Louisville didn’t just beat NC State on the scoreboard it overwhelmed the Wolfpack in every meaningful phase of the game, cruising to a 118–77 win that was effectively decided long before the final horn. Louisville did it by shooting the lights out at the Yum Center.
The Cardinals shot a blistering 60-percent from the field and an even more punishing 60-percent from three-point range, knocking down 18 triples on 30 attempts. NC State, by contrast, struggled to generate consistent offense, finishing at 41-percent overall and just 4-of-22 from beyond the arc. When one team is raining threes and the other can’t buy one, margins balloon quickly.
The story of the night was Mikey Brown Jr., who authored a career type performance with 45 points on 14-of-23 shooting, including a jaw dropping 10-of-16 from deep. Brown repeatedly punished late closeouts and switches, stretching the defense until it finally snapped. Ryan Conwell was just as efficient in support, pouring in 31 points on 10-of-14 shooting while adding six assists and seven rebounds. Louisville’s ball movement was sharp all night with 21 assists on 39 made field goals and the Cardinals consistently turned good possessions into great ones.
NC State had a few individual bright spots, but not nearly enough to keep pace. Ven-Allen Lubin led the Wolfpack with 20 points on 7-of-10 shooting and added six rebounds, while Tre Holloman chipped in 19. The Wolfpack actually shot well at the free throw line (17-of-19), but the lack of perimeter shooting and a 42–28 rebounding deficit erased any chance of sustained momentum.
Defensively NC State simply couldn’t disrupt Louisville’s offensive rhythm, allowing clean looks early in the shot clock and second chances when stops did come. The closing stretch summed it all up. Louisville closed the game on a 7–0 run over the final 1:31, hitting five of its last six shots while NC State misfired on hurried three-point attempts.
By the time Louisville pushed its lead to a game high 41 points, the benches had emptied and the outcome was academic. For Louisville, it was a statement performance built on efficiency, spacing, and star power. For NC State, it was a long night that underscored just how thin the margin is when shots aren’t falling especially against a team this locked in.
Louisville next heads to Texas to play a rare non-conference February game against Baylor at 4 pm.
