Wes Moore Explains What Went Wrong in Rhode Island Loss

RALEIGH — No. 16 NC State hit a new low in the up-and-down start to the 2025-26 season. The Wolfpack lost Sunday's game against the Rhode Island Rams 68-63 in front of the home crowd at Reynolds Coliseum after surviving a scare against Coastal Carolina on Wednesday.

Head coach Wes Moore continues to struggle to get his team to play with consistency and can't find a true top option offensively. While Zam Jones and Khamil Pierre both posted double-digit scoring totals, Zoe Brooks and Tilda Trygger both struggled in the loss.

UPSET!!! RHODY WINS!!@rhody_wbb #GoRhody pic.twitter.com/9mtyBgn9sA
— Rhode Island Rams (@GoRhodyRams) November 23, 2025

With a three-loss team and a long trip to Mexico for the Cancun Challenge on deck, Moore will need to find a way to fix some of his team's woes on the fly. More challenges remain on the non-conference schedule, and NC State does not appear to be a team ready for the ACC gauntlet.

Moore spoke to the media after Sunday's loss, discussing the team's issues with preparation and a lack of collective buy-in from the group early in the season.

Watch the Press Conference

Moore's Quotes

Mar 9, 2025; Greensboro, NC, USA; NC State Wolfpack head coach Wes Moore talks with NC State Wolfpack guard Devyn Quigley (0) during the fourth quarter against Duke Blue Devils at First Horizon Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Cory Knowlton-Imagn Images | Cory Knowlton-Imagn Images

Opening statement

"Great job by Rhode Island. Think their coach does an awesome job and they were well prepared and they played really, really well. We're obviously going through a tough stretch right here. We've just got to be a little more bought into details, paying attention, scout, how we're defending certain things, how we're running certain things offensively."

"We spend a lot of time on those things, but obviously it's not getting through... It's just very frustrating. We're not playing very well right now and again, that's my fault. So, we've got to clean it up, figure it out."

On struggling to match Rhode Island's intensity

"We stressed all week how good they were. Our Final Four team two years ago, we were down three with five minutes left to Rhode Island, so I knew how good they were... are. Like I said, we've got to be able to put 40 minutes together. I think we did a great job, came back, took, what a five point lead. Then we had six turnovers in the fourth quarter."

"Some other breakdowns... Seemed like every time we make a little run, play well for a stretch, we'd kind of go off grid and that's why you have 11 assists and 16 turnovers. So, like I said... Whether it's changing the lineup or changing the way we do things and prepare, I'm not sure, but at some point everybody's got to buy into details and doing little things, or we're going to keep experiencing this at this level."

On what buy-in looks like and how his team can improve in that area

"Engaged and again, it starts in practice. You know, when we're going over the scout, we've got a great scout guys that really do an awesome job of simulating the other team's offense and personnel... Buying into taking away what people want to do... I think the first half, especially, they got a lot of points in the paint. That was one of our goals was to try to keep them in front of us..."

"... So really, we ended up doing what we wanted to try to do to them. So like I said, I don't know, get up and we'll watch the film here in a minute and try to figure it out."

Reflecting on the start to the season and the difference between this team and past teams

"Different players. I don't want to make excuses again because they're they've all played enough to know, you know what it takes. But, we just don't quite have the experience... Some other people really have to step up. It's like you said, the things you can control, we're not controlling and that's the scary part."

"I had teams that bought into the scout want to take away the other team's best offensive set or scheme, or want to take away the other team's best player and take pride in doing that. Pay attention to what we're doing offensively and practice enough that when we get out there, we don't have to try to walk people through what we're doing. We should be able just to call it out and go out and execute it, which again, if that's not happening, then it's on me."

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