Reviewing Terrance Arceneaux's Start at NC State
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RALEIGH — The first set of non-conference games for NC State head coach Will Wade came and went, as the Wolfpack sits at 9-4 before a grueling ACC league schedule gets underway on New Year's Eve with a matchup against Wake Forest. With a significant number of games played, Wade and his staff have a better idea of who they can trust at this point.
Whether Terrance Arceneaux, a once highly-touted recruit who began his career with the Houston Cougars, fits into Wade's vision for a seven-man rotation of players he can trust remains to be seen. The guard struggled to be a consistent contributor, partially because of some injury struggles during the early part of the season.
Inside Arceneaux's Wolfpack beginnings
In the Wolfpack's exhibition game against South Carolina, Arceneaux started alongside Tre Holloman, Paul McNeil, Darrion Williams and Ven-Allen Lubin. It was a short-lived tenure as a starter, as Quadir Copeland replaced Arceneaux in the starting five by the time the regular season began and burst onto the scene as one of the nation's most surprising breakout players.
Wade expected Arceneaux to be a valuable defender and helpful member of the rotation given his low usage style of play. Coming from a Houston program predicated on effort, toughness and defense, that felt like a realistic expectation. However, Arceneaux struggled with a nagging Achilles injury and missed two-straight games after playing just 18 minutes in the first two matchups.
Even though he’s doubtful to play tonight, Terrance Arceneaux still finding a way to help the Wolfpack out… pic.twitter.com/TkucQU2Gt9
— Tucker Sennett (@SennettTucker) November 13, 2025
There were concerns about the injury, given the resources the Wolfpack expended on bringing him over from the Cougars, just two years removed from an Achilles tear, but Wade was willing to be patient. That changed in Maui, when Wade offered Arceneaux an ultimatum of sorts after the team's loss to Seton Hall.
"We had a spirited conversation last night, me and him, and I told him, I'm tired of waiting around," Wade recalled after NC State's win over Boise State. "You can either do it, or your ass needs to sit, and we'll just say your Achilles is hurt and we'll move on. But everything has been cleared. It's time to play."
Arceneaux responded with 11 points and improved effort on the defensive end, including three steals in the win over the Broncos. That bump was short-lived, as he struggled in the loss to Texas and slipped in the rotation once again. Since the Boise State win, Arceneaux averaged 14.5 minutes in six games and did not check in during the non-conference finale against Ole Miss.
Wade's willingness to play seven players a night doesn't bode well for Arceneaux moving forward. Barring a significant change, it could be a long season for the Houston transfer.
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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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