RALEIGH, N.C. –– Louisville cruised past NC State – handing the Wolfpack its ninth consecutive loss last night, blitzing them 91-66 in Lenovo Center.
It was the worst margin of defeat this season and the team’s longest losing streak in 17 years. Usually an electric atmosphere, the 20,000-seat arena had hundreds of empty seats throughout the venue.
At 9-15 overall and second to last in the ACC, the sparse turnout last night suggests a wavering fan base. The Cardinals capitalized on the muted environment controlling the game’s tempo for all 40 minutes, while continuing their impressive ACC campaign.
Unlike other losses where the Pack remained competitive, losing by 10 or fewer, this game was different. Louisville’s players carved through the Wolfpack defense with ease while displaying exceptional accuracy from beyond the arc (11-of-19).
“We didn’t do a good job understanding scout reports and we knew that Louisville was obviously a great shooting team, not a good shooting team,” Wolfpack head coach Kevin Keatts said. “We had too many breakdowns defensively, we have been in every game because our defense has kept us in games. Tonight was a one-off and I hope it was a one-off.”
Turnovers also rendered the team helpless and they got out-rebounded 34-28. The game reflected yet another poor shooting night for the Wolfpack, hitting 36.1 percent from the field (22-of-61) and 33.3 percent from beyond the arc (11-of-33).
They could have made up for some points on the free-throw line, the Pack made just 64.7 percent of their shots. While they did some good things down the stretch, it wasn’t enough as the Pack trailed by double figures for the majority of the contest.
Faltering in nearly all facets of the game raises serious concerns as the regular season winds down. Not only are the Wolfpack at risk for missing the NCAA Tournament, they might not even make it to Charlotte for the ACC Tournament.
“I’m definitely worried, seeing where we stand in the rankings and stuff. You definitely get that worry in your head, but we gotta control what we can control and keep playing hard and showing up for ourselves,” said senior guard Breon Pass.
Pass contributed 12 points, but has been ice cold the past four games and his waning minutes reflected his performance. Last night reflects a larger issue: the team’s lack of consistent playmakers. The Wolfpack’s scoring distribution has been erratic, with different leaders emerging each game—sometimes one player carrying the load, other times several players making modest contributions.
With just seven games remaining, NC State needs to win out to climb above .500 and maintain any hope for postseason play. It’s a daunting task for a team that seems unlikely to replicate last season’s Final Four run.
Keatts addressed the dwindling attendance by urging fans to maintain faith, referencing their historic 2024 postseason. However, the reality remains that past achievements offer little comfort in the face of current struggles. And Keatts’ words don’t hold the same weight at this point in the season as they might’ve earlier on.
“When you’re in it, be in it, don’t be halfway, we’re not done yet,” Keatts emphasized, though his team’s performance and the empty arena told a different story
Wolfpack’s Past Achievements Offer Little Comfort in Face of Current Struggles