Wolfpack Can't Hang On in Thriller Against Miami

Miami’s preference to play in the half-court rather than push the pace and its size inside forced Wade to play some unique lineups early on. Some of the levers he pulled worked perfectly. Others weren’t ideal, but the game never got out of hand in the first half. The starting lineup stayed the same, but the freshmen tandem of Musa Sangia and Matt Able got in the game quickly. 

Able was particularly impressive on both ends, holding his own against a physical Miami offense and proving to be a reliable option in the switching situations NC State faced. The freshman was equally sharp on the other end, making three of his first four shots, including a pair of 3-pointers to keep the Wolfpack attached. 

NC State worked with a defensively-focused lineup that included Ven-Allen Lubin, Darrion Williams, Tre Holloman, Terrance Arceneaux and Able. That group held its own on both ends, eventually tying the game at 29 after a 3-pointer from Able. The freshman guard ended the game with 17 points, tying Lubin for the most on the team.

Wade’s trust in the freshman guard continued to work in the first half. He finished with 15 points, burying three triples, including one with just 20 seconds left on the clock. As the half progressed, the different lineup combinations began to find a rhythm and eventually pushed the Wolfpack to a five-point advantage after 20 minutes.

Surviving the paint dominance 

The Hurricanes' identity revolves around establishing dominance in the paint, securing offensive rebounds and being physical with other teams to the point of discomfort. The Wolfpack hasn’t been particularly strong or consistent in any of those three areas, which created some concern for Wade heading into the matchup. 

Still, NC State made up for the disadvantages inside in other ways. Free-throw shooting proved to be a difference-maker early on, as the Pack buried its first seven foul shots, while Miami missed five of its first seven. The Hurricanes outrebounded State 20-13 in the first half, with 11 of those boards coming on the offensive end. 

The combination of Malik Reneau and Shelton Henderson proved highly problematic for the Wolfpack, with that pair scoring 27 points in the first 20 minutes. That duo gave Miami a sizable advantage in the paint, but the Pack responded by shooting 5-of-13 from 3-point range in the opening half to stay attached and ultimately take a lead.

Lubin held his own inside, offering steady resistance without fouling. He blocked four shots in the first half, finishing the game with those four. However, Miami was on the attack in the second half, crushing the Wolfpack on the glass in the first eight minutes of the period.

A McNeil barrage 

After going scoreless in the first half, Paul McNeil found his shooting stroke again quickly. The sophomore guard buried a difficult step-back 3-pointer to open up the second half. That first make opened up the floodgates, as he made three of his next four attempts from deep. The sharpshooter seemed to be more accurate with a hand in his face. 

McNeil finished the game with 14 points, making key shot after key shot to try to keep the Wolfpack in the fight against a feisty Miami team. 

Frenetic six-minute game

The ‘Cardiac Pack’ returned to form, producing yet another dramatic finish in the final six minutes of the game. The game was chippy throughout the first 34 minutes, but tensions finally boiled over late with just over five minutes to play. Williams and Miami guard Tre Donaldson got into a scuffle over a loose ball at mid-court. The play resulted in a technical for Williams, creating some serious juice in the Lenovo Center crowd. 

Trailing by four, the Wolfpack needed a response. Williams, still fired up from his fracas with Donaldson, drove right into the teeth of the Hurricane defense and came up with a finish. On the other end, the raucous crowd contributed to two missed free throws. The final eruption came when Lubin finished through contact with Miami center Ernest Udeh and converted an and-one to give the Pack a one-point lead with 4:34 on the clock. 

Lubin came up with several key rebounds down the stretch and managed to finish inside one again, putting the Wolfpack up seven with around a minute to go in the game. The most critical play down the stretch came from McNeil, who rejected a transition layup into the second row of courtside seats after falling behind in the play. Even down seven, Miami stayed in the fight, cutting the lead back to two.

Donaldson missed the front end of a one-and-one, but the rebound went off NC State. He then missed an open 3-pointer from the wing, with Lubin collecting the rebound with around 20 seconds to play. It came down to dramatic free throws once again for the Wolfpack, with Copeland stepping up to the charity stripe. Copeland missed the front end, giving the Hurricanes one last gasp trailing by two.

Williams fouled junior guard Tru Washington on a 3-point attempt in the corner. The Miami guard buried all three free throws to give Miami the win. The Hurricanes finished the game on an 8-0 run.

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