North Carolina Tar Heels Face NC State Wolfpack in Rivalry Matchup

Tar Heels look to cover 6.5-point spread despite missing leading scorer Caleb Wilson

Published on Feb. 19, 2026

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The No. 16 North Carolina Tar Heels will take on the NC State Wolfpack in a key ACC matchup on Tuesday, February 17. The Tar Heels will be without their leading scorer Caleb Wilson, who suffered a fractured hand last week. North Carolina is still 4-5 against Quad 1 teams and 2-0 against Quad 2 opponents, but sits one win back of tonight's foe in the conference standings.

Why it matters

This in-state rivalry game has major implications for the ACC standings, with both teams jockeying for position ahead of the conference and NCAA tournaments. The Tar Heels will need to find scoring elsewhere with Wilson sidelined, while the Wolfpack look to take advantage and solidify their standing in the ACC.

The details

North Carolina is coming off a win over Pitt without Wilson, but taking on the Wolfpack will be a tougher test. NC State has five double-digit scorers and ranks 21st nationally in offensive efficiency. The Tar Heels will need a strong performance from Henri Veesar, who is day-to-day, to have a chance at the upset.

  • The game is scheduled for Tuesday, February 17 at 7 p.m. EST.

The players

Caleb Wilson

The leading scorer for the North Carolina Tar Heels, who suffered a fractured hand last week and is out indefinitely.

Henri Veesar

The second-leading scorer for the North Carolina Tar Heels, who is day-to-day with an injury.

Will Wade

The head coach of the NC State Wolfpack, in his first season with the program after previously coaching at McNeese.

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What they’re saying

“Assuming Veesar can play tonight, I do like UNC to cover that 6.5-point spread and even have a shot at winning outright.”

— Keagan Smith, Analyst (draftkings.com)

What’s next

The winner of this game will take a step closer to securing a higher seed in the ACC Tournament, which is just around the corner.

The takeaway

This rivalry matchup between the Tar Heels and Wolfpack will be a crucial test for both teams as they jockey for position in the ACC standings. North Carolina's ability to overcome the loss of their leading scorer will be key, while NC State looks to take advantage and solidify their standing in the conference.