CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. — Darrion Williams scored 22 points and NC State basketball finally found a way to win away from home, pulling past Boston College 79-71 in Atlantic Coast Conference play Tuesday night. The Wolfpack snapped a 15-game true-road losing streak by drilling 13 3-pointers and committing only four turnovers, Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2026.
NC State basketball leans on 3-pointers, ball security to close it out
Boston College’s early 5-4 edge didn’t last long. NC State surged in front with perimeter shooting and pressure that fed its transition game, then carried a 40-32 halftime lead and never let the Eagles back in front, according to the official ACC box score.
The Eagles made it uncomfortable late, trimming the deficit to 56-53 with 9:46 left. NC State answered with a 6-0 run and kept the margin at seven or more the rest of the way — a steady finish built on shot-making from deep and the kind of possession-by-possession discipline that had been missing in road closeouts during the skid.
Williams’ four 3-pointers set the tone, but NC State basketball got timely help from its bench, too. Terrance Arceneaux scored a season-high 12 points and went 3-for-3 from long range, while Matt Able added 11 and hit three 3s as the Wolfpack’s reserves outscored Boston College 31-12, per NC State’s game recap. Quadir Copeland finished with eight points and a season-high 10 assists.
Coach Will Wade said the offensive emphasis was simple: “We just made a concerted effort to get him the ball,” he said of Williams in postgame comments.
For Boston College, Fred Payne scored a career-high 24 points and Donald Hand Jr. added 14, but the Eagles’ 16 turnovers kept them chasing even while shooting 51.1% from the field and 50% from 3-point range, according to Boston College’s postgame recap.
The bigger picture is why this one matters for NC State basketball. As outlined in NC State’s pregame notes, the Wolfpack hadn’t won a true road game since DJ Horne’s late bucket capped a 78-77 escape at Clemson in February 2024 (see the AP recap on ESPN). The drought rolled into this season, including the ACC/SEC Challenge loss at Auburn in December (also covered in the AP recap on ESPN), until Tuesday’s breakthrough.
NC State basketball plays at Florida State on Saturday, while Boston College heads to Louisville next.
