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NC State’s Marcus Hill to utilize JUCO waiver, will return to Wolfpack for 2025-26 season

image_6483441 (3)by:Noah Fleischman•about 15 hours•

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Marcus Hill NC State
© Jaylynn Nash-Imagn Images

In a long line of seniors waiting to be recognized inside the Lenovo Center, NC State guard Marcus Hill felt a little awkward. While he is listed as a senior, wrapping his fourth season of college basketball up, it wasn’t actually going to be his final home game like the six others. 

Hill, instead, benefitted from a December court ruling that allowed Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia an extra year of eligibility as a former junior college athlete. The NCAA expanded that to any player in their final playing year to obtain one more season of eligibility. 

That opened a door for Hill to remain at the college level for another year. An opportunity he will gladly use next season. Hill said he will return to NC State for a fifth season after the Wolfpack’s 71-63 win over Pitt on Wednesday night. 

It was an easy decision for Hill, who has enjoyed his first season at the Power Conference level after a pair of seasons at Southern Union State Community College and one year at Bowling Green. 

“It’s my first Power Five school, so I’m appreciative of them giving me a chance,” Hill said of NC State. “I really love the whole environment, I love my teammates, I love everybody around here.”

Hill entered the night as the team’s leading scorer through the first 29 games with 11.7 points, which was powered by a stretch where he had 15 double-figure scoring efforts across 17 games from early December through mid-February. 

The jump to the ACC has proved to be a learning experience for Hill, who utilizes a throwback style of basketball of slashing to the rim with his 6-foot-4, 185-pound frame. He isn’t afraid of contact and has a knack of getting to the free throw line. Hill led the NCAA in free throw attempts with 219 last season with the Falcons, but he has only attempted 85 this season.

As he continues to adjust to the Power Conference level, which has more athletic players and elite talent littered all over the court each night, Hill has donned a smile. He knows there’s still work to do, and he’s more than excited to continue to grow this offseason. 

“It showed me a lot,” Hill said. “It showed me what I need to work on. I love the fans. They’re still supporting us.”

NC State coach Kevin Keatts wore a smile when talking about Hill after the win. He expects the guard to attack the offseason — whenever that comes as the Wolfpack looks to make a push for the ACC Tournament with a win at Miami and two Notre Dame losses — with an emphasis on his shooting. 

Hill’s game, while effective at the mid-major level, has become one-dimensional in the ACC. He is shooting just 21.6 percent from three, and Keatts expects the guard to make that his primary focus going into the 2025-26 campaign. 

While that’s the case, Hill has been able to lean on what he does best — getting to the rim and knocking down mid-range jumpers — to keep his spirits up as the long-range shots haven’t fallen at a consistent clip. 

“I’m just playing confident,” Hill said. “I’m just trying to get back into my groove.”

Hill’s return will make the Wolfpack’s transfer portal wish list slightly easier. NC State has four scholarships for next season, at the moment,  as incoming freshmen RJ Greer and Zymicah Wilkins will join the team this summer. Roster attrition could lead that number to swell in the coming weeks, but for now, the Pack knows at least one key player it will have back.

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