NC State freshman guard Paul McNeil has ‘more confidence’ after career-best showing in loss to SMU

NC State freshman guard Paul McNeil ran down the court as blood appeared to emerge from his bottom lip. He didn’t pay the open wound any attention as he got back on defense after fighting for a loose ball. 

The former top-60 recruit, who hasn’t found consistent playing time this season, was going to do anything in his power to remain on the court. His goal? To bring energy to the Wolfpack’s lineup, which was desperate for anything to click, in its 63-57 loss to SMU on Saturday afternoon inside the Lenovo Center. 

While his battle scar illustrated the level of effort McNeil was playing with, a three-possession stretch midway through the second half characterized his goal of willing the Wolfpack’s offense. 

McNeil entered the game for his second stint of playing time after he turned in nearly six minutes in the first half with the mindset of cutting the 12-point deficit down. He tossed an assist to senior center Brandon Huntley-Hatfield before committing a foul less than a minute later. 

But then came the McNeil that NC State fans expected to see. He managed to find himself on the free throw line for seven attempts in a 15-second span. McNeil was fouled shooting a 3-pointer, which earned him the first three shots before his ability to get to the rim sent him to the charity stripe four more times over the following 10 seconds. 

McNeil benefitted from an offensive rebound on a miss on his first batch of free throw attempts as he ended up with the ball and tried to score through SMU’s front court size. He earned a pair of free throws, which he sank, before preparing for a defensive possession. 

But then, SMU turned the ball over on the ensuing in-bounds pass. McNeil battled for an offensive rebound after sophomore guard Dennis Parker Jr. missed, which he nabbed, before going up through contact for another two free throws. By the time it was over, McNeil had helped make it a single-digit deficit, that eventually was cut to 1 late in the game.

As McNeil found himself on the free throw line in bunches, he was able to finish with a career-high 8 points on 1-for-5 shooting with a 5-for-7 showing on the stripe. He also added three rebounds with three assists and a steal in a career-best 15 minutes played.

NC State coach Kevin Keatts said McNeil’s increased playing time was a result of his week in practice, which seemed to elevate his game to the next level that the Pack was looking for. And he was rewarded against SMU. 

“Paul had a great week, kind of one of those ‘here we come’ weeks. He hadn’t had that yet,” Keatts said. “We were able to slow things down [for him.] … He shot the ball very well this week, and we wanted to give him an opportunity. I thought his energy was great. I thought he played hard.”

“We hope this is a launching pad for him to continue to get better.”

For McNeil, who didn’t seem discouraged by his inconsistent minutes through the first 18 games, having the chance to earn significant burn on the floor was all he could ask for. And to see the ball go through the rim, either at the free throw line or from the left corner, was an added bonus. 

“I’m so blessed, man,” McNeil said with a grin in the Wolfpack’s postgame locker room. “All basketball players, all hoopers, when they see it go in, it’s on. It was a blessing for me to be able to see it go in. I was so happy and joyful.”

McNeil was NC State’s most infrequently used freshman on the roster entering the game as he averaged just 4.4 minutes in his first 11 appearances with the Pack. He had played just nine total minutes in the month of January, but that didn’t show with his aggressiveness on both ends of the floor. 

Defense was where McNeil needed to grow to stay on the court, and he was able to avoid being blown past on the defensive end against a high-powered SMU offense, which entered the game leading the league in scoring. 

McNeil’s effort from long practices inside the Dail Basketball Center appeared to pay off against the Mustangs, and he was proud to see his growth in real time. 

“Just knowing you have to trust the process,” McNeil said. “I know the work is going to show. Regardless of the playing time, I know the work is going to show.”

As NC State looks to turn the page, riding a four-game losing streak, the Wolfpack knows McNeil is a capable player. He was able to prove it against SMU. Now, he looks forward to building off it down the stretch of his first season in college basketball. 

“It definitely built confidence in me,” McNeil said. “I’ve got more confidence. I feel more confident about my game. Just the energy I’m bringing, I’m going to stay with it.”