‘He just brings energy’: Ven Allen-Lubin’s double-double ignites NC State in win vs. UNC Asheville

As NC State’s Ven-Allen Lubin stood at the top of the key, looking to dish a dribble hand-off to Darrion Williams that was quickly denied by UNC Asheville’s sticky half-court defense, the big man decided to take matters in his own hands. 

He sliced through the middle of the Bulldogs’ defense off the bounce, using a screen from Williams to his advantage in the process, to finish with a punishing slam at the rim over UNC Asheville’s DJ Patrick. It wasn’t what the Wolfpack’s starting center had done much of this season, but Lubin ignited the Lenovo Center crowd of 14,862 with his thunderous dunk midway through the second half. 

Lubin’s tomahawk brought the entire NC State bench to its feet, while freshman guard Matt Able, who stood on the right wing as it happened, couldn’t believe what he saw. Although it was a rare sight from the UNC transfer, Lubin served as an energizer bunny for NC State in its 75-63 win over UNC Asheville on Saturday afternoon. 

The Orlando, Fla., native scored 19 of his 23 points in the second half as the forward appeared to single-handedly power the Wolfpack’s offense down the stretch. Lubin accounted for nearly half the team’s 40 points after halftime to snap its two-game losing streak as the Wolfpack turned in a blistering 63 percent shooting clip in the period. Oh, and he added 12 rebounds to roll to his second double-double of the season.

Lubin’s ability to finish at the rim, especially in the early stages of the second half, was imperative in NC State’s ability to open up a gap against UNC Asheville. The gritty mid-major squad only trailed by 2 after the opening 20 minutes, but the Wolfpack fed Lubin on the interior to score 6 of the team’s first 9 points of the final frame. His sequence in the paint appeared to set the tone for what was to come the rest of the way. 

Although it seemed like getting the ball inside to Lubin was intentional, the Pack pushed back on that. Instead, according to coach Will Wade, it was a byproduct of what the Bulldogs’ defense gave NC State as Lubin slipped his way behind the back line for much of the afternoon. The big man appeared to believe the same.

“I think just trying to run a great flow on offense and the way the guys found me was a reason why I got those quick points,” Lubin said. “I think they’ve done a great job finding me, getting me involved and getting others involved. I think that’s what it took for us to get going.” 

Lubin, who was 9-of-10 shooting inside the arc, was able to be an efficient player in the paint after missing his first two shots — a 3-pointer and a layup. He settled in, and good things followed. In all, the Wolfpack was able to post an 18-of-25 showing on shots inside the paint as a team while Lubin established the interior offense after halftime.

It was a much-needed sign of growth for NC State’s offense after it struggled on layups in its loss at Auburn in the ACC-SEC Challenge on Wednesday night at Neville Arena. The Pack was just 10-of-21 on its bunnies, which doomed Wade’s squad in a 10-point defeat. 

As the first-year coach reflected on Lubin’s game, he was quick to point out that he made the easy plays look easy.

“Ven was great. He was very consistent,” Wade said. “I mean, look, he was making dunks and layups when guys found him. …He finished better at the rim. I thought he did a better job finishing through contact, finishing through force with a few of the dunks.”

While his finishing ability was critical to buoy the Wolfpack offense after a rocky first half performance behind just a 35.5 percent shooting mark, Lubin crashed the glass on both ends of the floor, too. He logged five of NC State’s nine offensive rebounds, making up nearly half his boards as he flew around the court to try to spark the rest of the Wolfpack. 

In a way, Lubin was the catalyst of ending NC State’s skid after it lost three of its last four as the Pack returned back home. With a critical stretch approaching, including a date with No. 21 Kansas in a week’s time, Lubin’s high-motor style of play will be integral. 

And it was infectious against the Bulldogs. Once Lubin fired home the rim-rattling dunk, Able seemed to feel the vigor in his own bones. 

“He just brings energy. … When you’re on the court, it just feeds into your energy,” said Able, who scored 13 points with three made 3-pointers. “It makes you want to make those plays and just play harder to do your job better. He’s just full of energy on both sides.”

Lubin was always going to be an important part of NC State’s starting five this season. But in his first true breakout effort, the former Tar Heel proved he’s more than capable of being the primary scoring option when the Wolfpack’s perimeter shooting is faltering. It’s a luxury that Wade and Wolfpack are likely to lean on as the season grows older, and his double-double performance just provided further evidence as to that.

But for Lubin, an experienced captain, it was just another day in the office. 

“I was able to go out there, be aggressive, be assertive and just do what it takes to help my team to win,” Lubin said. “That’s what it was for me. Getting involved in the offense and defense. I couldn’t have done it without my teammates.”