A struggling NC State Wolfpack overwhelmed Wake Forest at the Lenovo Center in Raleigh on Saturday afternoon. After a tough loss to North Carolina earlier in the week, the Wolfpack went on an 18-2 run late in the game, securing an 85-73 victory in a vital ACC matchup. This win kept the Wolfpack’s hopes of making the ACC Tournament alive, while it dealt a significant blow to the Demon Deacons’ chances for a double bye in the tournament and a spot in the NCAA Tournament. The Demon Deacons now sit at 19-8 overall and 11-5 in the ACC, while the Wolfpack, the reigning ACC champions, improved to 11-16 with a 4-12 record in the conference.
In a historic 258th meeting between the two teams, the Wolfpack took control of a tightly contested game with about six minutes remaining. Coach Steve Forbes expressed his concern about his team’s lack of energy leading up to the game, stating, “I felt like, Thursday and Friday, we were just a little flat. I just didn’t feel like we had the sense of urgency needed to compete.”
With under nine minutes left, the Demon Deacons led 61-56, but their offense faltered, managing just 1 of 10 shooting in the final eight minutes, relying mostly on free throws. Forbes lamented, “We can’t hang our hat defensively. We gave up 85 points to a team that averages 66, which started right from the beginning. I obviously didn’t prepare them well enough for this game.”
The Wolfpack surged ahead 69-61 after a jumper from Dontrez Styles with 4:45 remaining. Earlier in the game, Wake Forest had briefly taken its biggest lead at 59-56 after Cam Hildreth set up Tre’Von Spillers for a layup, prompting NC State Coach Kevin Keatts to call a timeout.
NC State closed the first half with a 40-34 lead, effectively keeping Hunter Sallis out of Wake Forest’s offensive rhythm, as he had only three points by halftime. Freshman Paul McNeil Jr. had a standout performance for the Wolfpack, scoring a career-high 24 points in his first start. Styles also contributed significantly with 22 points and 10 rebounds, while Ben Middlebrooks added 10 points and seven boards.
In contrast, Hildreth led the Demon Deacons with 16 points, Spillers added 15 points, and Sallis finished with 13 points, including a team-high nine rebounds. Efton Reid scored 12 points, and Juke Harris chipped in nine off the bench. Hildreth returned to the starting lineup after a foot injury kept him out of the previous game.
Wake Forest started strong but fell behind 11-0 after Reid picked up two quick fouls. The Wolfpack’s early 8-0 lead forced Forbes to call a timeout, but the Demon Deacons quickly rebounded with a 10-0 run to re-enter the game. They’ll be back at Joel Coliseum on Wednesday for a 9 p.m. matchup against Virginia, which will be broadcast on ESPNU. Forbes acknowledged, “Virginia’s like these guys—they’re playing with pride and intensity. I’ve seen them improve offensively. They’ll come in ready to play.”
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