Two Players Who Will Decide NC State's Tournament Fate

These two Wolfpack stars make the team go. Can they get it done when the lights shine brightest in March?

Mar 12, 2026; Charlotte, NC, USA; NC State Wolfpack players react to the loss during the second half against the Virginia Cavaliers at Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images | Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

DAYTON, Ohio —  NC State's journey through the NCAA Tournament gets started earlier than the rest of the field. The team hit the road quickly after Selection Sunday, arriving at UD Arena as one of the No. 11 seeds forced to battle it out for one of the final spots in the field of 64 teams at the First Four round.

After a somewhat disappointing finish to the regular season and one win in the ACC Tournament, the Wolfpack has no margin for error in the Big Dance. A year full of ups and downs could end with one magical run in March, but the Pack needs significant contributions from two of its stars if it wants to become the latest Cinderella story in college basketball lore.

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Darrion Williams

Mar 12, 2026; Charlotte, NC, USA; NC State Wolfpack forward Darrion Williams (1) handles the ball against Virginia Cavaliers guard Dallin Hall (30) during the first half at Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images | Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

When the Wolfpack staff assembled the roster for the 2025-26 season, it placed a major emphasis on adding proven postseason players. The headliner of that group was senior forward Darrion Williams, who joined NC State as a senior after one season at Nevada and two seasons with Texas Tech, where he became a star during the 2025 NCAA Tournament.

Williams was up and down throughout his season with the Wolfpack, exploding early in the year against lesser competition before losing confidence while dealing with a shoulder injury. Over the last three games stretching into the ACC Tournament, he averaged just 7.7 points as his usage percentage dipped to 14.2%. For context, his season usage rate is 24.6%.

Mar 2, 2026; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; NC State Wolfpack forward Darrion Williams (1) reacts after scoring against the Duke Blue Devils during the first half at Lenovo Center. Mandatory Credit: Zachary Taft-Imagn Images | Zachary Taft-Imagn Images

The legend of Williams was forged during his time with Texas Tech, however. The forward averaged 21 points, 7.3 rebounds and 2.8 assists in four games with the Red Raiders during March Madness a season ago. Unlocking that hyper-aggressive and confident version of Williams is the hard part for Will Wade and the rest of the coaches.

If the team is going to go beyond the First Four, it needs the best version of Williams to finally show up when it matters most.

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Paul McNeil

Feb 17, 2026; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; NC State Wolfpack guard Paul McNeil Jr. (2) reacts after scoring a basket against the North Carolina Tar Heels during the second half at Lenovo Center. Mandatory Credit: Zachary Taft-Imagn Images | Zachary Taft-Imagn Images

Any team that expects to make noise in March needs a sharpshooter. For NC State, the answer to that problem is sophomore guard Paul McNeil, one of two holdovers from the previous regime under Kevin Keatts. McNeil enters the NCAA Tournament shooting a blistering 42.9% from 3-point range and averaged 13.9 points per game.

The sophomore finished the year strong and put together one of his best performances of the season in the quarterfinal loss to Virginia, scoring 26 points while making 6-of-11 attempts from beyond the arc. If that run of shooting continues in Dayton and potentially beyond, McNeil is the kind of player who could shoot the Wolfpack all the way into the second weekend of the NCAA Tournament.

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