Three days from the UNCW exhibition, and another clear issue from High Point was how NC State handled rotations, especially when High Point adjusted to their pick-and-roll coverage.

Moore talked about it after the game. He said High Point did a good job recognizing how NC State was trying to keep them off balance and then put the Wolfpack at a disadvantage. When NC State switched and a teammate helped, they often didn’t keep playing and rotate over to the next man. He said some of it came down to not finishing the play and not doing it hard enough or quick enough. The short version was pretty simple: you’ve just got to play harder.

You could see it in stretches. High Point found open looks after a switch or a help rotation that never fully closed. Those breakdowns showed up even while NC State was forcing turnovers on the other end. The first quarter had the energy and activity the staff wants. Later, some of those defensive possessions ended with a late rotation or no rotation at all.

The work since that game is probably focused on the basics of finishing the possession. When you switch, don’t stop. Rotate and take the next man instead of watching the ball. Help and then recover with more urgency. Don’t leave the next shooter open because the first rotation looked good for a second. Moore has said the team needs to clean those things up in a hurry, and the High Point game gave them a clear look at where the breakdowns happened.

Those extra open shots kept High Point closer than the overall margin suggested. If the rotations get tighter, a lot of those second-chance or kick-out looks disappear. UNCW will be another chance to see if that part of the defense is sharper.

Next is “2 Days to UNCW,” which will cover the half-court offense and the decisions against zone that also showed up against High Point.