Wolfpack Rides Star Performances to Home Win Over Syracuse
In this story:
RALEIGH — The Lenovo Center was a house of horrors for NC State in its last two home appearances, dropping both games. The Wolfpack flipped that script on Tuesday, taking down the visiting Syracuse Orange 88-68.
The matchup with Syracuse was one of personal importance for Wolfpack guard Quadir Copeland, who played for the Orange and head coach Adrian Autry, before finding new life with Will Wade at McNeese State and, now, NC State. Copeland’s ‘revenge game’ was a productive one, as he scored 19 points and dished out nine assists, playing a key role in the win.
Fixing the starts
During his Monday coaches call, Wade indicated that the starts in the previous two home games for the Wolfpack were unacceptable, particularly on the offensive end. The poor starts led to a pair of home losses for NC State, creating some fan unrest and disappointment for Wade in particular. He felt as though his team was letting down the people back in Raleigh.
Tuesday night was a very different kind of start, in large part because of a highly aggressive and active Darrion Williams. The star forward scored seven points in each of the Wolfpack’s previous two home defeats. After stealing the opening tip-off and finishing a layup, Williams buried a pair of triples to score eight points before the under-16 media timeout.
D Will knockin' it down! pic.twitter.com/aqa0hxTKDF
— NC State Men's Basketball (@PackMensBball) January 28, 2026
NC State found an early rhythm offensively and shot out to an 11-2 lead. The confidence on that end made a run from the Orange less consequential, as the road team drilled a pair of 3-point shots and cut the lead to as few as three. The Pack countered with some different defensive looks and remained in control early, unlike earlier games in the conference slate.
A sloppy finish to the first half didn’t let the Wolfpack extend the lead as far as Wade likely wanted. Syracuse took advantage and cut the halftime deficit to just four points. NC State shot 50% from the field in the first half.
Engaged and aggressive Williams
Despite Copeland and his Syracuse connections being the dominant storyline heading into the game, the other Wolfpack star snatched the spotlight back. Williams’ quick eight points indicated a more confident version of the talented forward was on display for NC State. After dealing with foul trouble and seeing his usage rate plummet in Saturday’s win over Pitt, there was no lack of aggression from Williams on Tuesday.
The shooting stroke looked on point right away. Williams tested things after his hot start, cooling off slightly, but still finished the first half with 12 points, shooting 5-of-9 from the field. Syracuse's commitment to its antiquated zone defense benefited the Pack forward, who frequently found open space and holes within the zone for easy baskets and passes.
Teamwork makes the dream work. pic.twitter.com/eC8IRSzFfa
— NC State Men's Basketball (@PackMensBball) January 28, 2026
He came out hot in the second half, canning another pair of 3-pointers before the under-16 timeout. As the Orange adjusted to Williams’ shooting stroke being on, he began to fall into the distribution role he is capable of thriving in, hitting an open Ven-Allen Lubin under the basket for a pair of dunks.
Williams finished the night with 23 points, six rebounds, and five assists with a +22 plus/minus. His usage rate ended up at 32.8% as well, a massive increase from the win over Pitt. The home improvement bodes well for NC State moving forward, as a full-strength Williams in the Lenovo Center will be key as the competition ramps up during February.
Improved rebounding and defense
After being throttled in the rebounding category by Pittsburgh on Saturday, there was a greater emphasis on securing boards and possession from the Wolfpack. Syracuse didn’t pose the same offensive rebounding threat or talent that the Panthers did, but the size of the Orange had the potential to cause problems.
For the most part, NC State kept things even with offensive rebounds of its own, while securing a sizable chunk of defensive rebounds compared to the bludgeoning last week. After Wade discussed issues with guards rebounding down, the Wolfpack guards accounted for a sizable chunk of the team’s success on the glass.
At times, the defense was stingy enough to grow the lead to a comfortable point. However, Syracuse’s individual talent, particularly sophomore forward Donnie Freeman and senior guard JJ Starling, allowed the Orange to hang around later than Wade would’ve hoped. NC State finally got a stop and a momentum score to push the lead to 11 with 9:30 left in the game, forcing Autry to call a timeout.
Sloppy turnovers from the Wolfpack still kept Syracuse in the game, just enough to make things a little tense in the Lenovo Center.
Final word
Bench production helped NC State greatly, especially from first-year forward Musa Sagina, as he scored 10 points and played some effective defense in spurts for the Wolfpack. The Pack also got another impressive showing from Lubin, who scored 18 points on a perfect 8-for-8 night from the field.
Getting over the home issues was key for the Wolfpack as it heads into a critical stretch of ACC games throughout the rest of the season. Wade and the Pack are set to hit the road, although not for a long trip, as they will take on Wake Forest on Saturday.
Want more NC State basketball content throughout the year? Follow @WolfpackOnSI and @SennettTucker on X (Twitter) and never miss another breaking news story again.
Please let us know your thoughts when you like our Facebook page WHEN YOU CLICK RIGHT HERE
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.
Follow SennettTucker