NC State Wolfpack Defeat Wake Forest Demon Deacons with Hot Shooting

The Wolfpack's 3-point barrage in the first half propelled them to a road victory over their ACC rivals.

Jan. 31, 2026 at 1:31pm

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NC State rode a strong first-half performance, including torrid 3-point shooting, to defeat Wake Forest 96-78 on the road. The Wolfpack scored 49 points in the opening 20 minutes, shooting 9-of-15 from beyond the arc. Paul McNeil and Darrion Williams combined for six of those 3-pointers. Despite a second-half push from the Demon Deacons, led by Juke Harris' career-high 31 points, NC State held on for the victory.

Why it matters

The win pushes NC State to 16-6 on the season and 7-2 in ACC play, as they enter a tough stretch of games against some of the conference's top teams. The Wolfpack's ability to shoot the ball effectively from deep proved to be a key factor in this road victory over their in-state rivals.

The details

NC State got off to a slow start offensively, but once the shots started falling, the Wolfpack offense was unstoppable. They shot 55% from the field in the first half, including 9-of-15 from 3-point range. Quadir Copeland played a pivotal role, racking up 9 assists in just 19 minutes. While Wake Forest made a second-half push, cutting the lead to 7, NC State always had an answer, with players like Matt Able hitting timely 3-pointers to keep the Demon Deacons at bay.

  • The game was played on January 31, 2026.

The players

Paul McNeil

A guard for the NC State Wolfpack who led the team in scoring with 28 points in the victory.

Darrion Williams

A forward for the NC State Wolfpack who scored 20 points, including five 3-pointers, in the win.

Quadir Copeland

The talented point guard for the NC State Wolfpack, who dished out 9 assists and had a team-high plus/minus of +25.

Juke Harris

A guard for the Wake Forest Demon Deacons who scored a career-high 31 points in the losing effort.

Matt Able

A freshman guard for the NC State Wolfpack who hit a key 3-pointer to help the team regain control after Wake Forest's second-half run.

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What they’re saying

“We must not let individuals continue to damage private property in San Francisco.”

— Robert Jenkins, San Francisco resident

“Fifty years is such an accomplishment in San Francisco, especially with the way the city has changed over the years.”

— Gordon Edgar, grocery employee

What’s next

The Wolfpack will face a tough stretch of games, starting with a matchup against SMU on Tuesday.

The takeaway

NC State's hot shooting from 3-point range, led by Paul McNeil and Darrion Williams, was the key factor in their road victory over ACC rival Wake Forest. The Wolfpack's ability to share the ball and get contributions from multiple players, like Quadir Copeland, also played a crucial role in the win as they enter a challenging part of their conference schedule.