NC State Falls to Virginia 81-74 in ACC Tournament Quarterfinals

#7 seed NC State controlled much of the first half, but ultimately couldn’t hold on this afternoon, falling 81-74 to #2 seed Virginia in the Quarterfinals of the 2026 ACC Tournament.

The Wolfpack’s ability to get to the free throw line is what kept the game as close as it was. Despite shooting just 36.8% from the field, NC State only lost by seven because they made 21 free throws, which is 10 more than the Cavaliers made. That, combined with shooting 50% from three, making 11 of 22 from beyond the arc, kept the Pack within striking distance.

Sophomore Guard Paul McNeil Jr. kept the wind in the Wolfpack’s sails throughout the game, finishing with a team-high 26 points, knocking down 6 of 11 from long range. P2 scored 19 of his 26 points in the second half.

A tremendous part of NC State’s early success ran through Senior Forward Ven-Allen Lubin, who scored 10 points in the first half. Unfortunately, Lubin wasn’t able to make the same impact in the second half, scoring four points while missing all three of his field goal attempts. He still led the team with 10 rebounds, three blocks and two steals.

Freshman Guard Matt Able once again provided a much-needed spark off the bench, chipping in 12 points. He made 4 of his 8 shots, including 2 of 4 from deep. Able has now scored 10+ points in back-to-back games for only the second time this season.

After an incredible offensive performance yesterday against Pitt, Senior Guard Quadir Copeland struggled this afternoon, making just 3 of his 10 shots while committing four turnovers. He finished with nine points, six assists and three blocks.

Senior Forward Darrion Williams once again scored less than 10 points, finishing with seven points on 2-of-6 shooting. Over the past three games, Williams has missed all eight of his two-point field goal attempts.

Virginia’s Ugonna Onyenso made life difficult for NC State near the rim, blocking eight shots off the bench. Despite effectively getting Johann Grünloh into foul trouble and limiting him to just 10 minutes, Onyenso stepped in and made a tremendous impact.

No one loves moral victories, but after losing by 15 and 29 points in their first two matchups against the Cavaliers, NC State held its own against the #10 team in the country until the very end, which should give the Wolfpack some confidence heading into the NCAA Tournament.

Despite the loss, NC State has most likely locked up an at-large bid in the 2026 NCAA Tournament. The Wolfpack will now wait for Selection Sunday to find out where they will be seeded in the Big Dance.

Box Score