Immediate Takeaways From NC State's Win Over Pitt

NC State finished off an impressive week in the ACC schedule with another win on the road, outlasing Pittsburgh in an 81-72 victory at the Petersen Events Center in the Steel City. The Wolfpack found a way to win despite an ugly offensive start and being significantly outrebounded.

Will Wade and the Pack leaned on senior guard Quadir Copeland throughout the win, while forward Darrion Williams struggled with foul trouble. Behind steady efforts from Copeland, Ven-Allen Lubin and Paul McNeil, NC State survived a second-half push from the Panthers after leading at halftime, ultimately coming back from a slight deficit down the stretch.

Another day, another double-double 💪 pic.twitter.com/DlEON5ns4q
— NC State Men's Basketball (@PackMensBball) January 24, 2026

On this episode of the NC State Insider Podcast, host and lead beat writer Tucker Sennett dives into what worked for the Wolfpack in the latest win, which pushed the team to 14-6 overall and 5-2 in the ACC standings.

Watch the new episode here

How the Wolfpack got it done

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

While Pittsburgh absolutely dominated the glass, NC State was able find other ways to make up ground and keep the Panthers at bay. Pitt outrebounded the Pack 52 to 31, with 26 of those boards coming on the offensive end. It was one of the worst rebounding performances for the Wolfpack of the entire season, but the Panthers couldn't capitalize.

Pitt missed 12 layups on 20 attempts and shot a dismal 11-25 from the foul line. The Wolfpack wasn't much more efficient with the layups, but it did score 36 points in the paint. Wade's team found a distinct advantage at the charity stripe, though, making 22-of-27 free throw attempts in the win. The clutch makes down the stretch allowed NC State to maintain a cushion for long enough to hold off the Panthers.

Jan 24, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; NC State Wolfpack forward Ven-Allen Lubin (22) dunks past Pittsburgh Panthers guard Barry Dunning Jr. (left) during the second half at the Petersen Events Center. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Lubin notched his fifth double-double of the season with 17 points and 12 rebounds for the Wolfpack. His free-throw shooting continued to be a strength, as he missed just one time in eight attempts. While he struggled to corral rebounds early against the onslaught from Pitt freshman Roman Siulepa, Lubin locked things down inside in the second half.

NC State pulled away on the back of McNeil, however. Copeland scored the most, finishing with 20, but McNeil's five made 3-pointers were some of the most important buckets in the game. The sharpshooter went on a personal 6-0 run with a pair of triples to put the Wolfpack up by six late in the second half. The Pack never looked back from that point.

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