‘We’re not getting the job done’: NC State coach Will Wade owns defensive struggles after OT loss at Notre Dame

by: Noah Fleischman02/28/26fleischman_noah

Feb 28, 2026; South Bend, Indiana, USA; NC State Wolfpack guard Terrance Arceneaux (21) and forward Ven-Allen Lubin (22) defend Notre Dame Fighting Irish guard Braeden Shrewsberry (11) during overtime at Purcell Pavilion at the Joyce Center. Mandatory Credit: Michael Caterina-Imagn Images

NC State was looking for a get-right game late in the season. It was licking its wounds after dropping three of its last four, including a 29-point defeat at No. 11 Virginia, when it arrived at Notre Dame for a matinee clash. But the Wolfpack’s final road game, a chance for the squad to buoy itself, was anything but that. Instead, it turned into another tilt that left the team taking on even more water with a 96-90 overtime loss to the Irish, which entered the day in 15th place of the ACC standings. A key reason why the Pack blew a 9-point lead inside the final five minutes of the game? Its defensive intensity just wasn’t where it needed to be. And, in turn, the Irish gained confidence as it chipped away at NC State’s lead.