NC State Implodes in Costly Loss at Notre Dame

NC State imploded in South Bend on Saturday afternoon, handing Notre Dame a 96-90 overtime victory in a game the Wolfpack controlled for nearly the entire afternoon.

The numbers are almost hard to believe.

NC State led for 38:38 of the 45 minutes.
Notre Dame led for just 3:25 total.
The Irish did not lead once in regulation.

And yet, they walked off the floor with the win.

The Final Stretch

Over the final 3:23 of regulation, NC State went 0-for-6 from the field.

In overtime, it only got worse. The Wolfpack shot 2-of-11.

Meanwhile, Notre Dame closed regulation on a 10-2 run over the final 4:10, forcing extra time and seizing momentum.

The Irish switched into a 2-3 zone late, and it completely disrupted NC State’s rhythm. The Wolfpack struggled to penetrate, settling for perimeter shots and missing three-pointer after three-pointer.

Defensive Slippage

For just the third time this season, NC State allowed an opponent to shoot 50% or better in back-to-back games.

Notre Dame finished at:

• 52.5% from the field
• 48% from three

When you let a home team shoot like that and fail to close, the margin for error disappears.

The Turnovers That Hurt

NC State took care of the basketball for most of the afternoon, committing only six total turnovers.

The problem?
Three came in the final five minutes, keeping Notre Dame within striking distance.

On the road, if you don’t put a team away, it eventually finds oxygen.

Individual Performances

Ven-Allen Lubin had his best game in a Wolfpack uniform against his former team:

• 24 points (season high)
• 10 rebounds
• 8-of-10 shooting

Quadir Copeland flirted with a double-double:

• 17 points
• 9 assists
• 5-of-8 shooting

Darrion Williams added 17 points and 6 rebounds but shot just 7-of-17 overall and 3-of-10 from three.

ACC Implications

Entering the day, NC State had the best odds to secure fourth place in the ACC, a spot that would earn a double-bye in the ACC Tournament.

After the loss, those odds plummeted to 12%.

A game the Wolfpack controlled for nearly 40 minutes may ultimately cost them a major postseason advantage.

Box Score