Quick Hits from #23 NC State’s 85-74 Loss to Seton Hall

#23 NC State lost 85-74 in their opening game of the 2025 Maui Invitational this afternoon. Here are my quick hits.

• This team looked discombobulated from the jump.
  • Seton Hall’s defense prevented NC State’s half court offense from looking fluid for nearly the entire game, forcing them to take contested jump shots.
  • What do you do when you can’t get open shots on the perimeter? You take the ball to the paint. That’s a great idea until you run into a block party. Seton Hall racked up 9 blocked shots.
  • It was clear from the beginning of the game the Pirates wanted it more. They were more aggressive. They were more physical. They played with more urgency. They were more passionate. They attacked the rim with ferocity.
    • Seton Hall looked like a team that was hungry, and NC State quite honestly looked like they were bloated, having just rolled right out of bed.
• NC State couldn’t find a way to shake Seton Hall’s defensive pressure.
  • The Wolfpack shot 42.4% from the field
  • The Pirates made it hard for NC State to find good looks from the perimeter, and didn’t make it any easier on them when they penetrated. The Wolfpack never got into an offensive rhythm.
• On the other hand, NC State couldn’t stop the Pirate’s offense either.
  • Seton Hall shot 51.8% from the field.
  • Early in the game, it looked like the Pirates were going to run away with the game, sinking shot after shot from three.
    • In the end this wasn’t the case, nor why the Wolfpack lost. Seton Hall only made 31.8% from beyond the arc, making 7.
    • The reason Seton Hall constantly held off offensive spurts by NC State was through shooting high percentage shots.
      • The Pirates scored 40 of their 85 points in the paint, compared to the Wolfpack’s 26.
      • Seton Hall played slow and controlled when they wanted to control the tempo of the game, but they also scored high percentage baskets on the break, finishing with 13 more fast break points (22-7).
• Senior Forward Darrion Williams and Senior Guard Quadir Copeland both got into foul trouble, finishing with 4 each.
  • Freshman Forward Musa Sagnia was also limited in the contest, after smashing knees with a Pirate player.
• Senior Forward Ven-Allen Lubin led NC State in scoring and rebounding, finishing with 16 points (6-10 FG) and 9 boards.
• If I had to pick one player that left it all on the court today, doing everything they could to lead their team to a victory, it would be Freshman Guard Matt Able.
  • Able finished with 15 points (6-12 FG/2-5 3PT) and 2 steals (team high).
• The Wolfpack had two other players score in double figures.
  • Senior Guard Tre Holloman had 11 points, and Darrion Williams had 12.
• There’s a problem when your best player takes the 4th most shots on the team.
  • Williams made 4 of his 8 shots, but Lubin, Able and McNeil Jr. took more shots.
    • I’m not even saying those three shouldn’t get their shots, but NC State has to find a way for Williams to take more shots.
• Copeland led the Pack with 6 assists.
• Seton Hall was +5 in both second chance points and points off of turnovers.