Chris Ballard has more lives than any GM in NFL history, but if reports about Jones's salary "demands" are accurate, they're solely due to him ruining all leverage by calling Jones "their guy" despite being a FA. If he pays what Jones is asking AND loses Pierce in FA, someone has to intervene.

Derrion Williams played 35 minutes and managed 4 points while missing 7 of 8 shots. State has lost 6 of its last 7 games and is likely to miss the NCAAs with a fairly likely first-round exit in the ACC Tournament. Will Wade looks like he has zero answers for this team. Awful look all the way around

Stanford has hit like eight buzzer-beaters at the shot clock in this one. Unreal.

Williams and Copeland are 4 for 18 with 5 turnovers for the Pack. Zero leadership on this squad. State has been playing its way out of the tournament for a month and seems intent on digging its own grave.

For those keeping score, we are at the Somebody Named "Markwayne" In Position of Governmental Authority stage of the apocalypse.

College basketball has made a ton of really bad decisions in recent years, but the worst one no one talks about is bringing continuation into the game.

Scottie Ebube and Allyn Breed playing massive minutes against Duke. Just as Will Wade drew it up all week.

Scottie Ebube is playing really hard. That’s all I’ve got.

Just to be clear, Wade feels his choices are to play zone and lose by 35 or play man and lose by 50? Yeah, this team is unserious.

State appeared to be at least playing harder in the first half. Foul trouble and lack of athleticism have stalled the Pack offense.

Curious how many points Duke has to score before Wade realizes his new-found zone isn’t working? Asking for a friend.

Inability/refusal to get the ball to Ven-Allen Lubin down the stretch is something Wade & his staff will have to dissect. ND zone had massive holes in it and the Wolfpack consistently passed up opportunities to have its most consistent player go to work. One of many issues but it's been persistent.

Incessantly talking shit to the other team is not leadership. Until State comes to terms with that, it will continue to play down to the competition and fold at crunch time.

Told ya.

The Wolfpack is staring at a very strong possibility of losing 5 of their last 6 regular-season games and missing the Big Dance. Wade & Co. deserve a ton of criticism for inability to adjust to this team’s limitations.

Multiple shady foul calls go ND’s way in OT. Lots to overcome here for a rattled Pack team.

… And Williams airballs an open 3 at the buzzer. Headed to OT after yet another Wolfpack choke job in the final minutes.

Tie game with 12.6 to play, State’s ball. Confidence level is 📉

State’s best players coming up empty in the final moments. Brutal effort.

The Wolfpack bricks 3 open threes against the ND zone. The Irish with the ball down just two with 1:06 remaining.

The Pack by 7 at the under-4. Another casual turnover gives the ball back to ND after the break. State doing a lot to keep the Irish in this.

NC State extends to 8 points with just under 6 to play, forcing an ND timeout. The Pack is finally running a second defender at Haralson.

Apparently State’s philosophy is to allow uncontested layups to limit three-point attempts. They’re definitely going to find a way to lose this game.

The officiating here in the second half has been bizarre. Welcome to the ACC!

More weak, lackadaisical play from State allows ND to cut it to 3 at the under-12. Time is running out for Wade to reach this team with whatever message he’s trying to imprint.

The Pack by 9. If by some miracle they can string together a couple of stops, they could pull away.

NC State up just six at halftime as they’re allowing layups and open threes like they’re going out of style. This team is giving alarming “They gotta guard us too pal” vibes.

The Wolfpack by 6 at the under-4. Another of a growing number of games where Derrion Williams is invisible outside of blown defensive assignments.

The Pack up a single point on one of the worst Power 4 teams in the land at the under-8. Wade’s team continues to be outworked by just about every opponent.

State up 6 at the under-12. ND hedging ball screens extremely hard. The Pack can make some hay attacking the hedge harder.

Multiple defensive breakdowns allow three straight three-pointers by ND to get back in it quickly. Focus remains a massive concern for the Wolfpack.

A more mature and composed start for the Pack as they jump out 11-2, forcing a ND timeout.

Well-deserved boos rain down at St. James Park as Newcastle falls meekly again. Aimless showing.

Just an unreal volley from Tonali. One of the few playing with any real urgency in this one.

Gordon gifts Everton an immediate go-ahead goal after an equalizer. Completely gutless play.

Newcastle dominating play in the second, but more dreadful decision making in the final third. Barnes the latest to choke away a scoring opportunity.

Pope has been incredibly shaky in this one. Awful work there to misplay an easy save.

Seeing just zero evidence that Woltemade can play in the midfield. None.

Another low-energy, disjointed performance from Newcastle. Looking rudderless without Bruno.

I sense Will Wade dislikes this team as much as a lot of fans do. Expect a dramatically different type of roster next season.

NC State has lost its last two road games by a combined 68 points and been clowned repeatedly in the process. The Pack is still likely to make the tourney but certainly has the look of a one-and-done team.

The Pack going full vapor lock in Charlottesville as they continue to play hero ball and ole defense. Remains an impossible team to figure.

Yeah, this is kind of what happens when officials decide to allow 94 feet of clinching without a foul for 25 straight minutes or so.

Now State finds a little offense and decides to stop playing defense altogether. Maddening team.

If Virginia is going to be allowed to play with this level of physicality—hand-checking, mugging cutters, hacking at the rim—no one is going to beat them in the ACC.

Williams, Lubin, and Copeland have combined for 5 points in the first 16+ minutes. The Pack is scratching and clawing to stay close as a result.

For a change, defense is carrying the Wolfpack. A truly insane whistle — predictably, Roger Ayers is involved— is keeping Virginia ahead.

Brutal shooting start for the Pack. Virginia has somehow played the first 8 minutes without a foul call despite many, well, fouls. Doesn’t bode well for State.

What does the commitment of Gunner Rivers mean for the Wolfpack now and into the future? And could this lead to Philip Rivers coming to Raleigh? Broke all of that down here 👇👇

Gutsy second half from Newcastle but the story remains the same in this game as for the entire season: disconnected and aimless play in the final third.