The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1540860
28 ■ THE WOLFPACKER rion Williams, formerly of Texas Tech. The Pack also acquired top-20 fresh- man guard Matthew Able, a possible NBA talent. Pair that roster, which boasts six to- tal players who won at least one NCAA Tournament game a year ago (549 min- utes of postseason play to lead all ACC teams), with Wade's staff and the sup- port from NC State's administration and fan base, and it's obvious why the program is swinging for the fences in Year 1. A noted program rebuilder, Wade is looking to return NC State to promi- nence and win the team's third national championship. Accomplishing such ambitious goals will require a firm base on which to build. This season will serve that purpose, though the objective is to use a strong showing in ACC play as the springboard for a deep postseason run. "We're going to play for NC State, and we're going to be consistent," Wade said. "That's the biggest thing — we haven't had the consistency that we need around here. We're like the Dow Jones, we're up and down like the stock market. We've got to be a consistent stock where there's small growth every year, but you know what you're getting. That's what we're going to be. We're going to lay the foundation for that this season." Backcourt Having a top-notch point guard is al- ways critical. NC State was determined to land a good one in the transfer portal, and it succeeded by signing Michigan State's Tre Holloman early in the roster- building process. Holloman, who has just one year of eligibility remaining, brings a gritty skill set to the Wolfpack roster. "He's a leader, he's tough, he'll get in your face," Wade said. "I think he's somebody who will bring an edge to our team and somebody the fans are going to like and probably one that the rest of the league won't like so much." Holloman headlines a crop of stand- out guards that Wade brought in for his inaugural season. Redshirt junior Ter- rance Arcenaux established himself as one of the top defenders in all of college basketball during his tenure at Houston, while senior Quadir Copeland, sopho- more Paul McNeil Jr. and Able are also going to be key players. Copeland can play all over the floor, including at point guard like he did at McNeese last season, while Able and McNeil are dangerous three-point shooters on the outside who will help the team's spacing. Wade tracked prac- tice stats throughout the offseason and noted that NC State shot 38.5 percent from the perimeter as a team. Seven players were at 38 percent or better, paced by McNeil's 46 percent mark on 112 total attempts. Rounding out NC State's guards are McNeese transfer Alyn Breed, who was recently cleared for full contact after suffering a season-ending injury a year ago, and freshman Jayme Kontuniemi, a young Finnish player with high upside for the future. Frontcourt Williams enters his final season of collegiate eligibility as one of the top players in the nation. He was named the ACC's Preseason Player of the Year, and for good reason, after he averaged 15.1 points, 5.5 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.3 steals per game with 27 double-figure scoring efforts at Texas Tech last year. A versatile forward with the skill set to back down opposing players in the post or hit jumpers on the outside, he's given every indication that he can be 2025-26 Men's Basketball Schedule Date Opponent Location Time TV/Result Oct. 26 South Carolina (Exh.) Greensboro, N.C. 4:30 p.m. W, 88-86 Nov. 3 North Carolina Central Lenovo Center 7 p.m. ACC Network Extra Nov. 7 Alabama Birmingham Lenovo Center 9 p.m. ACC Network Nov. 12 UNC Greensboro Lenovo Center 8 p.m. ACC Network Nov. 17 Virginia Commonwealth Lenovo Center 7 p.m. ACC Network Nov. 24 Seton Hall* Lahaina, Hawai'i 2:30 p.m. ESPN2 Nov. 25 USC or Boise State* Lahaina, Hawai'i TBD TBD Nov. 26 Opponent TBD* Lahaina, Hawai'i TBD TBD Dec. 3 Auburn** Auburn, Ala. 9:15 p.m. ESPN Dec. 6 UNC Asheville Lenovo Center 1 p.m. The CW Dec. 10 Liberty Lenovo Center 7 p.m. ACC Network Dec. 13 Kansas Lenovo Center 5:30 p.m. ESPN Dec. 17 Texas Southern Reynolds Coliseum 7 p.m. ACC Network Extra Dec. 21 Ole Miss Greensboro, N.C. 1 p.m. ESPN Dec. 31 Wake Forest Lenovo Center Noon ESPN2 Jan. 3 Virginia Lenovo Center 11 a.m. ESPN2 Jan. 6 Boston College Chestnut Hill, Mass. 9 p.m. ACC Network Jan. 10 Florida State Tallahassee, Fla. Noon ACC Network Jan. 17 Georgia Tech Lenovo Center Noon The CW Jan. 20 Clemson Clemson, S.C. 7 p.m. ACC Network Jan. 24 Pitt Pittsburgh, Pa. Noon ESPN2/U Jan. 27 Syracuse Lenovo Center 7 p.m. ESPN/2/U Jan. 31 Wake Forest Winston-Salem, N.C. 3:45 p.m. The CW Feb. 3 SMU Dallas, Texas 9 p.m. ESPN2/U Feb. 7 Virginia Tech Lenovo Center 1:30 p.m. The CW Feb. 9 Louisville Louisville, Ky. 7 p.m. ESPN Feb. 14 Miami Lenovo Center 4 p.m. ESPN/2/U Feb. 17 North Carolina Lenovo Center 7 p.m. ESPN/2 Feb. 24 Virginia Charlottesville, Va. 7 p.m. ACC Network Feb. 28 Notre Dame South Bend, Ind. Noon The CW Mar. 2 Duke Lenovo Center 7 p.m. ESPN Mar. 7 Stanford Lenovo Center 2:45 p.m. The CW Mar. 10-14 ACC Tournament Charlotte, N.C. TBD TBD * Maui Invitational; ** ACC/SEC Challenge " We can have a special season. We've got really, really good players. We have every- thing that we need." Wade