How the Virginia Tech Win Impacted NC State Men's Basketball

With Saturday's 82-73 win over Virginia Tech, Will Wade and NC State men's basketball moved to 18-6 overall and 9-2 in ACC play, putting them firmly in a tie for fourth place with Virginia, a team that beat them early in the league schedule. One of those top four spots is the goal that Wade set for his team when he took the job, so securing a spot would help in building the confidence of the program.

The latest victory should give NC State some singificant comfort when it comes to making the NCAA Tournament. Now, the challenge becomes jockeying for seeding the rest of the way, both for the ACC Tournament and the Big Dance. On this episode of the NC State Insider Podcast, find out just how much the Wolfpack's win over the Hokies impacted the resumé and other part of the Pack's season.

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What Wade said after the win

Jan 24, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; NC State Wolfpack head coach Will Wade reacts on the court against the Pittsburgh Panthers during the second half at the Petersen Events Center. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Wade knows better than most the challenges that await his team. While the Wolfpack is comfortably in the field right now, there are still opportunities for the wheels to fall off the bus. However, there are also chances for NC State to improve its standing in the rest of the ACC schedule, facing exclusively Quadrant 1 or high Quadrant 2 opposition from now on.

"We won at Clemson, who's in second place in the league, so we've won some big games, but I think that's who our team is," he said on the "Field of 68". "We can play with anybody in this league, but anybody in this league can also beat us. We're not dominant where we can play a B or a C game and beat anybody. We've got to be a B+ to A every night, so that's the challenge: to maintain the consistency these last seven games."

The first of those chances comes on Monday, as NC State heads to Louisville to face a ranked Cardinals team flying high under head coach Pat Kelsey. It will be a national TV game for the Pack, as it falls on an ESPN "Big Monday" broadcast night.

"We'll get embarrassed if we're not on point," Wade said after the win over the Hokies. "It's very important. We're flying out tonight... And start our preparation (Sunday), so it's a great opportunity for us. It's a great opportunity for our program. First year and we're on Big Monday."

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