Pack’s Defense Stifles Liberty in 85-45 Win

Wednesday, December 10

Raleigh, NC

7 PM

NC State

7-3,0-0ACC

Liberty

6-3,0-0CUSA

Liberty

NC State

12/10/2025 10:06:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score

RALEIGH, N.C. – The NC State men's basketball team locked down Liberty defensively on its way to a decisive 85-45 win over the Conference USA favorite on Wednesday night inside the Lenovo Center.

The 45 points for Liberty are the fewest for an NC State opponent since the Pack held Jacksonville to 43 in a 79-43 win for the Pack on Nov. 20, 2014.

Liberty entered the game as one of the best offenses in the nation through the first five weeks of the season. They led the nation in assist-to-turnover ratio, were second in the NCAA in fewest turnovers per game and field goal percentage, fourth in three-point field goal percentage and fifth in three-pointers per game.

But the Pack's defense stopped the Liberty attack from the beginning as the Flames made a season-low six three-pointers and shot season-lows in overall field goal percentage (35.3%) and three-point field goal percentage (21.4%). Liberty also had a season-high 17 turnovers in the loss.

NC State's offensive attack was led by Ven-Allen Lubin and Matt Able who each scored 13 points. Quadir Copeland and Tre Holloman also reached double figures with both adding 11 points.

Copeland flirted with a triple-double finishing with 11 points, seven rebounds and seven assists, but checked out with 9:57 remaining in the contest and did not check back in.

The game was tied at six at the first media timeout, but NC State went on a 19-3 run over the next six minutes to take a 25-9 lead on a Terrance Arceneaux three-pointer.

Liberty never got closer than 14 the rest of the half as the Pack entered halftime with a 45-19 lead.

NC State opened the second half on a 15-1 run to take a 60-20 lead with 15:38 remaining and effectively remove any doubt of a Wolfpack win.

The Pack finished the game with a 42-24 advantage in points in the paint and turned Liberty's 17 turnovers into a 21-7 advantage in points off turnovers.

NC State is back in action Saturday evening when it hosts Kansas. Tipoff is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. and the game will be televised on ESPN. The Pack will be doing its first ever Stripe Out of the Lenovo Center on Saturday.