“The Reckoning is here.”
Those four words from head coach Will Wade echoed through Lenovo Center as he addressed the crowd after NC State basketball’s season opener. But he wasn’t done.
“The Pack is back, and we are not to be messed with.”
It’s the same hype that you’ve heard for the last seven months, the same hype that brought the noise meter and retro uniforms back, the same words that caused the first sellout season-opener this century.
Yes, this may sound like every other press conference or interview since Wade’s hiring, but this time it was different. In the past, Wade’s words were a promise with no evidence in the red and white to back it up. This time, he had proof.
It was expected that NC State men’s basketball would take down North Carolina Central University — a team that finished sixth in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference last season — but few expected a 114-66 blowout win.
The offensive onslaught was the Wolfpack’s highest scoring output since 2017. The cause? 19 made 3-pointers, tying the program record. It was arguably the area that last year’s Pack struggled with the most, shooting just 32 percent from beyond the arc. But the new-look Pack lit up the Eagles from deep, making nearly 48 percent of its long-range shots. Seven players recorded a 3-pointer, including three players with four 3-pointers each.
“Most nights, we’re probably gonna shoot somewhere between 30-35 [3-pointers],” Wade said. “We got good shooters, we’re gonna let that thing fly.”
Senior forward Darrion Williams spearheaded the effort with 19 points and eight assists, only missing three shots. The ACC Preseason Player of the Year knocked down three 3-pointers in the first four minutes, emphatically reacting after each make. The team and crowd rallied behind the energy, turning the arena into a madhouse.
“We know what he could do for us,” said senior guard Quadir Copeland. “We know he can set the tone at any time, and when he has a moment like that, you gotta give him the rock.”
But it wasn’t just Williams that stole the show. For months, Wade has talked about how he wanted to include sophomore guard Paul McNeil Jr. — the only scholarship returner from last season — more in the rotation. McNeil had a slow first half, making just one of his five shots. But McNeil came alive in the second half, knocking down four 3-pointers and igniting the Wolfpack crowd.
“He was able to get in the swing of the game,” Wade said. “If we could leave Paul in there, he’s gonna have a barrage where he hits two or three [3s] in a couple minutes. It’s just what he does and who he is. I think he could be one of the elite shooters in the country.”
Alongside McNeil, freshman guard Matt Able lit up the scoresheet in the second half. During one play, he knocked down a wide-open 3-pointer, got back on defense, got a steal all by his lonesome and punched an emphatic dunk. With 14 points, six rebounds and four assists, the future is bright for the former five-star recruit as he made a name for himself in his first game in the red-and-white.
“We already knew the type of player and the type of kid he is, and it’s just amazing to see him shine,” Copeland said. “Before the game, I told him ‘This is your moment, kid.’”
The performances from the players were impressive, but ironically enough, it was Wade who earned the spotlight late in the second half. Leading by 56 points with just six minutes left, most coaches would just sit back and let the game play out. Not Wade. Red-faced and angry, he screamed in the referee’s face after what he believed was an undeserved foul, drawing a technical foul himself.
“I’m still fighting, I’m still here,” Wade said about the incident. “I’m still paying attention to everything. That’s how we have to be because you can get way too loose in that, and it can create problems within your team. We wanted to make sure we kept playing the right way.”
It’s the mentality that NC State fans have heard about all season, and that same attitude will be the foundation of Wade’s Red Reckoning. It doesn’t matter if you’re losing by 20 or winning by 50, the standard is the same.
Next up, the Wolfpack hosts UAB on Friday. Tipoff is set for 9 p.m. and will be streamed on the ACC Network.
