Season-Best Field Goal Percentage Sends Pack Past Pitt in ACC Tourney

Wednesday, March 11

Charlotte, NC

12 PM

NC State

20-12,10-8ACC

Pitt

13-20,5-13ACC

Pittsburgh

NC State

Season-Best Field Goal Percentage Sends Pack Past Pitt in ACC Tourney

3/11/2026 5:05:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – The seventh-seeded NC State men's basketball team (20-8, 10-8 ACC) shot a season-best 60.8 percent from the field to beat Pitt, 98-88, Wednesday afternoon in the second round of the 2026 T. Rowe Price ACC Men's Basketball Tournament.

NC State shot over 60 percent in both halves, knocking down 60.9 percent (14-of-23) of its field goal attempts in the first half and 60.7 percent (17-of-28) in the second half.

The 60.8 percent shooting percentage ties for the third-best shooting percentage in program history in the ACC Tournament.

The Pack also made 13 three-pointers in the win, its most since making 16 in a win at SMU on Feb. 3 and ties for the most NC State has ever made in the ACC Tournament.

Quadir Copeland led six NC State players in double figures with 24 points and also added a game-high eight assists.

Ven-Allen Lubin added 18 points, shooting 5-of-6 from the field and connected on all eight of his free throw attempts.

Paul McNeil, Jr., added 15 points while Tre Holloman had 14 and Darrion Williams finished with 12.

All five NC State starters shot over 50 percent as they combined to shoot 65.8 percent (25-of-38) from the field.

Matt Able added 12 points off the bench.

NC State is the ninth team in ACC Men's Basketball Tournament history to have six players score in double figures in the same game and the first since Duke in the 2015 quarterfinals.

McNeil entered the game tied with Tom Gugliotta for the seventh-most three-pointers in a single season, but made three against the Panthers and now is tied with Terquavion Smith (2021-22) for the fourth-most in a single season in program history with 96.

The Pack opened the second half by scoring 10 of the first 11 points to take a 61-51 lead and Pitt never got closer than five the rest of the way.

NC State led by as many as 15 points in the second half and after Pitt closed within five with 3:35 to play, the Pack scored the next six points to push its advantage back to double digits with 2:10 to play and effectively end the game.

Pitt was led by Cameron Corhen who scored a game-high 27 points.

NC State held a 51-50 advantage at the half after both teams shot over 60 percent from the field in the first half. The Pack shot 14-of-23 from the field, including 7-of-9 from three-point range in the opening 20 minutes while the Panthers were 17-of-28 from the field and 9-of-16 from three-point range.

NC State also went to the foul line 20 times in the opening period, connecting on 16 free throws. It's the first time all season that the Pack has shot over 60 percent in all three shooting categories in a half.

The Panthers jumped out to an 8-2 lead to begin the game and eventually opened up a 34-25 advantage with 7:49 to play in the first half, but NC State responded with a 13-0 run over the next three minutes, taking a 38-34 lead on a McNeil three-pointer with 4:55 to play in the half.

NC State is back in action Thursday in the quarterfinals of the ACC Tournament when it faces second-seeded and 10^th-ranked Virginia at noon. The game will be televised on ESPN2.