Paul McNeil Jr. (11 3s) sets record in NC State rout of Texas Southern

Field Level MediaField Level Media|published: Wed 17th December, 21:32 2025
NCAA Basketball: NC-Asheville at N.C. StateDec 6, 2025; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; NC State Wolfpack head coach Will Wade looks on before the first half of the game against UNC Asheville Bulldogs at Lenovo Center. Mandatory Credit: Jaylynn Nash-Imagn Images

Paul McNeil Jr. scored a career-high 47 points to lead North Carolina State to a lopsided 108-72 victory over Texas Southern on Wednesday night in Raleigh, N.C.

McNeil, a 6-foot-5 sophomore guard, set the program record for 3-pointers made in a single game by shooting 11-for-17 from deep range, breaking Rodney Monroe's mark set in 1989. He was also a perfect 12-of-12 from the charity stripe and grabbed 10 rebounds, becoming the first NC State player to score at least 40 points since TJ Warren in 2014.

The Wolfpack (8-4) also got a season-high 14 points from Jerry Deng. Quadir Copeland added seven points and a team-high nine assists.

Preseason ACC Player of the Year Darrion Williams did not play for NC State. The team said he was dealing with a shoulder injury and should return for the Wolfpack's game on Sunday against Ole Miss in Greensboro, N.C.

Five players scored in double figures for Texas Southern (1-8), with Zaire Hayes leading the way with 17 points. Alex Anderson and Bryce Roberts each scored 14 points apiece.


McNeil scored 20 of NC State's first 32 points. His seventh 3-pointer of the night put the Wolfpack ahead by 23 points with about four minutes to play in the first half.

NC State led wire-to-wire and its offense kept rolling in the second half at Reynolds Coliseum - the historic on-campus arena where the Wolfpack typically play once a season - as they went on to lead by as many as 43 points.

A 16-2 second half run was highlighted by a stretch where, in the span of 61 seconds, Deng swished back-to-back 3-pointers and Copeland threw down a thunderous 180-degree dunk.

The Wolfpack scored 21 points off 13 turnovers by Texas Southern and also outscored their opponents 24-12 on fastbreaks.

The result marked the third time this season NC State topped 100 points in a single game, the first time since Nov. 12 vs. UNC Greensboro.

--Field Level Media

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