How Melvin Council Jr. went for 36 points and why, if I had to gameplan for Kansas again, I’d run back the same strategy (2nd half)

Yesterday we went shot-by-shot to see how NC State defense played Melvin Council Jr in the first half of the KU game.

KU's Melvin Council Jr (19%-3pt), single-handedly beat NC State last night with 36 points (9-15 from 3pt range).

This marks the third unsuspecting role player to torch the Pack from long range.

What's going on? Gameplan? Execution? Both? We explore in this (video) THREAD 🧵 pic.twitter.com/77tnUi9jiD

— Pack Insider (@PackInsider) December 14, 2025

Today, we’ll look at the 2nd half.

Before we start …

It’s halftime. NC State and #19 KU are tied at 30.

Kansas just had their worst half of the season (30pts) as did their star, Darryn Peterson (5pts).

KU shot 31% (22% from 3pt range)

That is 14% lower than their avg FG% and 12% lower on avg 3pt%.

Big 👍

Really, their only pseudo-bright spot was Melvin Council Jr, who was 4-13 (31%).

But even that was 9% lower than this career average FG%.

So he hit four 3s and was 4-9 from deep. But if you’re NC State, you take that trade-off all day.

But this is high-level college ball. You can’t stop everything.

It’s a game of chess.

Everyone on the court was a high school superstar, so your goal is to move around your pieces in a way that their pieces become less efficient as a whole.

NC State did that in the 1st half.

If you’re Will Wade and his staff, you’re feeling good.

You shot 11% on 18 3s in the first half, and you’re TIED with Kansas.

Anyone suggesting NC State’s defensive strategy failed in the 1st half is … I’m going to say it… wrong.

Shot #15:
Wide Open 3 (miss, 4-15)
Defensive Execution: ✅

They are doubling the ball screen on Peterson, who finds his big slipping the screen. This sends the back-end rotation into motion.

Able makes the right read to stop the baseline cut. Holloman drops down to stop… pic.twitter.com/zdLdfHPq3o

— Pack Insider (@PackInsider) December 15, 2025

Shot #17:
Contested wing 3 (make, 6-17)
Defensive Execution: ❌✅

This one is complicated to grade.

First off, Able blitzes Peterson with Musa, but Able doesn't contain (bad). Peterson splits the double, causing Breed to hesitate to see if he'll need to help off. He hedges and… pic.twitter.com/VpUMikNSGz

— Pack Insider (@PackInsider) December 15, 2025

Shot #19:
Jumper in the lane (miss, 7-19)
Defensive Execution: ✅

Breed has played Council well since entering, but despite that, Council has hit 2 in a row on him (3 in a row total).

Breed locks in. Cuts off the drive, Council spins, Breed stays right in front of him and… pic.twitter.com/IZkVNk1ygJ

— Pack Insider (@PackInsider) December 15, 2025

Shot #21:
Contested wing 3 (make, 9-21)
Defensive Execution: ✅

NC State doubles Peterson, and he gives it up. It's rotated to Council.

He's now hit 4 of his last 5, so Breed comes out with a hard closeout, well-beyond the arc. No opening, so Council drives left, Breed cuts him… pic.twitter.com/u3m5U3plfD

— Pack Insider (@PackInsider) December 15, 2025

Shot #23:
Wing 3 (make, 11-23)
Defensive Execution: ❌

White drives right, and for some reason both Breed and Lubin go with him.

He's doubled, but for some reason, Copeland pinches in as well instead of denying the kick out to Council (who has now hit 6 of 7).

He's late on… pic.twitter.com/Fifsgq14pF

— Pack Insider (@PackInsider) December 15, 2025

So you end this half tied as well 66-66.

But it went a little different here. Council went 7-11 and 4-5 from 3. That's kind of crazy seeing as the degree of difficulty on his shots was pretty high.

Only 3 of his makes I'd consider 'wide open.'

He finishes regulation 11-24,…

— Pack Insider (@PackInsider) December 15, 2025

I know hindsight is 20/20, but if even then, Council really didn’t get white-hot until the 5 min mark.

Until then, he was statistically struggling.

And here is a take, you’ll hate…

If I had to gameplan against Kansas for tomorrow, I’d run it back with the same strategy.