NC State's Darrion Williams dominates in 20-point win over Syracuse

Senior forward scores 23 points after getting tough love from family friend

Jan. 27, 2026 at 11:31pm

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NC State's senior forward Darrion Williams scored 23 points in the Wolfpack's 20-point win over Syracuse on Tuesday night, using a more physical and aggressive mindset after receiving some tough love from a family friend earlier in the week.

Why it matters

Williams is a key player for the Wolfpack, and his ability to play with physicality and intensity is crucial to the team's success. The win over Syracuse was an important conference victory for NC State as they look to make a push for the NCAA Tournament.

The details

In a conversation with a family friend on Monday, Williams was told he was playing 'really soft' this season. That message seemed to spark a change in mindset, as Williams abandoned his usual finesse game and instead attacked the basket more aggressively against Syracuse. The result was a dominant 23-point performance that helped power the Wolfpack to a 20-point victory.

  • The conversation with Williams' family friend occurred on Monday, January 27, 2026.
  • The NC State vs. Syracuse game took place on Tuesday, January 28, 2026.

The players

Darrion Williams

A senior forward for the NC State Wolfpack basketball team.

NC State Wolfpack

The men's basketball team of North Carolina State University.

Syracuse Orange

The men's basketball team of Syracuse University.

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What they’re saying

“Darrion Williams laughed as he thought of it. Although it seemed small at the time, NC State's senior forward received a call from a family friend Monday, who told him that he was playing 'really soft this whole season' during their chat.”

— Darrion Williams, Senior Forward, NC State Wolfpack

What’s next

NC State will look to build on this momentum as they continue their conference schedule, with a key matchup against rival North Carolina coming up on February 5th.

The takeaway

Darrion Williams' willingness to embrace a more physical and aggressive style of play after receiving tough feedback from a family friend paid off in a big way, leading to a dominant performance that helped power NC State to an important conference victory over Syracuse. This demonstrates the value of constructive criticism and a player's ability to respond positively to it.