Wade Loses No Love for Top Shooters After Auburn Loss

RALEIGH — NC State missed a massive opportunity to pick up its sixth win of the 2025-26 season, instead falling 83-73 on the road to No. 20 Auburn in the ACC/SEC Challenge on Wednesday. While the Wolfpack hung around through most of the game, Keyshawn Hall and Kevin Overton scored a combined 57 points for the Tigers, overwhelming the already-struggling Wolfpack defense.

However, NC State's defense wasn't the primary issue in the loss to the Tigers. The Pack actually outshot Auburn by 10 attempts, but was not as efficient. Head coach Will Wade was asked about the struggles of two of his best shooters, sophomore Paul McNeil and freshman Matt Able, and didn't seem to have much concern about their performances.

What Wade said about McNeil and Able

Dec 3, 2025; Auburn, Alabama, USA; NC State Wolfpack guard Jr. Paul McNeil (2) drives against Auburn Tigers guard Elyjah Freeman (6) during the first half fat Neville Arena. Mandatory Credit: John Reed-Imagn Images | John Reed-Imagn Images

Both Able and McNeil have had their ups and downs through the first eight games of the Wade era. The five-star freshman was expected to be an instant contributor and certainly looked the part in more than half of NC State's games, but his 3-point shooting has disappeared at times. Able is shooting just 31.6% from beyond the arc, an area that must improve moving forward.

Able finished with five points, shooting 2-of-11 in the loss to the Tigers. He looked to have turned a corner as a scorer in the loss to Seton Hall, but since that game, he scored nine points against Boise State and went scoreless against Texas. McNeil has scored as many as 27 and gone scoreless through the first eight games, scoring just seven against Auburn. He is shooting 37.7% from three.

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

"Paul is a great player. Matt is a great player," Wade said. "I thought for the most part, we took a pretty good shot with pretty clean looks. We executed a pretty good offense... We have ultimate belief in Paul and Matt."

The difficult road environment that is Neville Arena certainly played a factor in Able's struggles, as it was the freshman's first true road test. McNeil never had much of a chance as a freshman in Kevin Keatts' rotations, but still saw the hostile road environments of the ACC when he did get in for his limited opportunities. Wade believes the experience will be a benefit in the long run.

Dec 3, 2025; Auburn, Alabama, USA; Auburn Tigers forward Sebastian Williams-Adams (33) is blocked by NC State Wolfpack guard Matt Able (3) during the second half at Neville Arena. Mandatory Credit: John Reed-Imagn Images | John Reed-Imagn Images

"I think that they'll continue to get better. And this is a tough learning experience," Wade said. "This is a tough place to learn, but we have to learn some lessons and get ready to move forward this next week."

Able and McNeil will have a chance to flush the Auburn loss on Saturday, as NC State will take on UNC Asheville back in the Lenovo Center.

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