WOLFERETTI: My take on NC State’s 110-64 beat down of UNCG

This team is so fun to watch.

First off, let me say that I think our first 15 minutes of this game were sloppy and lacked focus. But the fact that we could flip a switch and end up winning by 46 points just shows you that this team is different. This team can put up points like no other NC State team I’ve ever seen. Which brings me to my first point…

Darrion Williams is making this offense go…

Now, our offense is in the Top-20 (efficiency wise) almost anywhere you look, but they are ranked #1 on ‘Team Rankings’ so it’s safe to say that this offense can cook.

I think the main reason for this is the fact that we have Darrion Williams.

When Will Wade said Darrion Williams had the best metrics in college basketball (based on their rating system), I didn’t really understand. Williams averaged 15 points, 5.5 rebounds and 3.6 assists. He was, at 6’6, an undersized 4-man. How is this the best guy in college basketball?

Well, now I get it. Darrion Williams is a unicorn. He’s a certified bucket getter. He can shoot, he’s physical, he’s under control, he’s got amazing on-court IQ and he’s a great teammate.

NC State isn’t going into long slumps or lulls on offense and it’s mostly because you have Darrion. When you need something to happen, you give him the ball and it happens.

I mean, 32 points, 10 boards, 4 steals and 6-8 from 3pt range? I don’t think I’ve ever seen a line like that before.

And heck, over his first 3 games he’s shooting 62% from the floor and 65% from 3pt range. This is the type of guy that team’s who play deep into March usually have.

Paul McNeil Jr. is who we originally thought he was…
McNeil is a scorer and under Wade we’re finally getting to see that. He’s shooting at a high volume and hitting at high volume. Remember when we wondered who would start at the 2? Would it be Matt Able or Alyn Breed? Seems like a funny thought now, doesn’t it. Paul McNeil is a super star, averaging 20ppg, shooting 50% from the field and 46% from 3pt range.

What’s really been going through my head recently is how he wasn’t able to earn minutes on Keatts’ team last season. It boggles my mind.

Quadir Copeland is Julius Hodge 2.0
6’5 wrangly point guard from the north east with unlimited swagger, amazing vision, and a SUPPOSEDLY suspect jumper. I say supposedly because Copeland, so far, has shot the ball at an elite clip. His efficiency is off the charts. He’s shooting 76% from the floor and 80% (Yes, 80%) from long range. That’s good for 15.3 ppg. His leadership, his rim pressure and his style of play fits so well with the surrounding pieces…it’s hard not to watch him and remember those Hodge years.

Don’t miss the full story on Quadir Copeland’s journey »

The depth of this team hasn’t really been tested yet…but it’s going to pay dividends.
After every game my Dad calls me, my brother calls me, a few friends call me and we go over our main points and takeaways. In the past we’d be focused on one or two players in these conversations and how well they played. But lately, these calls have gone a lot longer. We’re talking about guys like Matt Able, who played well,  had 10 points. Musa Sagnia who had 6 poitns and 7 boards (including our first glimpse of him attacking off the dribble). Heck, Jerry Deng has been playing great. He missed a few 3s yesterday but still had 9 points.

But I think the bigger depth story yesterday was the play of Alyn Breed.

 

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With Tre Holloman ejected early, Breed came in and played so well.

This is a guy who at one point this offseason we were looking at as our starting 2 guard. He’s now an emergency piece, but heck, he’d have been one of our better players last year. He was so great with the basketball. No turnovers in 27 mintues. 4 points, 4 boards, 4 assists. Just a steady game from a guy who hasn’t been getting big minutes.

Lastly, we need to talk about Scottie Ebube.

We have a 6’10, 280lb center, who plays extremely physical, has great footwork and an always-on motor.

𝐋𝐨𝐰-𝐤𝐞𝐲 𝐡𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐠𝐚𝐦𝐞: Scottie Ebube pilfers it, then goes coast-to-coast and finishes with a euro.

That’s just our 6’10, 280lb third-string center… no biggie.

See ALL the highlights below👇👇👇 https://t.co/s52EbBqcul pic.twitter.com/IRBnee0vHq

— Pack Insider (@PackInsider) November 13, 2025

Ebube would easily have gotten 23+ mintues per game last season for the Pack and was in-line to be the backup to VAL prior to the signing of Musa Sagnia.

Point is, this team is EXTREMELY deep and can be puzzled together in many differen ways.

This is going to be an exciting season.