Three Stars From the Wolfpack's Win at Clemson
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CLEMSON, S.C. — Will Wade and the NC State Wolfpack hit the road for a tricky ACC matchup Tuesday, facing No. 18 Clemson in the Littlejohn Coliseum. The Pack was in dire need of a win and it took everything the team had to steal an 80-76 victory in overtime over the Tigers.
While it was a balanced effort, it took massive performance from three key members of the Wolfpack to get the job done and knock off Brad Brownell's Tigers, a group that hadn't lost an ACC game before Tuesday. Without strong showings from Quadir Copeland, Darrion Williams and Ven-Allen Lubin, NC State would be in a very different frame of mind in its journey back to Raleigh.
Copeland bucks the trend
Coming into Tuesday's game, NC State was just 1-5 when Copeland attempted 10 or more shots in games. While he remains an important part of the offense, the team is at its best when he is operating more as a facilitator than as a scorer. He walked both paths in the win over the Tigers, scoring 16 points on 4-of-10 shooting, and dishing out six assists.
He was tracking to finish with under 10 shots, but the game went to overtime, pushing total over the usual threshold. Copeland finished with a 24.5% usage rate, which was about where NC State wanted and needed him to be against the Tigers. He brought much-needed size against the oversized Clemson front-court, making the Wolfpack's switch-heavy defense still feasible. He tallied a pair of steals on that end.
Lubin dominates inside
The Wolfpack needed a steadying force Tuesday night and Lubin provided it. He scored 22 points, making nine of his 12 attempts from the field, and added six rebounds. His effort on the defensive end was key, as he held his own against the oversized Clemson forwards, while also switching onto guards in key moments.
"It starts with me as a leader," the forward said. "I can be able to be more involved and be more assertive on offense and defense and that's what I just showed today. I know what I'm capable of doing and that's what everybody expects from me and I'm willing to take that responsibility."
Williams comes up clutch
Playmakers. 🔥
— NC State Men's Basketball (@PackMensBball) January 21, 2026
Moments of the game presented by @Lenovo pic.twitter.com/CGiygQuQzp
A major reason NC State's goal is for Copeland to hang around 25% in usage is that it normally increases the usage rate of Williams. That proved true against Clemson, although it wasn't always pretty with Williams holding the ball 29.5% of the time. However, the forward's most crucial points came in overtime, as he canned a 3-pointer from the corner to put the Pack up two points.
Williams scored 17 points, shooting a poor 5-of-17 from the field and 3-of-8 from 3-point range, but also added six rebounds, three assists and a steal.
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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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