In a matchup between two of the ACC’s best passers, senior guard Quadir Copeland was nothing short of perfect, helping NC State storm into Dallas and win an 84-83 comeback thriller over SMU.
NC State men’s basketball (17-6, 8-2 ACC) has now won seven of eight contests, and are playing its best basketball away from Raleigh. The Wolfpack’s recipe for success carried over from its last game against Wake Forest: live and die by the three. The Pack hit 16 3-pointers against the Demon Deacons, and kept the same energy with SMU (15-7, 4-5 ACC), matching that total with 16 threes.
Each team had significant runs and leads, but when the game came down to the wire, it was a photo finish for NC State. SMU’s star Boopie Miller drove on senior guard Tre Holloman, attempting a step-through shot just for Holloman to deflect the game-winning try from behind Miller’s head and give the Wolfpack its sixth road win.
Every time the ball left Copeland’s hands, it turned to gold. Copeland was dropping dimes every time he touched the ball, and finished the game with a career high 16 assists and zero turnovers. Copeland notched his first double-double of the season with 10 rebounds and seven points to secure a career night for the transfer guard.
Copeland has developed right into what head coach Will Wade had hoped: a dependable guard who can score when you need him to, but more importantly, run the offense. Turnovers were a big issue in the first frame against the Mustangs, as the Pack had five turnovers in the first five minutes of the game. But Copeland was always there to calm down his teammates, and once they settled down, the Pack never looked back. The Pack only recorded two more turnovers the entire game, and Copeland’s zero-turnover night was a big reason for that.
The Wolfpack is 12-0 when it outrebounds its opponent this season, and despite getting outrebounded by SMU by five boards, the Pack pulled out the win. Dallas brought a good crowd, adding some chippiness to the game as players exchanged words a number of times. But the Pack loves to play the road villain, and with six steals and three blocks, a gritty defensive performance helped give it the victory.
Senior forward Darrion Williams is starting to settle into his star role, as the Pack’s leading scorer recorded his third consecutive game with 20+ points. Williams decided to leave the playmaking at home and was focused on purely getting buckets against the Mustangs. Williams’ 25 points and six 3-pointers were the engine behind the offense.
Redshirt junior guard Terrance Arceneaux and freshman guard Matt Able were in the rotation more tonight, with both playing over 20 minutes each. Able had 13 points on 5-for-9 shooting and was an active force on defense with two steals. Arceneaux had six points with four rebounds and a steal as well. While these two have been primarily rotation players, Wade is starting to trust them with big minutes, and they are delivering.
With the rest of the season riddled with Quad 1 matchups, the Wolfpack have arrived just in time to play its toughest stretch of the season. The Pack will be back in action against Virginia Tech on Saturday, Feb. 7. Tip-off is set for noon.
