CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — N.C. State coach Will Wade said Thursday he is determined to “win big” with the Wolfpack while shrugging off speculation that he might return to LSU if that job became open.
“Look, we’re going to win and we’re going to win big at NC State,” Wade said after an 81-74 quarterfinal loss to No. 10 Virginia during the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament. “That’s what we’re going to do. That’s what we’re going to do moving forward. We have the resources we need. We have what we need, and it’s on me and my staff to get the job done.”
The Tigers (15-17) have one winning record in four seasons under Matt McMahon. LSU lost to Kentucky in Wednesday’s first round of the Southeastern Conference Tournament.
Wade had coached LSU for five seasons from 2017-22, a run that included three NCAA Tournament bids and a regular-season SEC title. But he was fired because of allegations of recruiting violations, rooted in a federal corruption probe of the sport that became public in 2017.
Wade made a successful climb back to prominence with two NCAA bids in as many seasons during a 58-win run with McNeese. He took over the Wolfpack program last spring with a confident news conference promising quick results.
Asked Thursday about online speculation linking him to a potential LSU opening, Wade responded with a question: “Is the job open there? … Listen, let me be very clear: I’m excited at NC State.”
“I was hired at NC State to do a job. This wasn’t going to take one year,” Wade said, then motioned toward Wolfpack athletic director Boo Corrigan at the back of the news-conference room. “I’ve already met with our administration about next year and some of the changes that we need to make and some of the things that we need to do to put this program where it deserves long-term.
“I’m not on social media. I’m not into gossip. I’m not into any of that sort of stuff.”
N.C. State (20-13) appears headed to the NCAAs in Wade’s first season, though the Wolfpack stumbled down the stretch by losing six of seven to close the regular season. The team beat Pittsburgh to open the ACC Tournament on Wednesday, then hung within reach the entire way against a Virginia team that had led each of the two regular-season meetings by 27 or more points.
“Look, this year hasn’t gone exactly how we wanted it to,” Wade said. “But we’re going to rally and we’re going to work hard, and we’re going to have a team next year that’s ready to roll.”
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