Reviewing NC State's Non-Conference Schedule

The Wolfpack finished non-conference play with a win over Ole Miss, but fell short of the ultimate goal in Will Wade's eyes.

Feb 20, 2019; Raleigh, NC, USA; Basketball with the North Carolina State Wolfpack logo sits on the court during a timeout as the Wolfpack play the Boston College Eagles in the first half at PNC Arena. The North Carolina State Wolfpack won 89-80. Mandatory Credit: Nell Redmond-Imagn Images | Nell Redmond-Imagn Images

RALEIGH — NC State wrapped up the first non-conference schedule of the Will Wade era with a win over Ole Miss on Sunday. The two months were filled with ups and downs, but the Wolfpack lacked a truly signature win against a power conference opponent until knocking off the Rebels.

For Wade, the Wolfpack is behind schedule in terms of where he wants to be. He came into the season with high expectations, but a 9-4 record with one win over Power Five foes is well below his standard. Now, the importance of the ACC schedule is elevated to a level that could be problematic if the Wolfpack goes into a tailspin at any point.

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Behind schedule, but far from out of it

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

The win over Ole Miss eased the minds of many NC State fans, as Wade's group proved it could not just compete with, but beat an opponent from the SEC, one of the top conferences in the nation from a metric and reputation standpoint. For Wade, it did anything but relax him.

"There's no relief," he said. "We've got 18 league games and zero relief. We've got to play better than we played today. We've got to get better every day, and so, no... I'm happy we won. It's great, but we get back on the 26th, we've got massive amounts of work that we've got to do. We’ve got massive amounts of improvement that we have to make. You always want to try to win double-digit non-conference (games). We fell short of that."

Dec 3, 2025; Auburn, Alabama, USA; NC State Wolfpack head coach Will Wade directs his team during the first half against the Auburn Tigers at Neville Arena. Mandatory Credit: John Reed-Imagn Images | John Reed-Imagn Images

The trip to Hawaii for the Southwest Maui Invitational still hurts the Wolfpack's resumé. While Seton Hall appears to be a quality Big East team, although that conference looks down this season, the loss to Texas could hurt in the long run if the Longhorns struggle throughout SEC play. Hence, Wade's lack of relief. As always with NC State's head coach, there is data to back it up.

10 non-conference wins have been a common threshold for NCAA Tournament teams historically. Falling short of that total leaves teams at the mercy of the bubble more often than not. That was not the expectation NC State had. A win over Kansas in the Lenovo Center certainly would've helped, but the Pack couldn't pull it out. However, the team showed it could compete with one of the best programs in the nation. That is progress, whether Wade admits it or not.

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