Even Will Wade, North Carolina State’s coach, was amazed by KU’s Melvin Council
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Melvin Council Jr. scored 36 points, hitting nine 3s to lift Kansas in OT.
- Wade and Self praised Council’s shooting; KU overcame N.C. State, 77-76.
- Council attempted 27 shots, most for KU since at least 2009; team hit 11 total 3s.
First-year North Carolina State men’s basketball coach Will Wade was full of praise for Kansas senior guard Melvin Council Jr., who torched his Wolfpack for 36 points in the Jayhawks’ 77-76 overtime victory on Saturday at Lenovo Center in Raleigh, North Carolina.
“Incredible, incredible performance by Council,” Wade said of the former St. Bonaventure wing, who hit nine 3s, most by a KU player in a game in the 23-year Bill Self era and just two off the school record of 11 by Terry Brown.
Brown cashed his 11 3s on Jan. 5, 1991, against the same opponent, N.C. State, but in a different locale, Allen Fieldhouse.
“Got a game he’ll probably tell his grandkids about that one,” Wade stated.
Council shattered his own personal record for makes beyond the arc. He hit four versus Niagara as a member of Wagner’s team during the 2023-24 season. His previous high at KU was two 3s verus Notre Dame.
“Give him credit,” Wade told media members. “He had five 3s (in 27 attempts) on the year coming in. Hit nine tonight.”
His nine 3s (in 15 attempts) accounted for one more trey than three Jayhawks who swished eight in a game: Lagerald Vick versus Vermont on Nov. 12, 2018, Mario Chalmers against Texas on March 16, 2008, and Billy Thomas against Texas on Jan. 10, 1998.
Council’s 27 shot attempts (he had 13 baskets) were most by a Jayhawk since even before Sherron Collins put up 26 shots against North Dakota State in a 2009 NCAA Tournament game. Collins hit two 3s and finished with 32 points in that first-round contest. The school record is 38 shot attempts by Bud Stallworth (he scored 50 points) on Feb 26, 1972, versus Missouri.
Some of Council’s 3-point tries Saturday were unguarded. Wade’s strategy entering the game was to let Council fire away while concentrating on stopping Darryn Peterson, Tre White and others.
“We were guarding the paint to start the game. And then we adjusted after he made his third 3,” Wade said. “That was kind of our line of demarcation. Hit that and we were going to adjust. We adjusted after he hit the third 3, but he was in rhythm and got going. Give him credit. He played tremendous and made big shots for them.”
Asked if he was satisfied with the adjustment, Wade said: “I mean we made the adjustment and we didn’t guard him in the paint. We just went on the ball screens instead.
“But I mean, you look at everything when somebody scores 36 on you. I do think their offense was not as fluid with Bidunga (Flory, two early fouls) out, but I mean give him credit. He made big, big plays. He made big shots at the start of overtime, two 3s, great shots. He did a great job.”
The 36 points were most scored in a game by a Jayhawk since Jalen Wilson tallied 38 in an overtime loss to Kansas State on Jan, 17, 2023. Most points by a player in the 23-year Self era was 41 by Andrew Wiggins vs. West Virginia in 2014.
Council’s performance helped KU win its first game in three tries against triangle schools Duke, North Carolina and N.C. State.
The Jayhawks had defeated all three of those schools a year ago. KU on Nov. 18 this year fell to Duke 78-66 in the Champions Classic in New York. KU fell to North Carolina 87-74 on Nov. 7 in Chapel Hill.
“Well, I’ve seen enough of the Research Triangle, or whatever you guys call it,” Self said in his postgame interview session Saturday.
“We played Duke in the Garden and then we played in Chapel Hill and here in Raleigh. One thing that is very evident is people love their ball here, which is great,” Self added.
The N.C. State game drew a sellout of 19,119 fans.
“People should be excited about the Wolfpack (7-4) and their team,” Self said, “because if you really look at their team, they can stretch it from four spots. They’ve got good guard play and good length on the perimeter. And the big fella (Ven-Allen Lubin, 16 points, 11 rebounds vs. KU) is having a really nice year. They’re going to have a good season.
“We’re fortunate they didn’t shoot the ball tonight like they shot it against Liberty earlier in the week (in a blowout victory).”
The Wolfpack went 9-of-34 from 3 and hit 37.8% overall against KU. The Jayhawks went 11-of-30 from 3 (Council was 9-of-15 and his teammates 2-for-15).
Asked if he’d consider playing the Triangle teams again, Self said: “Yes, I’m open to that. I’m open to that because all three of them would need to come to our place next. I actually think college basketball has done a much better job this year scheduling to create more interest than what we have in years past. There’s a lot of big-time games.
“... The thing about it is with scheduling, money is going to dictate how you schedule, because of NIL and other things that you have to create some income streams different ways, like the Players Era tournament or whatever. But I think that anytime you could play those three, the three that you just mentioned, and you throw Louisville in the mix. I mean, those are four teams that would be great.”
KU will next meet Towson at 8 p.m. Tuesday at Allen Fieldhouse.
