N.C. State head coach Will Wade knew trouble was coming early in the second half.
Just 76 seconds after halftime, Wade looked up at the videoboard, made a “T” with his hands and called timeout. It was an attempt to stop the momentum, but by then the damage had already been done.
No. 24 Louisville, which had already hit 8 of 11 three-pointers in the first half, opened the second period with two more from beyond the arc. Any lingering doubt about the outcome disappeared two minutes later when Mikel Brown threw down a fast-break dunk, pushing the Cardinals’ lead to 30.
N.C. State suffered its worst defensive performance of the season, falling 118–77 to Louisville on Monday night. The loss snapped the Wolfpack’s six-game winning streak and ended its perfect ACC road record.
Brown delivered a historic performance, scoring 45 points to tie a Louisville program record. He shot 14 of 23 (60.9%) from the field and 10 of 16 (62.5%) from three-point range. Teammate Ryan Conwell added 31 points, helping the Cardinals dominate from start to finish.
“We’ll get embarrassed if we’re not on point,” Wade had warned after Saturday’s win over Virginia Tech. “It’s a great opportunity for us. Hopefully we’ll be able to prepare the right way to meet the moment.”
N.C. State didn’t meet the moment — and then some.
The Wolfpack allowed a season-high 118 points, surpassing the previous high of 102 allowed against Texas in the Maui Invitational. Louisville scored 56 points in the first half and 62 in the second, both season highs allowed by N.C. State. The Cardinals led wire to wire.
Louisville (18-6, 8-4 ACC) opened the game on a 7–0 run. After two N.C. State baskets cut the lead to three, the Cardinals answered with an 8–0 burst to push the margin to 11. From there, the game quickly got out of hand.
No matter the lineup or defensive scheme, N.C. State (18-7, 9-3 ACC) struggled to guard the perimeter or apply ball pressure. Players routinely missed assignments, and even when the Wolfpack was in position, Louisville made the extra pass, won the hustle plays and played the more physical game.
Brown and Conwell were nearly unstoppable. While N.C. State managed to stay close to other shooters, it didn’t matter. Louisville dominated nearly every statistical category, including rebounding, transition points, assists and blocks.
Offensively, the Wolfpack scored enough to be competitive in a normal game. Ven-Allen Lubin finished with 20 points, while Tre Holloman added 19, but the defensive breakdowns proved overwhelming.
Keys to a Wolfpack Win: Not Achieved
Entering the game, N.C. State needed to disrupt passing lanes and limit Louisville’s three-point shooting. It did neither.
The Cardinals assisted on 21 of their 39 made baskets, despite the Wolfpack forcing 10 turnovers. Louisville entered the game attempting nearly 54% of its shots from three-point range, the highest rate in the nation. When the Cardinals get hot, they are difficult to stop.
That was on full display Monday night, as Louisville hit 18 of 30 three-pointers (60%), creating a margin N.C. State could not overcome — especially on a national stage.
Foul Trouble Adds to the Struggles
N.C. State picked up four fouls in the first eight minutes, including one on Holloman while Conwell was shooting a three-pointer. Conwell converted all three free throws, pushing the lead to 11.
By halftime, the Wolfpack had been whistled for eight fouls, sending Louisville to the line 15 times and helping build a 20-point halftime lead. N.C. State finished with 17 total fouls, allowing the Cardinals to shoot 22 of 27 (81.5%) from the free-throw line.
While foul trouble wasn’t the sole reason for the blowout, it added to the defensive issues throughout the night.
Matt Able Shows Continued Growth
One of the few bright spots for N.C. State was freshman guard Matt Able.
Late in the first half, Wade acknowledged Able’s effort with a subtle high-five as he checked out of the game. Able provided solid defense, contesting shots, forcing a steal against J’Vonne Hadley, and battling on the boards. He also scored on a putback after grabbing his own rebound.
Able still had missed assignments — especially on defense — but his competitiveness and development stood out in an otherwise difficult night.
“Our kid, Matt Able, is really coming on,” Wade said last week. “He’s going to have some big games down the stretch for us.”
On a night when little went right for the Wolfpack, Able’s progress offered at least a small positive to take away.