NC State Finds Its Fire in Win Over Liberty
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RALEIGH — NC State head coach Will Wade said he engaged in what he called a "hostile takeover" of the team after the team's skid between the Maui Invitational and the ACC/SEC Challenge. Whatever that entailed seemed to work for the Wolfpack in Wednesday's 85-45 win over the Liberty Flames.
The Pack attacked with ferocious defense and limited one of the nation's most unique and, at times, high-powered offenses to a season-low scoring output.
A full-court blitz
Entering the matchup, Liberty’s 3-point shooting ability and deliberately paced offense were major concerns for the Wolfpack defense, as the team struggled against both of those styles throughout the first few weeks of the season. Wade had his team ready for the Flames' style and countered it with some of the best full-court pressure the Wolfpack has shown all season.
The Flames' average possession for the season was just over 18 seconds long. Instead of having that luxury, the Wolfpack made it so Liberty’s sets couldn’t begin until there were already closer to 20 seconds left on the shot clock. NC State forced seven first-half turnovers and even got some quality rim protection from senior Ven-Allen Lubin and freshman Musa Sagnia.
NC State held the Flames to just 19 first-half points. It was the fewest an opponent scored on the Wolfpack in a first half all season. Liberty shot just three free throws and made eight shots from the field, shooting 30%. After scoring over 90 points in four of their first eight games, the Flames were on pace to score just 38 when the horn sounded.
As for the turnovers, the Flames came into the matchup averaging turnovers on just 13% of their possessions. Liberty ended the loss with 17 giveaways, a new season-worst.
Matchup hunting
With the Wolfpack’s distinct size advantage, Wade implored his team to hunt matchups that NC State’s larger players could take advantage of. The ball movement was zippy in the first half, but the group mixed it well with a concerted effort to attack the rim, scoring 26 points in the paint to open the game.
Quadir Copeland and Tre Holloman were on the attack from the moment the ball was tipped into the hands of Darrion Williams. One of the highlights of the night came when Copeland hung in the air through contact, before looping the ball under the basket and in, before sinking the free throw to complete the and-one opportunity. Copeland scored eight in the first 20 minutes before finishing the game 11 points, seven assists and seven rebounds.
Q making the circus shot look easy. pic.twitter.com/2NAlaqH7Ru
— NC State Men's Basketball (@PackMensBball) December 11, 2025
Williams hunted shots early, but started the game just 1-for-6 from the field. He picked up a second foul in the latter part of the first half, which forced him to the bench for an extended period. It was not a problem for the Wolfpack, which rode the hot hands of Copeland and Holloman, who scored all 11 of his points in the half.
The second half didn't offer much improvement for Liberty, as the Wolfpack continued to attack relentlessly, although the full-court pressure eased up slightly. NC State finished the game with 42 points in the paint and outrebounded Liberty 42-31.
Coming out of the slump?
Paul McNeil, who Wade benched in favor of reserve center Scottie Ebube in the UNCA win, showed signs of coming out of his recent, somewhat short-lived slump. The sharpshooting sophomore was scoreless in the first half, taking just one shot from beyond the arc. Within the first 40 seconds of the second half, McNeil fired away again and drilled it. Less than five minutes in, he already made a trio of triples. He finished with nine points and a pair of rebounds.
Williams also ripped the cords with a 3-pointer of his own, as he continued to work his way out of a slump in the second half. However, the part of Williams’ game that Wade appreciates most was on full display: his unselfishness. The star forward racked up three assists and eight rebounds to go along with his nine points. The offense had a palpable hum with him at the point of attack.
Q ➡️ DWill. pic.twitter.com/VMuleJGIzm
— NC State Men's Basketball (@PackMensBball) December 11, 2025
The team also showed some improved 3-point shooting as a group. The Wolfpack began the game shooting 7-of-16 from 3-point range and ultimately finished 10-24 on the night, good for 42%.
As the game got more out of hand for the Flames, Wade was able to experiment with more rotations and get players like Alyn Breed and Terrance Arceneaux extended playing time. Arceneaux's defensive effort was crucial in the press, while Breed continued to offer a steady hand as the team's point guard off the bench. Arceneaux scored eight points, while Breed added six and three assists.
Final word
WATCH OUT FOR MUSA! pic.twitter.com/IXZg26iQhj
— NC State Men's Basketball (@PackMensBball) December 11, 2025
The win marked one of the more dominant outings of the season for the Wolfpack, especially on the defensive end. NC State held Liberty's leading scorer, Brett Decker, to just 12 points on the night. Matt Able and Lubin paced the Wolfpack in the scoring column, each finishing with 13.
Having survived a talented mid-major opponent in style, the Wolfpack will turn its gaze to No. 19 Kansas, as the Jayhawks will be in the Lenovo Center for a primetime matchup on Saturday. That game is scheduled for 5:30 P.M. EST and will be televised on ESPN.
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Tucker Sennett graduated summa cum laude with a B.A. in Sports Journalism from the esteemed Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University. A former basketball player, he has gained valuable experience working at Cronkite News and brings a deep passion for sports and reporting to his role as the NC State Wolfpack Beat Writer On SI.
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