NC State 57 SMU 63: BY THE NUMBERS

NC State lost their fourth straight game today, falling to SMU 57-63 at the Lenovo Center. The Wolfpack is now 9-10, with a 2-6 record in the ACC, having lost six of their last seven games.

It’s nearly impossible to win when you shoot 29% from the field, which marks the lowest shooting percentage in a single game this season for the Wolfpack. Remarkably, the Mustangs shot the ball better by 14 percentage points, yet the Wolfpack only lost by 6. There’s no questioning NC State’s effort; they play hard until the final buzzer. The team entered the game ranked 10th in the ACC in field goal percentage, making 45.3% of their shots.

Winning also becomes a distant possibility when shooting 16.7% from beyond the arc (4-24). Coach Keatts favors the three-ball approach, but with the Wolfpack ranked 15th in the ACC in three-point percentage at just 31.5%, it might be time to reconsider the offensive strategy. Given the roster’s makeup, it was clear from the season’s start that this team was not projected to be strong in three-point shooting.

Despite having more offensive rebounds (14 versus 9), fewer turnovers (6 versus 15), and making more free throws (15-18 versus 11-12)—all key factors for victory—the dismal shooting was too much to overcome.

Marcus Hill, who entered the game shooting 50.3% from the field—fourth in the ACC—went 7 for 15 today and did not attempt a single three-pointer. Given his 25% accuracy from beyond the arc, Hill wisely plays to his strengths.

The highlight of the game might have been freshman Paul McNeil scoring a career-high 8 points. It was more about effort than efficiency. He made only 1 of his 5 shots from the field but was scrappy, which led him to make 5 of 7 from the free throw line. He also chipped in with 3 rebounds, 3 assists, and 1 steal in 15 minutes of play.

Dontrez Styles and Jayden Taylor were the only other Wolfpack players to score in double figures. Unfortunately, Styles shot 4 for 11, and Taylor shot 3 for 13.

Michael O’Connell, who shot 44.9% from the field and 37.5% from three last year, was 2 for 7 today. Despite not being one of NC State’s leading scorers last year, averaging only 5.7 points per game, his scoring was crucial to the Wolfpack winning their first ACC title since 1987, as he scored 10+ points in every game of the 2024 ACC Tournament. Although O’Connell’s role this season isn’t to lead in scoring, one wonders if slightly better shooting percentages could have swung a couple of these close games in NC State’s favor.

It’s unfair to pin the loss of close games solely on O’Connell. The same could be said for anyone on the team other than Hill, who has consistently shot well. The issue isn’t that everyone on the team has terrible shooting stats this year; it’s that the rest of the roster has been consistently inconsistent.