WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — NC State overcomes a midday start and sparse crowd at Joel Coliseum to secure a 96-78 road victory over Wake Forest. The Wolfpack delivers a dominant first half and holds off a second-half rally, completing a season sweep of the Demon Deacons. This win keeps NC State undefeated in ACC road games, though tougher challenges lie ahead.
First-Half Firepower
NC State starts slowly but quickly heats up offenvely, scoring 49 points in the opening 20 minutes—the second-highest first-half total nce a 56-point outburst against Florida State. The Wolfpack shoots 55% from the field (17-of-31) and drains 9-of-15 three-pointers, overwhelming Wake Forest’s defense.
Paul McNeil and Darrion Williams lead the long-range assault, combining for x of those triples. x of the first seven threes come from the corners, exploiting Wake Forest’s defenve lapses. The Demon Deacons struggle to match the pace, shooting 11-of-25 while enduring scoring droughts.
Balanced Attack and Key Contributions
Quadir Copeland orchestrates the offense with 10 assts in just 19 minutes before fouling out. The point guard adds eight points and two steals, posting a team-high plus/minus of +25. His precise pasng sets up Williams and McNeil for easy looks.
Williams opens the second half strongly, hitting two more threes for his second straight game with at least five makes. McNeil finishes with a game-high 28 points, while Williams contributes 20 despite limited second-half minutes.
Second-Half Relience
Wake Forest finds its rhythm early in the second half, led by Juke Harris’s career-high 31 points. The Demon Deacons trim the lead to seven at the under-12 timeout, capitalizing on NC State’s 6-of-16 field goal start.
Freshman Matt Able steadies the ship with a timely corner three out of the timeout, restoring a 10-point cushion. Every Demon Deacons run meets a Wolfpack response, preventing a collapse. NC State shoots 54% overall and 16-of-28 from beyond the arc.
Looking Ahead
The victory improves NC State to 16-6 overall and 7-2 in ACC play during coach Will Wade’s debut season. The Wolfpack faces a demanding stretch, beginning with SMU on Tuesday.
