Wolfpack Falls to 3rd-Ranked Virginia in OT, 66-65

RALEIGH – The 23rd-ranked NC State men’s basketball team fell to third-ranked Virginia in overtime on Tuesday night at PNC Arena, 66-65.

With the loss, the Pack drops to 16-5 overall and 4-4 in conference play on the season while Virginia improves to 19-1 and 7-1 in the ACC.

Markell Johnson led NC State in scoring with 14 points, along with a season-high six rebounds. Torin Dorn (13), Wyatt Walker (11), and Devon Daniels (10) also posted double-digits for the Pack.

Virginia held a 27-23 lead at halftime and scored 15 of the first 20 points in the second half to open a 42-28 lead with 12:13 remaining in the game.

The Pack responded by holding the Cavaliers to just three points over the next four minutes as the Pack went on a 13-3 run to cut the deficit to four, 45-41, on two Walker free throws with 8:01 left in regulation.

Virginia increased the lead back to seven, but the Pack had one last spurt in them as NC State went on a 7-0 run to tie the game at 53 with 1:29 to go in regulation.

After a lay-up regained the lead for Virginia, Johnson knocked down two free throws to send the game to overtime.

Virginia was held to just four field goals in the final 12 minutes of regulation.

Johnson’s three-pointer to open overtime gave NC State its first lead of the game, 58-55. The Pack then had a 4:31 stretch without a field goal until a Braxton Beverly bucket with eight seconds left ended the drought. In overtime, Virginia shot 66.7% from the field (2-3), while NC State shot only 33.3% (2-6).

Shooting 32.1% from the floor in the first half, the Wolfpack defense held strong to keep within reach. Virginia’s 27 points at half tied for the lowest-scoring first half for the Cavaliers this season. Torin Dorn’s jumper off a Braxton Beverly steal would pull the Wolfpack within four at the half, 27-23.

NC State trailed early, as Virginia shot 77.8% from the field in the first 10 minutes of the game, but the Pack’s defense made enough stops to keep the game close as the Pack shot just 32.1 percent from the field in the first half.

Up Next
The Pack will take on 12th-ranked Virginia Tech at PNC Arena on Saturday, Feb. 2 at 12 p.m. at PNC Arena.