11th-Ranked Virginia Takes Down Pack

Tuesday, February 24

Charlottesville, VA

7 PM

NC State

19-9,10-5ACC

Virginia

25-3,13-2ACC

NC State

Virginia

2/24/2026 9:58:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The 11^th-ranked Virginia men's basketball team (25-3, 13-2 ACC) shot 70 percent in the second half to beat NC State (19-9, 10-5 ACC), 90-61, Tuesday night inside John Paul Jones Arena.

NC State matched its season-low scoring output with 61 points — a mark it had previously set in its Jan. 3 matchup against the Virginia Cavaliers men's basketball. The Wolfpack also struggled from the field, shooting a season-worst 29.4 percent. Their prior season low was 36 percent, which also came against Virginia in that earlier January meeting.

The second half had been played even through the first 10 minutes, but after a Matt Able three-pointer got the Pack within 12, 60-48, with 10:14 to play Virginia rattled off six straight points to put the game out of reach. The 6-0 spurt was the start of a 30-13 game-ending run for the Cavaliers.

Paul McNeil, Jr., led all scorers with 22 points. He made three three-pointers in the game and now has 86 on the season which is the ninth most in a single season in program history.

Darrion Williams added 14 points while Ven-Allen Lubin had 11 points and a team-high seven rebounds.

Virginia finished the game with 12 blocks which are the most for an NC State opponent since Virginia Tech had 12 blocks in a game against the Pack on Feb. 10, 2010. Johann Grunloh had eight blocks which are tied for the fourth-most by an NC State individual opponent in program history.

Thijs De Ridder led the Cavaliers with 19 points on 7-of-10 shooting while Sam Lewis added 16 points and Jacari White added 15 off the bench.

NC State shot just 18.2 percent in the first half allowing Virginia to take a 32-19 lead into the halftime break.

The Pack made just one of its first 13 shots to allow the Cavaliers to jump out to a 15-3 lead seven minutes into the game. NC State battled back though going on a 15-5 run to get within two, 20-18, on three McNeil free throws with 5:46 left in the opening period.

Virginia would close the half on a 12-1 run though, as NC State did not make a field goal over the final 6:23 of the first half, to take its largest lead of the first period into the halftime break.

NC State is back in action Saturday when it plays its final road game of the regular season with a trip to Notre Dame. Tipoff against the Fighting Irish is scheduled for noon and the game will be televised on The CW.