Three Stars From NC State's Commanding Win Over No. 16 North Carolina

RALEIGH — There was always going to be juice for NC State when it took the court against the North Carolina Tar Heels for the first time in the Will Wade era. Sensing the shorthanded roster of the 16th-ranked team from Chapel Hill, the Wolfpack jumped all over the Tar Heels and ran away with an 82-58 victory, the largest margin of victory for the program against UNC since 1962.

Five different members of the State roster finished the game with double figures in the scoring column, regaining some of the offensive rhythm from the two-game skid the team suffered over the week before the UNC matchup. Knowing their bitter rivals were coming to the Lenovo Center seemed to awaken the edge of the Wolfpack players, something that pleased Wade. Who stood out most?

Copeland's edge overpowers Tar Heel guards

After winning the ACC Player of the Week Award for his efforts two weeks ago, senior guard Quadir Copeland suffered a bit of a dip in performance in the back-to-back losses to Louisville and Miami. There was no such dip against the Tar Heels for Copeland. At 6-foot-6, the savvy, physical point guard did what he does best: Identified and attacked mismatches.

Copeland scored 20 points, shooting 7-of-16 from the field. His physicality in NC State's porch action was too much for UNC's undersized guards, allowing him to operate with impunity and finish through minimal contact with ease. He still operated as the team's primary distributor, dishing out seven assists without committing a single turnover.

Able continues to surge at the right time

Matt Able is feeling it as he makes his second 3 of the night. pic.twitter.com/vqKHsrJygs
— NC State Men's Basketball (@PackMensBball) February 18, 2026

In a year where a different freshman phenom lights up the stat sheet every night across the country, NC State's high-profile recruit has operated as one of its most efficient and important bench pieces in his debut season. Freshman guard Matt Able notched a career-high for the second-straight game, scoring 19 points against the Tar Heels.

Able spent an extended amount of time dialing in his catch-and-shoot 3-point looks during pregame warmups, working closely with the team's director of player development, Joseph Anderson. That paid off, as Able buried five of his seven attempts from beyond the arc. NC State moved to 9-2 when Able scored in double figures during the 2025-26 season with the win.

Williams shows his warrior spirit

Wade outright said he thought his star forward, Darrion Williams, was in line for a massive performance against the Tar Heels. The coach wasn't wrong, as NC State's talented senior buried his first three shots of the night and appeared to be locked in for the rivalry matchup. However, Williams' night took a scary turn when he slammed his head into the hardwood while contesting a transition layup.

The forward left the floor with quite a bit of blood on his face, running straight to the locker room. NC State survived without him, but when he emerged from the locker room sporting a No. 34 nameless jersey, he galvanized the crowd and his teammates, channeling a warrior spirit to help get his team the win. He ended up being effective offensively, even with stitches above his left eye. Williams finished the game with 13 points, shooting 6-of-10 from the field in just 16 minutes of work.

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