NC State bests Troy after slow start. What we saw in the Wolfpack's win
Troy head coach Adam Howard watched Paul McNeil sink his second 3-pointer of the day, three minutes into the second half. He turned toward the bench, arms crossed, and yelled an expletive. This was the first meeting between the programs, but Howard is more than familiar with McNeil. Howard spent last season as an N.C. State assistant, serving as the team’s offensive coordinator. He helped develop McNeil’s game into what it is today. He is keenly aware of what McNeil is capable of when he gets a shot to fall. Instead of winning games behind McNeil’s perimeter shooting, Howard was on the opposite bench as McNeil found his shot to lift N.C. State over Troy, 81-62, on Friday night at Lenovo Center. Howard actually told his team not to talk to McNeil. Let a sleeping dog lie, and all that. Unfortunately for the Trojans, Howard said one of his players started “getting into it” with McNeil. The quiet guy who typically doesn’t hunt shots was ready to go. He made two straight threes and put the Wolfpack up 14 points. “I looked at our bench and said, ‘He’s awake,’” Howard said. Aside from McNeil’s strong second half, and a well-rounded
