The Struggles of Darrion Williams Continue Haunting NC State
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RALEIGH — Four months ago, Darrion Williams was named the preseason Player of the Year for the ACC. After choosing to return to college for his senior season, he transferred to NC State following a remarkable two-year run with Texas Tech. Once the games actually started, things didn't go according to plan for the Wolfpack's new star.
Saturday's loss to Stanford in the regular-season to Stanford marked yet another disastrous outing for Williams, who quickly became the face of one of the streakiest teams in the nation. When the shots fall for the talented forward, he can carry NC State to heights unimaginable before the season. The issue is that those shots don't fall as much as they need to.
More struggles down the stretch
It was evident early that Saturday would be another one of the poor outings for Williams. He came out aggressive against the Cardinal, but missed his first shot, a baby hook over a larger defender on the first possession of the game. From that point on, the forward's confidence was off, as the games where the first shot falls go much differently for Williams.
He proceeded to miss his first six shot attempts of the game, all coming in the first half. Finally, he canned an open 3-pointer from the top of the key, relieving some of the pressure he was feeling after such a rough first half, on his Senior Day no less. It ended up being his only made field goal of the afternoon, as Williams scored just four points in the loss.
The Stanford loss became a new low point in the four-game losing streak for the Wolfpack star. During the final seven games of the regular season, which included six losses, Williams shot 37.1% from the field and 30.4% from 3-point range, while averaging 12 points per game. His usage dipped in the losses as well, which usually signified a loss in confidence for Williams throughout the season.
NC State coach Will Wade tried to remain confident in Williams all season, as the Texas Tech transfer marked a sizable investment by the program in Wade's first season leading the Wolfpack. Motivating Williams has been a struggle at times, as the forward never operated as the No. 1 option with the Red Raiders over the previous two seasons. That changed when he landed in Raleigh.
"We've got to find a way to get him back going. He's been struggling," Wade said after the Stanford loss. "I haven't done a good enough job of helping him out."
When Williams scores 20 or more points, the Wolfpack wins. The team is 7-0 when the forward reaches that bench mark. Wade knows better than anyone just how important his star player can be, but getting through to him has proven difficult over the last month.
"We need him. We need him to play better for our team," Wade said. "I need to do a better job of trying to reach him and getting him to play up to his capabilities, but certainly a tough day for him."
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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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