with neither side able to separate for long. Mississippi State brought the kind of edge you’d expect from an SEC team with nothing to lose, and the Bulldogs made sure NC State got a real test in Greensboro. For first-year head coach Justin Gainey, it was also a revealing debut in the exhibition setting, and he handled the late-game stretch with the kind of calm that stood out.
Defensively, both teams were locked in from the opening tip. The game was choppy, physical, and full of early turnovers, which made every clean look feel valuable.
NC State eventually got going behind sophomore shooting guard Darius Adams, who led the Wolfpack with 11 first-half points. The Maryland transfer shot 3 of 5 from the field and added four points at the foul line, using his 6-foot-5, 190-pound frame to pressure defenders, attack the rim, and draw contact.
Adams also made his presence felt on the glass, finishing as NC State’s leading rebounder with six. But the hot start didn’t carry through. He finished with 14 points after scoring only three in the second half, going 1-of-7 from the field after halftime.
Preston Edmead also gave the Wolfpack steady production. The sophomore point guard matched the team lead with 16 points and was nearly flawless, missing just one shot and one free throw. His night ended early, though, after he fouled out with eight minutes left in the second half.
Paul McNeil Jr. added his own scoring punch as well. The junior shooting guard from Rockingham let it fly from deep, taking seven of his 11 attempts from beyond the arc.
The shots didn’t fall at his usual rate, but he still finished with 16 points, with nine of them coming at the free-throw line. McNeil was perfect there, knocking down all nine attempts.
NC State also got a strong interior effort from Ven-Allen Lubin. The fifth-year center worked in the paint, used his footwork to carve out space, and consistently forced contact.
He went to the line six times and made 9 of 12 free throws. Lubin was one of the key reasons the Wolfpack was able to finish strong, hitting four straight free throws before adding a finish at the rim during the closing stretch.
The Wolfpack had four players finish in double figures, and one other returner added 13 points and five rebounds.
Still, the rebounding numbers were a problem. Mississippi State finished with nine more rebounds and piled up 18 offensive boards, a gap NC State will have to clean up moving forward.
The Wolfpack’s next exhibition comes against Lenoir-Rhyne University on Fri, Oct. 24, with tipoff scheduled for noon.
In Other News...
NC State Mourns A Program Icon Fans Will Never Forget
Chuck Amatos name has long been woven into NC State football history, from his days as a player to his time steering the program from the sideline. He was part of the fabric of Wolfpack athletics in more ways than one, with a footprint that stretched beyond football and into wrestling, and his influence was felt in a program that still remembers the identity he helped create.
Amatos impact in Raleigh included the kind of signature touches fans never forget, from the White Shoes Defense to the momentum he helped build in the early 2000s. Before and after his NC State years, he also built a decorated coaching rsum at Florida State, where he won two national championships as an assistant under Bobby Bowden, leaving behind a career that resonated far beyond one stop or one team. [Read more 🡒]