How reserve guard Alyn Breed overcame injury to play an integral role in NC State's win over UNCG

In the hours leading up to NC State’s primetime tipoff against UNC-Greensboro on Monday night, Wolfpack coach Will Wade made sure to seek out redshirt senior guard Alyn Breed. The Pack knew it was going to be without redshirt junior guard Terrance Arcenaux due to injury, so Breed was in line to earn minutes in the true rotation for the first time this season. While he is an experienced collegiate player between his time at Providence and McNeese, Breed hadn’t logged meaningful in more than a year after suffering a season-ending knee injury last November with the Cowboys.  Wade’s message was simple, yet an effective few words to help take some of the pressure off Breed, who he noted tends to like to hit the “grand slam” every time he’s running the show.  “You don’t need to prove anything to me,” Wade recalled telling Breed. “I know how good you are. Just go out there and be yourself.” Although Breed expected to play in the 110-64 win over UNCG at the Lenovo Center, his minutes skyrocketed after senior point guard Tre Holloman was ejected from the game after just 4:22 ticked off the clock. Breed, who's in his sixth collegiate season, went from being a rotational player to allow the Wolfpack’s starters to get a breather to a critical ball handler for the shorthanded squad.