Following an upset victory over Oklahoma State, Abilene Christian entered PNC Arena hoping for another one — but NC State men’s basketball had other plans. The Wolfpack defeated the visiting Wildcats 84-64.
NC State (2-0) used a strong shooting performance to fuel its victory over Abilene Christian (1-1). The red-and-white finished the evening shooting an impressive 46% from the field, which can be credited to its smart shot selection throughout the night.
The star of the night was undoubtedly junior guard Jayden Taylor. The Butler transfer finished the game with 22 points, 2 steals and a block — a stellar two-way performance. Offensively, Taylor leaned on free throws early on, posting a 9-9 finish at the line. After finding his rhythm early, Taylor turned to the three-ball in the second half and finished 3-4 from beyond the arc.
“I felt good, my teammates found me and my shot was good,” Taylor said. “We just wanted to come out today, have a lot of energy and control what we can control.”
While Taylor’s offense is the most striking part of his performance, his defense did not go unnoticed. On the perimeter, Taylor made the Wildcats uncomfortable by constantly poking and swiping for the ball. His defense helped contribute to Abilene Christian’s measly 29.4% shooting from deep.
“We were very aggressive defensively,” said head coach Kevin Keatts. “If you had to credit someone for getting us going, I’d say Jayden Taylor was really a spark plug. He did a great job on the defensive end.”
Taylor wasn’t the only transfer that shined — graduate guard DJ Horne also turned in a strong offensive performance. The former Arizona State guard shot an efficient 6-11, including a pair of threes en route to 15 points. This performance was a significant improvement from the Pack’s season opener and is a sure sign that he’s getting more comfortable with his new squad.
Like many teams this season, the Wolfpack has several new faces on the team and developing chemistry will be crucial during the early portion of the season. After appearing shaky at times in its season opener, the red-and-white played much more cohesively against the Wildcats.
“This is just the beginning,” Taylor said. “Everyday we come in, practice and get to know each other — it’s only going to get better, this is the intro.”
Another important goal for the Pack is to establish its identity. Against Abilene Christian, NC State showed that it wants to play fast and create opportunities for transition buckets. The red-and-white forced 4 steals and earned 12 fastbreak points against the Wildcats. Additionally, the Wolfpack used the fast break to draw fouls and get to the line, where it shot 20-24 over the course of the game.
“This is the offense I like,” Taylor said. “High tempo, a lot of possessions, a lot of shots and fast — I like it.”
Against Abilene Christian, NC State showed flashes of its potential for the 2023-24 season. With several talented guards, plenty of depth and a high-energy style of play, the sky appears to be the limit for this team. However, the Pack is taking things one game at a time.
“Winning is so hard, when you win you gotta celebrate,” Keatts said. “There’s a lot of things going on in this world, when you win games and come together as a group, you better enjoy the highs of it.”
The Wolfpack will return to PNC Arena on Friday, Nov. 17 to take on Charleston Southern. Tip off is scheduled for 7 p.m. and the game can be found on ACC Network Extra.
