NC State Seeks Redemption Against No. 16 UNC

RALEIGH — After his team blew a seven-point lead in the final 67 seconds against Miami on Saturday, NC State head coach Will Wade offered a simple message in his postgame press conference.

"This doesn't sit well with me," he said.

A stewing Wade can be dangerous. So can his team, when it plays with a sense of urgency. Now, NC State faces one of its most important tests to date. Wade will try to do what he set out to do when he was hired and prove himself and prove to the world that NC State can stand up to its bitter rivals, the 16th-ranked UNC Tar Heels, on Tuesday at the Lenovo Center.

What to expect from UNC

Feb 14, 2026; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels head coach Hubert Davis reacts in the first half at Dean E. Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

Unfortunately for Wade and NC State, they will face a version of UNC that is totally different from the one that shot out to a 20-5 start to the season. The highly-talented front court of the Tar Heels is severely diminished by the absence of freshman forward Caleb Wilson, the team's star, who suffered a fractured hand against Miami last week. His absence placed tremendous pressure on UNC's depth, something it has plenty of. There are also questions about the availability of center Henri Veesaar.

"(Veesaar) had the flu and that's just not for one day," Davis said Monday. "He is feeling a lot better from that and then the lower body extremities, it's getting better every day and it was an improvement from Saturday to Sunday's practice. My hope is that it's an even bigger jump today. He is getting better on both ends."

Caleb Wilson and Henri Veesaar — Feb 14, 2026; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels forward Caleb Wilson (8) and center Henri Veesaar (13) on the bench in the second half at Dean E. Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

Battering teams with size was easy to do with 7-foot Veesaar and 6-foot-10 Wilson in the lineup. The calculus of which Davis fields his team changes with even one of those two out. The Tar Heels will lean on a combination of 6-foot-10 role players Zayden High and Jarin Stevenson in Wilson's stead, and potentially Veesaar's as well. Size is a major disadvantage for the Wolfpack, no matter who plays.

UNC ranks seventh in rebounding in conference play, averaging 34.9 rebounds per game. That's just a two-rebound advantage over NC State, which ranks 15th in the league. With Wilson out of the picture, things are bound to even out slightly, but the Wolfpack is coming off a game in which it allowed 20 offensive rebounds.

The brunt of the ball-handling duties is handled by veteran guard Seth Trimble, who averages 13.9 points and 2.4 assists. With Veesaar and Wilson out against Pitt, Trimble racked up 19 points, getting to the free-throw line 11 times in the victory. He's proven he can be effective without the bigs in the lineup, but could be even stronger if Veesaar is available.

How NC State can attack UNC

Jan 27, 2026; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; NC State Wolfpack guard Jr. Paul McNeil (2) shoots a 3-pointer during the first half of the game against the Syracuse Orange at Lenovo Center. Mandatory Credit: Jaylynn Nash-Imagn Images | Jaylynn Nash-Imagn Images

However disappointing it might be to Will Wade that NC State is a "jump-shooting team," that part of the Wolfpack's unclear identity could be the key on Tuesday. North Carolina's defense proved to be leaky at its very best since the start of the ACC schedule. The Tar Heels rank 11th in the league in scoring defense, allowing 77.9 points per game.

The Wolfpack is the second-best 3-point shooting team in the ACC. While those numbers haven't been incredibly consistent and could even be described as volatile, UNC's 3-point defense is one of the worst in the country. ACC opponents are shooting a torrid 40% from beyond the arc against the Tar Heels in 12 games. If NC State has one of its on-point performances, it could be a long night for Davis' team on the defensive end.

After committing the foul that cost NC State the win over Miami, senior forward Darrion Williams is the key to any success the Wolfpack might have against the Tar Heels. The team's streaky forward is in the midst of one of his dry spells after seemingly turning a corner. Wade and his staff will try to get Williams looks early. If they fall, NC State should be in good shape. If they don't, things won't be particularly comfortable on the offensive end for the Pack.

There is bound to be some chippiness between the two bitter rivals, especially after some of the offseason talk from both sides. Things will get underway in Raleigh at 7 P.M. EST, while the broadcast can be found on ESPN.

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