Quadir Copeland scores 24 and NC State beats 15th-seeded Pittsburgh 98-88 in the ACC Tournament

By AP | Mar 12, 2026

NC State guard Quadir Copeland laughs during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against Pittsburgh in the second round of the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament in Charlotte, N.C., Wednesday, March 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Nell Redmond)

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Quadir Copeland had 24 points and eight assists, Ven-Allen Lubin added 18 points and No. 7 seed N.C. State beat 15th-seeded Pittsburgh 98-88 on Wednesday in the second round of the ACC Tournament.

N.C. State (20-12) advances to play No. 2 seed and 10th-ranked Virginia in the quarterfinals on Thursday.

N.C. State led 51-50 at halftime as both teams shot over 60% from the field and had three players in double-figure scoring. The Wolfpack went 7 of 9 from 3-point range, while Pitt was 9 of 16.

N.C. State began the second half on a 12-2 run to extend its lead to 63-52 before Pitt made its first field goal at the 16:31 mark. Matt Able made the Wolfpack’s 11th 3-pointer — in just 15 attempts — for a 76-62 lead.

The officials upgraded to a flagrant-1 foul with 2:13 remaining after Lubin was pushed from behind on an alley-oop attempt. Lubin made both free throws to give N.C. State a 92-83 lead and Paul McNeil Jr. made it a four-point possession for an 11-point lead on an easy layup.

McNeil finished with 15 points, Tre Holloman had 14, and Darrion Williams and Able each scored 12 for N.C. State.

Cameron Corhen scored a career-high 27 points for Pittsburgh (13-20). Nojus Indrusaitis added a season-high 19 points and Omari Witherspoon also scored 19.

Pitt reached its season average for made 3-pointers in a game with 8:40 left in the first half when Indrusaitis made his third straight and the Panthers’ eighth in 12 attempts for a 34-25 lead.

The Panthers finished 12 of 27 behind the arc, while the Wolfpack went 13 of 23.

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N.C. State lost both regular-season matchups with Virginia this season, most recently a 90-61 contest on Feb. 24.

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