Reacting to NC State's Late-Game Collapse Against Miami
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With just over a minute left in the game, NC State led Miami by seven points. The Hurricanes embarked on a miraculous 8-0 run, capped off by three made free throws from Tru Washington after he was fouled on a corner shot attempt by Wolfpack forward Darrion Williams. It marked a new low for coach Will Wade in his first season at the helm of the program in Raleigh.
On this episode of the NC State Insider Podcast, host and lead beat writer Tucker Sennett discusses what went wrong down the stretch, as well as wider takeaways from another game that slipped away from the Wolfpack's grasp.
Check out the new episode here
Wade discusses the loss
The 77-76 loss to the Hurricanes marked a new low in morale for Wade, as his messaging doesn't seem to be getting through to his team. While the 2025-26 season hasn't been devoid of success and the Wolfpack still sits at 18-8 in his first year as the coach, he feels as though his standards are not being met and the Miami loss was a microcosm of a larger issue.
"We have no identity. That's an indictment on (me)," Wade said. "We have no identity outside of making jump shots. That's a bad, bay way to have to play. We gave up 26 offensive rebounds against Pittsburgh. We gave up 20 offensive rebounds today. Tuesday, they'll be able to pick how many offensive rebounds they get. Just pick a number out of thin air and go get it."
The loss wasn't completely devoid of bright spots. Freshman guard Matt Able scored a career-high 17 points in the victory, displaying his growth in a way that Wade appreciated. 15 of the freshman's points came in the first half, keeping the Wolfpack afloat as it got comfortable in the game from an offensive standpoint.
"I thought Matt was really good," Wade said. "He had a great first half, made some big plays in the second half. He's coming along. He's doing a good job... I'm really proud of him. He does play with some toughness. He does play with an edge. He's got some good stuff to him."
Wade, Able and the rest of the Wolfpack will need to flush the ugly finish against Miami quickly, as an emotional rivalry matchup is up next on the calendar. NC State is set to welcome No. 11 UNC to the Lenovo Center on Tuesday.
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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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