NC State Outlasts the Tigers on the Road For Crucial Win
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CLEMSON, S.C. — It took an extra five minutes and likely hurt many members of the NC State men’s basketball coaching staff’s heart health, but the Wolfpack stole a win on the road over No. 18 Clemson, beating the Tigers 80-76 in overtime.
The Pack took control in Littlejohn Coliseum midway through the first half and survived long enough to take the game to overtime despite a late Tiger push.
Abundant Tiger turnovers
Clemson entered the matchup against the Wolfpack averaging just 9.6 turnovers per game. The Tigers turned the ball over just 14% of the time against their previous opponents. NC State’s ball pressure and switching seemed to greatly affect the Tigers in the first half, as the home team blew through its usual turnover metrics. Clemson finished the half with eight turnovers.
The Pack was able to capitalize on the miscues and shoot in front with a 12-2 run as the Tigers toiled on the offensive end. Despite a size advantage, the Tigers weren’t able to execute inside and went through a pair of lengthy scoring and field goal droughts. Clemson cleaned things up down the stretch and ultimately cut the Pack’s lead to five at halftime.
FROM DEEEEP 😯
— ACC Men's Basketball (@accmbb) January 21, 2026
📺 @accnetwork x @PackMensBball pic.twitter.com/yZJZeH0lpI
Coming out of the halftime break, the Tigers appeared to be more controlled in the half-court. They turned it over just once in the first stint before the under-16-minute timeout, slowly chipping away at the Wolfpack lead.
What made the Clemson turnovers so costly was NC State’s ability to score in transition and take advantage of the additional possessions. The Wolfpack scored 19 points off turnovers to Clemson’s six.
The Williams Lane and the Copeland Lane
NC State shot 15-of-31 from the field in the first half, good for 48%. The team’s offensive centerpiece, senior forward Darrion Williams, started the game just 3-of-12 from the field, personally accounting for nine of the 16 misses. The Wolfpack continued to be stuck between a rock and a hard place when addressing Williams’ production.
To win games, the team needs the forward at his best. It also needs Quadir Copeland to keep his usage down, as the Wolfpack entered the Clemson game with a 1-5 record when the McNeese State transfer takes 10 or more shots. Copeland was one of the leading scorers for NC State in the first half, finishing with nine points on six attempts. He added four assists, but was only plus-1 when the team walked into the locker room.
Williams picked up steam in the second half while Copeland handled his business without forcing shots. He sprayed the ball out to the Wolfpack shooters while attacking, hitting Terrance Arceneaux for a crucial corner 3-pointer to put his team up by seven just before the under-12 timeout. Copeland scored 16 points and dished out six assists for the Pack.
An important paint battle
With their oversized front-court options, the Tigers had an opportunity to exert their will inside against the undersized Wolfpack. However, NC State countered with physicality and a strong performance from senior forward Ven-Allen Lubin, who once again played his role perfectly.
Lubin found himself operating on the perimeter and inside offensively and started to take advantage of Clemson’s decision to jump passing lanes and stretch the defense to slow down 3-point shooting. He scored a quick 10 points in the opening six-plus minutes of the second half, helping the Wolfpack stay in front of the Tigers as they made a push.
While the Tigers controlled the boards overall, NC State forced them out of their comfort zone and avoided allowing too many offensive rebounds. The lack of additional possessions from work on the glass helped the Pack nurse its lead throughout the second half. The Tigers ultimately finished with nine offensive boards to the Wolfpack’s six.
Surviving on the road
It was never going to be easy for NC State to win in Littlejohn Coliseum. After trailing for a significant portion of the first half and most of the second half, the Tigers tied the game 67 with three minutes to play. They were aided by a struggling Wolfpack offense that failed to make a field goal for over six minutes.
Clemson finally took the lead when RJ Godfrey finished through an Arceneaux foul and put the Tigers up two with just over a minute. It was the home team’s first lead since the 11:30 mark of the first half. Williams drew a foul on a hard drive to the basket, tying the game with a pair of foul shots. The Tigers missed a 3-pointer at the top of the arc, setting up a final possession for the Wolfpack to steal the win.
Another game, another rim shaking moment from @LubinVen pic.twitter.com/N7diN8MzyI
— NC State Men's Basketball (@PackMensBball) January 21, 2026
Williams had a look from the elbow, but clanked off the back of the rim. Freshman guard Matt Able came up with the offensive rebound, but fell out of bounds, gifting the Tigers possession with 2.3 seconds on the clock. After a failed half-court heave, the game went to overtime.
A corner three from Williams, followed by a smooth assist from him to Lubin for a dunk, gave the Pack the four-point advantage in overtime, ultimately hanging on for the first Quadrant-1 victory of the season. Williams finished the win with 17 points.
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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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