NC State Bounces Back, Beats Syracuse

Wolfpack snap 2-game losing streak with dominant win over Orange

Feb. 22, 2026 at 9:03pm

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NC State bounced back from a pair of tough losses to Notre Dame and Duke by cruising past Syracuse 82-69 on Sunday. The Wolfpack shot 48.3% from the field and limited the Orange to just 38.2% shooting in the dominant victory at Reynolds Coliseum. Junior forward Khamil Pierre led NC State with 25 points, while junior guard Zoe Brooks added 20 and sophomore forward Tilda Trygger chipped in 14.

Why it matters

The win allows NC State to regain control of its destiny for a double-bye in the upcoming ACC Tournament, after the Wolfpack had dropped two straight games. The victory also marks the second time in the past two seasons that NC State has snapped a losing streak by beating Syracuse, repeating a pattern from the 2024 season.

The details

NC State shot the ball efficiently, connecting on 48.3% of its field goals, including 6 made 3-pointers. The Wolfpack defense also stepped up, limiting Syracuse to just 38.2% shooting on the afternoon. Junior forward Khamil Pierre led the way offensively with 25 points, while junior guard Zoe Brooks added 20 and sophomore forward Tilda Trygger contributed 14 points.

  • NC State lost its previous two games, falling to Notre Dame by 12 and Duke by 18 in the past week.
  • The last time NC State had a 2-game losing streak was in February 2024, when the second loss came against Duke.
  • In 2024, NC State snapped its 2-game skid by beating Syracuse.
  • This year, NC State faced Syracuse immediately after the Duke loss, just like in 2024.

The players

Khamil Pierre

A junior forward who led NC State with 25 points in the win over Syracuse.

Zoe Brooks

A junior guard who scored 20 points for the Wolfpack in the victory.

Tilda Trygger

A sophomore forward who contributed 14 points for NC State in the dominant win.

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What’s next

With the win, NC State regains control of its destiny for a double-bye in the upcoming ACC Tournament.

The takeaway

NC State's ability to bounce back from a pair of tough losses and snap its skid by beating Syracuse, just as it did two years ago, shows the Wolfpack's resilience and the team's potential to make a deep run in the postseason.