The Red Reckoning parade is on the verge of being a bust as NC State men’s basketball failed another test, losing 83-73 to No. 20 Auburn in the Jungle.
The well ran dry for the Wolfpack (5-3) as it couldn’t stop a hot-shooting Tigers team (6-2). The Packs’ late game push wasn’t enough to make up for sluggish perimeter defense, and late game turnovers propelled Auburn to a win.
The first half looked good for the Pack, as senior guard Quadir Copeland rolled with 13 early points. Copeland splashed threes and got the energy up on the bench, but the defense let him down after the hot start. The Tigers got high-percentage jumpers from midrange and beyond the arc, spoiling Copeland’s 22-point night.
The Wolfpack offense fought itself out of a 28-16 deficit, as senior forward Darrion Williams, freshman guard Matt Able, and Copeland sank consecutive triples to put the Pack within one. The Wolfpack would then take the only lead it had, 29-28, with a driving layup from Copeland.
The offense had the clear green light from head coach Will Wade to shoot the ball, as the Wolfpack unloaded 30 3-point shots. In a time where you “live by the three or die by the three,” the Wolfpack definitely died from distance tonight, shooting 33%.
The same couldn’t be said for Auburn, as it shot 54% from three and made deep daggers whenever the Wolfpack tried to climb back. Auburn’s Keyshawn Hall and Kevin Overton torched the Wolfpack, as shooting a combined 11-for-16 from three — more threes than the Wolfpack buried all night.
It was all Tigers in the second half, and the Wolfpack didn’t live up to its second half expectations. The Wolfpack outscored the Texas Longhorns 60 to 55 in its previous matchup, but it could only post 38 second-half points in the Jungle. The Wolfpack has a season-low 73 points in the loss, as its shooting woes just never vanished.
The Pack’s emphasis is down low, and while that helped it outscore the Tigers in the paint 28-to-26, it led to a lot of traffic in the paint and fouls that sent Auburn to the free throw line. The Tigers missed only two free throws, a true killer to the Wolfpack’s comeback chances.
The Pack allowed Auburn space to shoot in the second half as well, a bad sign in a conference with so many quality shooters.
Senior guard Tre Holloman was the only offense in the second half, making deep threes to keep the Pack in striking distance. Holloman went 4-for-9 from three, and led the team in assists with four.
The Wolfpack looks to shake off the loss and get back in the win-column against UNC-Asheville on Saturday, Dec. 6, in Raleigh. Tip-off is set for 1 p.m.
