What you need to know before NC State men’s basketball’s matchup versus No. 11 UNC-Chapel Hill

Braden Winters, Staff Writer • Feb 13, 2026

Senior forward Ven-Allen Lubin walks back to the huddle before the game against Syracuse in the Lenovo Center on Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2026. Lubin scored 18 points. The Wolfpack defeated the Orange 88-68.

As the Wolfpack analyzes the back-half slate of its season schedule, there are several important games that it has to take advantage of. The Pack still has four Quad 1 matchups ahead of it, but arguably none more important than the home matchup against No. 11 UNC-Chapel Hill.

Despite a deeply storied history, the last 10 meetings with the Tar Heels have not been all too kind to the Pack, as it has only come away with two wins. However, this Wolfpack team is different from teams over the past five years.

The Pack is one of the best road teams in ACC basketball with a 6-1 record in away conference matchups, winning six in a row before falling Monday night to No. 24 Louisville 118-77. The last NC State team to win six straight road games was the 1973-74 National Championship team led by Wolfpack legend David Thompson. The Pack had been one of the hottest teams in the conference, riding a six-game win streak before the Monday night embarrassment.

A key factor to watch for is senior transfer center Ven-Allen Lubin. Lubin ditched Carolina Blue for red and white, and he hasn’t looked back. Lubin is putting up 13 points, seven rebounds, on an exceptional 67% from the field. UNC turned its nose up at one of the most consistent scorers in the ACC, and Lubin will look to make the Heels pay on Feb. 17.

Then-UNC forward Ven-Allen Lubin eyes the ball on defense during the game against NC State in the Dean E. Smith Center on Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2025. (Charlie Lilienthal)

The Wolfpack is heating up at the right time, and as the season has progressed, Wade’s system has been very effective. NC State is 23rd in the nation in scoring rating as it averages 85.7 points per game and heading into the Louisville matchup was seventh in the nation in 3-point scoring, and also is averaging 11 3-pointers per game on an ACC-leading 39.5% from beyond-the-arc.

UNC has not faced a hotter 3-point shooting team than the Pack, and Wade is hoping that the barrage of threes the Wolfpack shoots overwhelms UNC. The Pack is second in the league in 3-pointers made, only trailing Louisville, and it has made over 50 more triples than UNC this season. The Tar Heel defense is going to have to focus heavily on the perimeter, a common theme opponents face when playing NC State, and when that happens, the Pack will be ready to take advantage.

In an era where the portal has taken off, coach Wade has certainly been an active member, bringing in veteran transfers from all over the nation. Carolina is a great recruiting school with one of the best recruits in the country in Caleb Wilson. The game against UNC isn’t just about the rivalry, but the ongoing criticism that the portal has faced over the years; you can’t win without good recruiting. A win for NC State would also be a signifier of a changing college basketball landscape.

A win against UNC would put the Pack in great standing to make the NCAA tournament. With this being the only meeting between the Pack and the Tar Heels this season, the energy in Lenovo will be at an all-time high. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. Feb. 17.