Darrion Williams Overcomes Shooting Struggles in Crunch Time
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CLEMSON, S.C. — The Darrion Williams experience at NC State has been similar to the first year under Will Wade as a whole. In one word, it's inconsistent. At times, Williams has been the player the Wolfpack paid top-dollar for out of the transfer portal. However, there have been more struggles than flashes of brilliance. The forward showed both in the win over No. 18 Clemson.
The difference was that the brilliance came when it mattered most, as Williams propelled the Pack through overtime, holding off the Tigers to secure the 80-76 win and continue the perfect start away from the Lenovo Center in conference play. While far from perfect, his latest performance best exemplified what Wade wants from the Wolfpack offensively as a team.
How Williams got it done
D-WILL 🎯 pic.twitter.com/bQT0VfYCam
— NC State Men's Basketball (@PackMensBball) January 21, 2026
After making just four of his first 16 shots, the ball landed in Williams' hands in overtime with the Wolfpack trailing by one. Quadir Copeland attacked before spraying the ball to the corner to a prepared Williams, who fired the 3-point shot into the air and through the basket. The Wolfpack never relinquished the lead.
That moment was the key to the game. It was also exactly what Wade wants from the Wolfpack: Copeland operating as a distributor, creating space for shooters like Williams to make plays. The coach is well aware that NC State's offensive strategy isn't considered aesthetically pleasing, but the numbers win games, not the eye test. Williams is beloved by the numbers, even when he misses 12 shots.
"He did a lot of good things. His usage rate was sky high today. We get in trouble. When? When his usage rate isn't where it needs to be," Wade said. "It needs to be around 30% every game. We were well under that against Georgia Tech."
Over the course of the season, Wade discussed keeping Williams and Copeland in what he described as parallel lanes on an interstate. The two players could operate at different speeds, but needed to complement each other to avoid creating chaos on the road. There was also the issue of diverting traffic, or other players, in an efficient manner around those two, aiding their production.
Combined for 65 points & the win. 🔥 pic.twitter.com/BAfywxB1vs
— NC State Men's Basketball (@PackMensBball) January 21, 2026
In the overtime win, Williams finished with a 29.5% usage rate, while Copeland hovered at 24.5% on the night. That was a near-perfect scenario in Wade's view, as the two players dominated the ball, but still were effective distributors and scorers. Williams finished with 17 points, shooting an inefficient 5-of-17 from the field, while Copeland scored 16, making 4-of-10 shots and adding six assists.
"It doesn't always look pretty but over the course of 40 minutes, if we keep the ball in his hands for a majority of the game, if we keep the ball in him and (Copeland's) hands about the equal amount of time over the course of 40 minutes, it's winning basketball," Wade said. "... All this stuff is going to look kind of clunky, but it wins."
While his on-court confidence has been shaken at times, Williams hasn't been afraid to keep shooting. He also has maintained confidence away from the playing surface, trusting that his talent will eventually help him overcome the inconsistency. That goes for the team as a whole as well.
"I think we've just got to be more consistent," Williams said. "I think we can compete with anybody, but it's a tough league, so nobody is going to give us any games, regardless of our record... We've just got to use this as a stepping stone moving forward."
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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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