NC State snaps losing skid. Three takeaways from Wolfpack’s comeback win over Notre Dame

Marcus Hill drove to the basket with one minute, seven seconds remaining, splitting the defenders and laying the ball. Tie game, 65 all. Fans in attendance stood to their feet and cheered.

Seconds later, Ben Middlebrooks stood at the line. He made one of two free throws. Was it enough? Yes.

Both teams entered the game on two-game losing streaks. Only one snapped its skid and moved to .500 in ACC play.

N.C. State defeated Notre Dame, 66-65, on Wednesday night in Lenovo Center, handing the Irish their third straight loss.

The Wolfpack led by as many as six first-half points thanks to its defensive pressure, but N.C. State (9-6, 2-2 ACC) couldn’t extend its advantage. Instead, it allowed the Irish to make six straight buckets and take a 7-point lead into the half. NC State played with more unity after the intermission but still played with a deficit for most of the night. It dominated the last two minutes of the game, holding the Irish scoreless and adding five points to its own total.

“I don’t think anybody’s going to play great for 40 minutes of basketball, but I think that’s one of our problems. It’s been both offensively and defensively,” N.C. State head coach Kevin Keatts said Monday during a media call. “Defensively, we’ve gotta be a little bit more solid to create some more opportunities, and then offensively, at times, the ball will stick with us. We’re continuing to preach that we have to stay consistent.”

Consistency continued to be an issue once again. N.C. State’s defense struggled in recent games, allowing three of its four opponents to shoot 50% or better from the field. Notre Dame (7-8, 1-3 ACC) didn’t hit the 50% mark, though it shot 52% in the first, and made things tricky for most of the evening.

Hill led the Wolfpack with 15 points, four rebounds and four assists. Middlebrooks, Jayden Taylor and Dontrez Styles also added double figures.

Markus Burton returned to the starting lineup for Notre Dame, getting his first start since Nov. 26 when the Irish played Rutgers. Burton suffered a knee injury in the Irish’s 85-84 overtime loss to the Scarlet Knights. Burton returned on Saturday against North Carolina, but he played limited minutes. The sophomore transfer from Penn looked comfortable in Raleigh, scoring 15 points and dishing out four assists.

Here are three takeaways from the Wolfpack’s return home.

Pack needs more from Huntley-Hatfield

Brandon Huntley-Hatfield left the game midway through the first half after a collision left him holding his right arm before returning to the floor about three minutes later. He finished the game with four points, two assists, one rebound and a steal.

He was a promising pick up from the portal in the offseason, but he hasn’t quite lived up to the billing. Huntley-Hatfied has 73 rebounds and five blocks on the season, ranking No. 4 on the team.

The senior finished with four points, unable to score in the second half, three rebounds, two dimes and the lone steal. It wasn’t a bad game — Huntley-Hatfield typically plays alright — but it could use a lot more from him, especially if his shoulder doesn’t cause ongoing issues.

Points in the paint

The Wolfpack struggled to score in the paint, where it’s usually most efficient, for the second consecutive game — thanks in part to the Irish’s zone.

N.C. State, which already struggles to drive inside effectively, couldn’t find gaps in Notre Dame’s coverage for easy cuts to the basket. At halftime, it trailed the Irish 16-6 in the paint and was 1 of 5 on layups. Notre Dame, meanwhile, was 6 of 8 on layup attempts.

The Wolfpack had more success in the second half, breaking down the Irish’s defense and making three layups in the first 9 1/2 minutes of play. It ended the game with 24 point paints, four fewer than Notre Dame, and 9 of 16 on layups.

N.C. State entered the contest with an 8-1 record when out-scoring oppositions in the paint and 0-5. In its wins, it averaged 41.8 points in the lane. In its losses? 24.6 points. Despite finishing with a disadvantage inside, it was able to pull off the comeback.

DPJ impacts beyond scoring

Dennis Parker Jr. remains one of the most underrated players on the team, notably for his toughness. He missed the 2024 postseason run after contracting mononucleosis and experienced multiple sprained ankles in the offseason, so the sophomore feels like he has something to prove.

He’s done that this season. Parker Jr. entered the game with 34 rebounds, including 11 on the offensive end, 11 assists on four turnovers, five blocks and eight steals.

On Wednesday, he played nine minutes and recorded three points, two rebounds, an assist and block. Despite not being the most efficient scorer, the Wolfpack needs Parker Jr.’s aggressive style of play.

“When we don’t have two or three of our good guys play well, it’s a long night for us,” Keatts said after the loss at Kansas. “What I’m trying to do is get guys to do other things when they’re not scoring the basketball.”

Parker Jr. is the perfect example of that. He’s not going to score 12 points a night, but he’s going to give the Pack consistent physicality on both ends of the floor.