Nc State Vs Notre Dame: Wolfpack Head to South Bend for a Must-Win Test
nc state vs notre dame shapes up as a must-win for the Wolfpack, who have dropped three of their last four games and are still hunting a 20th victory. The short trip matters because NC State needs a bounce-back before a high-profile meeting with Duke on Monday night.
Nc State Vs Notre Dame: stakes, predictions and coaching urgency
NC State enters the game under pressure after being "thoroughly dominated by Virginia, " and forecasts favor a narrow Wolfpack edge. KenPom and Bart Torvik project scores of NC State 79-74 and NC State 79-73, respectively. The team’s head coach, Will Wade, put it bluntly: "We need to win. We’ve lost three out of four. This is a game where we need to find a way to dig it out. " The schedule note in the preview emphasizes that a road victory would be a Q2 opportunity because it is an away game.
Irish injuries and a recent collapse
Notre Dame arrives wounded: Marcus Burton broke his left ankle about 10 minutes into the program’s 10th game, had surgery, and will seek a medical redshirt rather than attempt a return this season, which could leave him with two seasons of eligibility if approved. The Irish were also missing their second-leading scorer, Jalen Haralson, who was out for his third consecutive game during a 44-point home loss to Duke in which Notre Dame trailed by 32 at halftime. Coach Shrewsberry also twisted his ankle in the first half of that loss and wore a boot in the second half.
How the Wolfpack might respond and immediate consequences
The preview from the road-frame angle suggests NC State must "cleanse" itself after its last outing and offered a range of outcomes, including a writer’s pick of an 80-69 Wolfpack win. The matchup gives NC State a chance at what was labeled an "opportunity to pick up the highest quality win of the season. " Will Wade also acknowledged the team's current limitations: "We’re not ready to compete at the top of the league right now, that’s just a fact. " Those blunt assessments make the Notre Dame trip a practical test of whether the coaching staff and players can regroup ahead of Monday night’s game with Duke.
The matchup labeled nc state vs notre dame represents both a chance for the Wolfpack to regain footing and a test of Notre Dame’s depth without Burton and Haralson. With Notre Dame sitting at NET 93 and picked to finish 10th in the ACC media preseason vote, the Irish’s midseason struggles amplify the importance of the result for both teams’ league positioning.
Next on the docket: NC State faces Duke on Monday night, a confirmed upcoming challenge noted in the preview. Recovery and health updates for Notre Dame’s injured players, plus any roster availability changes, will be factors to watch before that meeting.
