N.C. State Routs Campbell 83-64 in Gainey Debut

Ven-Allen Lubin scored 20 points as N.C. State opened the Justin Gainey era with a win at Lenovo Center.

Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Basketball

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N.C. State beat Campbell 83-64 Monday night at Lenovo Center, with Ven-Allen Lubin scoring 20 points in Justin Gainey's debut as Wolfpack head coach. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

N.C. State defeated Campbell 83-64 on Monday night at Lenovo Center. The win opened the Justin Gainey era, with five Wolfpack players scoring in double figures.

Why it matters

The opener gives early evidence of how the new coaching staff's approach translates to game play. The win also starts the season at 1-0 for the home team in Raleigh.

Ven-Allen Lubin scored 20 points on 8-for-8 shooting and grabbed 10 rebounds, while N.C. State made 11 of 25 three-pointers (45%) and recorded 20 assists on 30 made field goals. Campbell scored 19 first-half points and made just 1 of 21 shots in the final 11 minutes of the half, a stretch that helped N.C. State build a 28-3 lead.

The players

Ven-Allen Lubin

Ven-Allen Lubin is a forward for N.C. State who scored 20 points on 8-for-8 shooting in the Wolfpack's opening win.

Preston Edmead

Preston Edmead is a guard for N.C. State whose three-pointer sparked the decisive 21-0 run that changed the game's momentum.

Justin Gainey

Justin Gainey is the coach whose first game with N.C. State came in this 83-64 win over Campbell.

The details

N.C. State used a 21-0 run that included Preston Edmead's first three-pointer of the game to separate from Campbell, which had led by as many as seven points early in the first half. The Wolfpack shot 53.6% from the field and kept Campbell scoreless over the closing minutes of the half.

Timeline

  1. Monday night: N.C. State defeats Campbell 83-64 at Lenovo Center

Season Trajectory

The opener sets a 1-0 starting mark for N.C. State in a season that begins with a rebuilt coaching staff. Campbell falls to 0-1 after its first game, leaving both programs early in the schedule with limited data about where they stand in the conference race.

The opening win puts N.C. State at 1-0 and gives Wolfpack fans an early look at Lubin's scoring output. Fantasy managers tracking college basketball can note Lubin's 20-point, 10-rebound line as the most notable individual performance from the game.

The takeaway

The opener shows N.C. State can generate offense quickly through three-point shooting and ball movement under new leadership. Early-season results like this one give a first measure of the Gainey staff's approach before tougher competition arrives.

Further reading

For more on the team's early season, see Basketball coverage from the Raleigh area.