Instant observations: NC State snaps losing skid with comeback win over Notre Dame

It seemed like a game that NC State needed to find a way to win. The Wolfpack dropped its last two ACC games on the road, and returned home to face Notre Dame, an opportunity to stop the bleeding and keep pace in the league standings. But unlike the previous two games that featured 17-point runs by the opposing team, NC State found a way to survive a 10-point run from Notre Dame. It clawed its way back the entire second half, pulling within 2 points multiple times before senior guard Marcus Hill was able to knot the game at 65 apiece.  After that, it was all Wolfpack. Senior forward Ben Middlebrooks split a pair of free throws with 11 seconds to play, which gave NC State its final lead of the night as it was able to hold on to win 66-65 on Wednesday night at the Lenovo Center.  NC State (9-6, 2-2 ACC) earned its first league win since it knocked off Florida State in overtime on Dec. 7. The victory over the Irish marked the Wolfpack’s second win over a high-major opponent of the season (it was previously 1-6 entering the night).  Hill led the Pack with 15 points, while senior guard Jayden Taylor added 14 and senior wing Dontrez Styles chipped in with 10 points and a team-best seven rebounds. Here are three observations from the Wolfpack’s comeback win over the Irish.