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Final Score NC State 88 South Carolina 86
The Reckoning Begins!
Greensboro, NC – On Sunday afternoon at the Bad Boy Mowers Series at First Horizon Coliseum, The NC State Wolfpack began their first season under new head coach Will Wade with an opening exhibition against the South Carolina Gamecocks of the Southeastern Conference.
The Wolfpack, picked to finish 4th in the ACC preseason poll, enter the 2025-2026 campaign with tons of hype after hitting the transfer portal hard in the offseason. Preseason 1st team All-ACC pick Darrion Williams was the prize of the portal choosing to play his final season at NC State. Williams joins Tre Holloway, Terrance Arceneau, Paul NcNeil Jr. and Ven Allen Lubin to create a formidable starting 5. McNeil is the lone returning scholarship player for NC State who is looking to regain the form that earned them a Final Four Appearance in 2024.
The energy and the intensity was high right out of the gate as both teams sought to establish themselves inside the paint with Ven Allen Lubin beginning the game 3-3 from the floor. His 6 points helped the Wolfpack get off to a fast start with the Wolfpack shooting 40% from 3 early on. The Gamecocks would carry a 23-18 lead at the under 12 media timeout on the back 4-8 from 3-point land and a blazing 64% percent from the floor.
The Gamecocks would continue to hold the lead for most of the first half with their hot shooting from the floor. USC would finish the half shooting 55% from the field and 6-16 from 3. Meechie Johnson led the way for the Gamecocks with 11 points. USC had 3 other players with 6 points each to lead a balanced attack. The Gamecocks would carry a 45-38 lead into the half.
NC State came out in the second half with a renewed energy opening the half on an 11-2 run. 9 of those coming from Quadir Copeland. The Wolfpack would carry a 48-47 lead into the under 16 timeout of the second half. South Carolina responded with an 11-5 run of their own to take a 58-53 lead with 12:57 to go.
The Gamecocks hot shooting from the first half carried over into the second half as they extended the lead to 79-70 with 7:18 to go. The Gamecocks shot 60% from the field and 48% from 3 on 12-25 shooting. The hot shooting would not be enough though as sophomore Paul McNeil Jr. was able to free himself for a go ahead 3-point basket with just .5 seconds remaining in the game. NC State would take the win 88-86 to close out their exhibition season.
Next up is Monday November 3rd matchup with NC Central at the Lenovo Center.
Post-game Player Interviews
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