In a thrilling ACC matchup on February 22, the NC State Wolfpack men’s basketball team delivered a season-defining performance with an 85–73 victory over No. 19 Wake Forest at home. The win breathes new life into the Pack’s postseason aspirations amid a challenging season.
Game Highlights
Sophomore guard Paul McNeil Jr. ignited NC State early with a tip-in and a three-pointer in the opening minutes, setting the tone for a relentless offensive effort. The Wolfpack dominated inside, outscoring Wake Forest 42–28 in the paint, while junior forward Dontrez Styles added critical momentum with back-to-second-half buckets to fend off multiple Demon Deacon rallies.
Key Performances
- Paul McNeil Jr.: 14 points (3/6 from three), 5 rebounds
- Dontrez Styles: 15 points, including clutch second-half jumpers
- Jayden Taylor: Distributed 6 assists alongside lockdown perimeter defense
ACC Standings Implications
The victory improves NC State to 5–12 in ACC play (12–16 overall), keeping them mathematically alive for a mid-tier conference tournament seed. Wake Forest (19–9, 11–6 ACC), meanwhile, saw its NCAA Tournament at-large bid prospects take a hit.
“This team showed heart we’ve known was there all season,” said head coach Kevin Keatts postgame.
What’s Next?
The Wolfpack face No. 13 Louisville on February 26 before closing the regular season against Duke on March 1. Both games will heavily influence NC State’s seeding for the ACC Tournament in Washington D.C., where they last made a Final Four run in 2024.
