Why the First Win Over Wake Forest Disappointed Will Wade

RALEIGH — Winning the conference opener would please most coaches across the country, but NC State's Will Wade wasn't as thrilled with his team's effort against Wake Forest back on Dec. 31. A few weeks later, the Wolfpack is set for a rematch against the Demon Deacons, this time in Winston-Salem, sparking memories of Wade's first conference victory.

NC State knocked off Wake Forest 70-57 in the opener. It was a more defensive-oriented game than many of the Wolfpack's games, as neither team lit up the stat sheet on the offensive side of the floor. Wade broke down what went wrong in that victory in Thursday's episode of the "Wolfpack Weekly" radio show.

What Wade said

NC State Wolfpack head coach Will Wade and Clemson Tigers head coach Brad Brownell look down court Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2026, during the NCAA men’s basketball game at Littlejohn Coliseum in Clemson, South Carolina. NC State Wolfpack won 80-76 in OT. | Alex Martin/Greenville News / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

As the season moved along, it became clear that defense wouldn't be the calling card of Wade's first Wolfpack squad. Because of the issues on that end of the floor, significant pressure falls on the offense to make things happen. The Wolfpack shot just 42% from the field while holding Wake Forest to 34%.

During his weekly radio appearance, Wade offered a laundry list of reasons, mostly statistical, that suggested and supported his point that it was NC State's worst win and one of its worst offensive performances since ACC play opened up.

Jan 24, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; NC State Wolfpack head coach Will Wade reacts on the court against the Pittsburgh Panthers during the second half at the Petersen Events Center. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

"We turned it over 15 times. 20% of our possessions, we turned the ball over," Wade said. "We won the game by 13, but it was our worst offensive output. It was our worst offensive rating. It was our second-worst effective field goal percentage. It was our worst turnover game and we shot 1-of-13 on mid-range jump shots because we fell for the bait on their defense."

Wade added that much of the preparation process for Saturday's rematch with Wake Forest centered around improving these areas, or else things could get very problematic for the Wolfpack.

Jan 27, 2026; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; NC State Wolfpack head coach Will Wade and bench react to the call during the second half of the game against the Syracuse Orange at Lenovo Center. Mandatory Credit: Jaylynn Nash-Imagn Images | Jaylynn Nash-Imagn Images

"We took some poor shots, so we've got to get a better shot diet," Wade said. "We've got to take better shots. We've got to work harder against their ball screen coverage. Their ball screen coverage is ultra-aggressive and it bothered us, so we've got to do a much better job there."

Wade and the Wolfpack made the trip to Winston-Salem a night early, avoiding early travel on Saturday. He'll have to hope his group is ready and alert offensively to fix some of the woes it dealt with in the first matchup against the Demon Deacons.

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