Instant Reaction to NC State's 75-63 Win Over UNC Asheville

NC State, losers of three of four games over the last two weeks, needed to respond after falling on the road to No. 20 Auburn on Wednesday. The Wolfpack showed more edge on the defensive end in Saturday's 75-63 bounce-back win over UNC Asheville and head coach Mike Morrell, another former VCU assistant who coached with Will Wade back in the day.

While some offensive issues remained, the Wolfpack held UNCA to 37% from the field in the game and outscored the Bulldogs 40-14 in the paint. NC State held a fairly steady rebounding advantage throughout most of the win and ultimately outrebounded UNCA by six.

Home court dubs. pic.twitter.com/PBBTqDHe7z
— NC State Men's Basketball (@PackMensBball) December 6, 2025

Veteran forward Ven-Allen Lubin propelled the Wolfpack with a 23-point, 12-rebound double-double, one of his best performances of the season for Wade and NC State. He got some strong distribution from Quadir Copeland and Darrion Williams, who combined for 14 of the Wolfpack's 21 assists.

On this episode of the NC State Insider Podcast, host and lead beat writer Tucker Sennett provides insight from inside the Lenovo Center on the Pack's win and also teases what's still to come in a crucial stretch through mid-December for the program.

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Wade's thoughts on the performance

Dec 6, 2025; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; NC State Wolfpack head coach Will Wade looks on before the first half of the game against UNC Asheville Bulldogs at Lenovo Center. Mandatory Credit: Jaylynn Nash-Imagn Images | Jaylynn Nash-Imagn Images

Wade broke things down about as simply as he could've. His group lost two of its three games at the Southwest Maui Invitational, then proceeded to lose the difficult road matchup against Auburn. The season was losing some momentum after the 4-0 start and Wade's group needed to be jump-started somehow. Clearly, he found some success in the two days between games.

"We just needed to win. I wouldn't say it was perfect. We just needed to win," Wade said. "It's been a rough couple of days on them, but we need to win. We've got a big week ahead of us coming up and we need to prepare and we need to rest. We probably don't need to see each other much for a while tomorrow and then regroup a little bit."

Will Wade and Mike Morrel — Dec 6, 2025; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; UNC Asheville Bulldogs head coach Mike Morrell meets with NC State Wolfpack head coach Will Wade before the first half of the game at Lenovo Center. Mandatory Credit: Jaylynn Nash-Imagn Images | Jaylynn Nash-Imagn Images

Morrell became the latest former VCU assistant who worked with Wade to coach an opponent of the Wolfpack. The pair both coached under Shaka Smart with the Rams during the Final Four run in 2011 and met as head coaches of their two Carolina programs. Wade discussed coaching against his friend and the challenges that come with it.

"He knows our stuff, we know their stuff," Wade said. "One of his assistants was our GA, too... We do have similar terms... The terminology is similar. It's what you kind of grew up with... He had changed a few of them. He's a great guy and he's a great coach."

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