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Bold Reactions to NC State's ACC Tournament Loss

On this episode of the NC State Insider Podcast, get a full postgame breakdown from inside the Spectrum Center after the Pack came up just short.
Tucker Sennett|
Mar 12, 2026; Charlotte, NC, USA; NC State Wolfpack guard Quadir Copeland (11) and guard Jr. Paul McNeil (2) in the final seconds during the second half against the Virginia Cavaliers at Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images
Mar 12, 2026; Charlotte, NC, USA; NC State Wolfpack guard Quadir Copeland (11) and guard Jr. Paul McNeil (2) in the final seconds during the second half against the Virginia Cavaliers at Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images | Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

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North Carolina State Wolfpack

For just over 14 minutes on Thursday, NC State led a team that it simply couldn't compete with during the regular season. Virginia, the two-seed in the ACC Tournament, ended up pulling away from the Wolfpack, hanging on to beat Will Wade's squad 81-74 in the quarterfinals at the Spectrum Center, ending the Pack's run through the tournament after just one win.

While NC State's season isn't over yet, it could've used a win to prove that it belonged with the elite members of the ACC and other conferences, while also bolstering its tournament résumé even more. On this episode of the NC State Insider Podcast, host and lead beat writer Tucker Sennett offers his bold reactions to the loss and what it could mean on Selection Sunday.

Watch the latest episode right here

More on the loss to Virginia

Will Wad
Mar 12, 2026; Charlotte, NC, USA; NC State Wolfpack head coach Will Wade reacts in the first half at Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

No one wanted a win more than Wade on Thursday. That became evident quickly once the ball was tipped, as the Wolfpack coach trotted up and down the sidelines, showing even more animation than normal, which added to his team's sense of urgency. Wade coached his players hard against Virginia because they were playing hard for him. That's what NC State needed to have a chance.

"I thought we played with an edge today. I thought we played with better effort. We didn't have very good attention to detail," Wade said. "... We haven't, quite frankly, played with this level of effort all the time this year, so it's tough to correct all the details and it's tough to correct all the little things when you're coaching effort and trying to get effort from guys."

To beat Virginia, NC State knew it needed to knock down more shots from the perimeter than it did in the previous two matchups. The primary player championing that mindset was sophomore guard Paul McNeil, who brought his A-game against the Cavaliers and proved his shot-making could be a difference-maker in a tournament setting.

McNeil finished the game with a team-high 26 points, burying six of his 11 attempts from beyond the arc. He rose over the defense time and time again, never deterred by the hands in his face or the bodies flying underneath his lift. He buried his 100th triple of the season in the loss, becoming the fourth member in the program's history to accomplish such a feat.

McNeil's efforts weren't enough and now NC State awaits fate on Selection Sunday, although it feels likely that the Wolfpack will be participating in the Big Dance in a week.

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Tucker Sennett
TUCKER SENNETT

Tucker Sennett graduated summa cum laude with a B.A. in Sports Journalism from the esteemed Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University. A former basketball player, he has gained valuable experience working at Cronkite News and brings a deep passion for sports and reporting to his role as the NC State Wolfpack Beat Writer On SI.

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