North Carolina Tar Heels at NC State Wolfpack

NC State rolls past 16th-ranked and injury-depleted rival North Carolina 82-58

Freshman Matt Able added 19 points for the Wolfpack (19-8, 10-4 Atlantic Coast Conference), who desperately needed this win to regroup after a 41-point loss at Louisville and a final-minute collapse in a home loss to Miami. And that had pushed Will Wade's first N.C. State team onto shakier footing when it came to securing its ticket to March Madness.

But N.C. State pressed the attack all night against an injury-depleted rival, backed by a boisterous crowd. The Wolfpack shot 53.1% to build a 16-point halftime lead and never looked back.

By the end, N.C. State had its biggest margin of victory in the series since an 80-56 win in March 1959.

Copeland added six rebounds and seven assists. Darrion Williams added 13 points on a night when he had a scary first-half fall that required stitches, coming after he hit his face on the court and trainers needed multiple towels to tend to the bleeding near his left eyebrow.

Jarin Stevenson and Zayden High each scored 13 points for the Tar Heels (20-6, 8-5), who played a second straight game Caleb Wilson (fractured hand) and big man Henri Veesaar (lower-body injury). Wilson and Veesaar are UNC's top two scorers and rebounders, accounting for more than 40% of its points and rebounds.

With the 7-foot Veesaar and 6-10 Wilson out, the Tar Heels leaned on a 3-point shot that never arrived. UNC missed 17 of its first 18 3s and finished 5 for 33 from behind the arc with Wilson and Veesaar on the bench.

Up next UNC: The Tar Heels visit Syracuse on Saturday.

N.C. State: No. 14 Virginia hosts the Wolfpack next Tuesday.

How can I watch North Carolina vs. NC State?

• TV Channel: North Carolina at NC State 2021 College Basketball, week 16, is broadcasted on ESPN.
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