New Wolfpack head coach Justin Gainey’s first NC State team publicly debuted in an exhibition game at the Greensboro Coliseum on Sunday. It was a fitting place to begin the journey for the former NC State point guard, who grew up in the area and played high school basketball at Greensboro Day.
Just like last season, the Wolfpack played an SEC team that isn’t expected to finish at the top of its conference, and just like last season, the game was competitive until the final horn. Fortunately for NC State fans, a lot of things are different this season, and I was excited to see the new roster in action in what ended up being a 77–73 win over the Bulldogs.
The most important thing to keep in mind about this Mississippi State roster is that they mirror many SEC teams: athletic, big, and physical. At nearly every position, they held a size or strength advantage, presenting the exact type of physical personnel NC State must overcome to compete in the ACC and make noise in the 2027 NCAA Tournament.
I focused closely on individual performances, so player analysis will take center stage in this write-up. One key takeaway from every player who stepped onto the floor Sunday is their clear commitment to playing sound, disciplined basketball. The culture shift on this team is evident and very encouraging.
Sophomore transfer guards Preston Edmead and Darius Adams were two of the most intriguing and exciting newcomers on the floor for NC State. Preston is exceptionally crafty, skilled, and gritty, as advertised. When he used a high screen and drained a pull-up three off the dribble, it confirmed for me that he will be a vital piece in the backcourt and a nightmare for opposing defenses. Like his teammates, Preston played tenacious defense, even drawing a foul fighting through a screen set by a much larger player. While teams will try to exploit his lack of size, Preston will make them earn everything with his tenacity.
The word was that former McDonald’s All-American Darius Adams was exceeding expectations, and Justin Gainey clearly concurred by inserting Darius into the starting lineup and playing him for 32 minutes, where he responded with 16 points. Both Darius and Preston initiated the offense smoothly, but surprisingly it was Darius who led the team with 5 assists. He also brings a valuable rim-attacking element to the backcourt while defending cleanly without fouling. You can still spot a few hangover-esque habits from his time at Maryland that get him into a pickle: occasionally overpenetrating into multiple defenders, picking up his dribble in awkward spots, etc. He will sort these out quickly as he reviews tape and adapts with the help of the coaches and staff. Crucially, he also led the team with 6 rebounds, addressing an early area of concern in the game.
Paul McNeil went 1-for-7 from three-point range, but that off-shooting night didn’t feel like cause for concern. Paul showed off an expanded skill set by attacking the rim off the bounce and finishing a perfect 9-for-9 at the free-throw line, including two clutch frees to seal the victory. His ball-handling created some tense moments last season, but he looked composed and confident on Sunday. Alongside Darius, Paul gives NC State another physical guard capable of driving into the paint and drawing fouls, which was an area of need with this combination of NC State players. His perimeter presence drew heavy defensive attention, and he continued to rebound well. His low three-point shooting percentage felt secondary in part because teammates didn’t get him the ball several times when he was set and open. All that said, it’s worth remembering that only Paul and Ven-Allen Lubin share prior experience playing together on this roster.
Christian Hammond and RJ Keene didn’t post flashy stats, but both will clearly play meaningful roles this season. RJ played just 5 minutes, yet nearly 2 of those came during crucial late-game possessions where defense and experience were paramount. Christian logged 25 minutes, which featured him calmly knocking down a mid-range jumper that rescued a broken possession. Much of their value lies in their veteran poise, and both should become more reliable offensive threats as the year progresses.
Overall, the guards look solid and should rapidly develop chemistry with more game reps together. Notably they handled full-court pressure in both halves well.
The frontcourt performance was more of a mixed bag. Ven-Allen Lubin provided his typical efficiency, picking up where he left off last season with 13 points and 5 rebounds. However, rebounding stood out as the team’s primary flaw in the contest. Kyle Evans, Robert Jurkovic, Eemeli Yalaho, and Shah Hall combined for just four rebounds total. Mississippi State dominated the glass, outrebounding NC State 39–30 and securing 18 painful second-(or third-, or fourth-)chance opportunities via offensive rebounds. Robert Jurkovic struggled to establish position against Mississippi State’s physical interior, offering a “welcome to the party, pal” introduction to the American college game. Both he and Kyle will need to adapt quickly.
Kyle Evans endured a tough afternoon, playing just 12 minutes despite starting both halves. Offensively, NC State showed early on-ball pick-and-roll action with Preston and Kyle, but early foul trouble limited Kyle’s reps against Mississippi State’s aggressive frontcourt. On defense, Kyle was repeatedly isolated away from the paint against quicker guards who blew past him for easy buckets. After picking up two early fouls in the first half, he returned to start the second half only to commit two more quick fouls, effectively ending his night. Transforming from a drop-coverage rim protector (and the nation’s leading shot-blocker last at UC Irvine) into a versatile ACC defender appears to be a work in progress.
Eemeli Yalaho provided solid defense and efficient scoring, finishing with 8 points on 2-for-3 shooting from beyond the arc alongside two free throws. Like Kyle and Robert, he struggled on the glass against Mississippi State’s size, recording just one rebound in 22 minutes. Eemeli looked more like a big guard than a true big, which is both a gift and a curse for a guy being asked to play minutes at the 4.
Zymicah Wilkins made the most of his limited minutes, spelling a flustered Robert Jurkovic in the second half. It was clear that Zymicah was told to get in the game and get some dang rebounds, and he obliged by collecting three boards and making a layup in 5 minutes on the floor. Zymicah may be pressed into action earlier and more frequently than anticipated as a presence to complement Ven-Allen Lubin against more physical teams.
Shah Hall saw sparse action. While raw, his physical strength is evident, and it will be interesting to monitor his development under this coaching staff.
True to his reputation, Justin Gainey has taught this team to defend relentlessly. State forced shot-clock violations and 5 second calls. It was clearly a very frustrating experience… to the other team for a change. This alone was very refreshing. The fact that NC State came back from down 6 with around 4 minutes left with Kyle Evans on the bench says something important about their consistent energy and resilience. Winning despite Paul McNeil shooting 1-for-7 stands in stark contrast to last season, when the team required a buzzer-beating three-pointer from Paul to edge out a much less physical South Carolina team
Ultimately, the exhibition served as a valuable preseason tune-up against a Power 4 opponent. State has a slate of mid-major games leading up to their Bahamas trip against either Seton Hall or Wisconsin on November 20. This early exposure to an SEC team also gives the Wolfpack a clearer picture of what will be required when they face South Carolina and Tennessee in early December.