NC State men’s basketball is off to a great start in conference play with a 4-1 ACC record, with three of its wins coming on the road. The Pack is currently tied for second in the ACC and is also tied for the most conference road wins with UNC-Chapel Hill.

There are many positive takeaways from a 4-1 start in conference play, but there are also some areas of concern that need to be addressed as NC State starts to play some of the top teams in the ACC. Here are some key takeaways from the Wolfpack’s fast start to conference play.

Different ways to win

So far, all of NC State’s conference wins have looked entirely different from each other. In its first win against Boston College, the red-and-white won an overtime thriller. Then, it won a low-scoring, defensive battle against Notre Dame that was followed up by a convincing 16-point win over Virginia. In its latest victory, the Pack won an offensive shootout against Louisville after scoring 89 points, the most NC State has scored in a conference game thus far.

This variety of outcomes could be concerning for Wolfpack Nation because there is no consistency yet in how NC State has played, but winning in different fashions is also a sign of resilience. 

For instance, when shots weren’t falling against the Fighting Irish, the Pack leaned on its defense to keep it in the game, finishing the game on an 8-0 run to escape South Bend, Indiana with a victory. 

Then, against Boston College, the Wolfpack let a second half lead slip away, allowing the Eagles to force overtime. Instead of folding in OT, NC State shook off its blown lead and took care of business in the extra session.

In a perfect world, the red-and-white would make shots at a consistent rate and maintain second half leads, but that’s just not realistic in college basketball, especially against conference opponents. The teams on the other side are just as talented and want to win just as much as the Pack, making these wins all the more impressive. Opponents have tried to make NC State play in different ways and so far it has been able to counter almost every time. 

DJ Horne drives the bus

While this squad has a plethora of players that can score, the Pack’s offensive game has often relied on how graduate guard DJ Horne plays. In its lone conference loss against the Tar Heels, Horne shot a season-low 2-16 from the field and scored just six points. In the Wolfpack’s poor offensive performance against Notre Dame, Horne made three of his 14 shots and totaled just eight points. 

In its wins apart from Notre Dame, the Arizona State transfer has been the Pack’s best scorer and facilitator. Against Louisville, Horne scored a season-high 27 points on an extremely efficient 9-14 from the field, including 6-9 from beyond the arc. 

The graduate had another 20-point performance against Boston College, pouring in 21 points while also dishing out five assists, three of which came in overtime. Against Virginia, he contributed 14 points and three assists.

When Horne plays well, the Pack plays well — it’s really that simple. Horne has upped his game in conference matchups, averaging more points and assists than his season averages. The Pack relies heavily on Horne to perform and will likely continue to as conference play rolls on.

Reliance on 3-point shooting

In its three more comfortable and efficient offensive wins, NC State has made eight or more 3-pointers while shooting over 40% from beyond the arc. In its loss to UNC, it made just two of its 21 attempts, and in its narrow, low-scoring win against Notre Dame, it made only three of its 17 attempts. 

There is nothing wrong with basing an offense around the 3-point shot. In fact, NC State ranks near the bottom of the conference in 3-pointers attempted per game, but to live by the three is to die by the three. 

Great teams can find different ways to win when shots from deep are not falling, and the Pack showed it’s capable of doing so with its defense against the Fighting Irish, but it has to be able to score more than 54 points against one of the worst teams in the ACC when the long ball is not working. 

The Pack must find ways to create effective offensive possessions when 3-pointers aren’t falling or it will start to find itself on the wrong end of the final score. Whether that’s attacking the rim more aggressively to get layups and draw fouls or feeding graduate forward DJ Burns in the post to create his own offense or find open looks for teammates, a well-rounded offense will be a necessity for NC State to make it back to the NCAA Tournament.