Will Wade fires back at doubters after demolishing SMU

NC State Basketball answered his critics on Tuesday night with a road map, using resilience and execution to reshape the narrative surrounding his season.

The Wolf Pack defeated the SMU Mustangs 84–83 at Moody Coliseum, improving to 17–6 overall and 8–2 in conference play. The win extended NC State’s winning streak to five games and boosted its profile on the road ahead of March.

NC State faced adversity early as SMU built a 13-point lead in the first half while feeding off a hostile home crowd. The Wolf Pack responded with speed, spacing and perimeter shooting, methodically clawing their way back into the contest.

Wolfpack forward Darion Williams led the offense with 25 points, including six 3-pointers. Point guard Quadir Copeland orchestrated the attack precisely, recording 16 assists without a turnover and adding 10 rebounds. Throughout the evening, NC State maintained a competitive edge thanks to its well-rounded offensive strategy.

The final seconds determined the outcome. With NC State clinging to an 84–83 lead, Copeland missed two free throws, giving SMU one last chance. The Mustangs regained possession, but running back Tre Holloman made a game-saving block to Buppy Miller at the buzzer to seal the win.

Following the win, On3Sports’ Noah Fleischman, after speaking with NC State Athletics broadcaster Matt Chazanov, shared head coach Will Wade’s impassioned postgame comments on X (formerly known as Twitter), noting that the team heard clearly your doubts.

“We’ve heard all the talk that we’ve been banging at the bottom of the league. Okay, now we’ve beaten two of the best teams on the road.”

NC State coach Will Wade after the 84-83 win at SMU do @M_Chaz: “We’ve heard all the talk about beating the bottom of the league. Okay, now we’ve beaten two of the best teams on the road.”

— Noah Fleischman (@fleischman_noah) February 4, 2026

The remarks reflected growing frustration with outside skepticism. Wade has bought into that criticism, using it as fuel to sharpen his roster under tough road conditions.

The Wolfpack now owns one of the strongest road records in the conference, a critical factor in tournament positioning and the conference schedule.

As February begins to take shape, NC State continues to put together valuable wins. Tuesday’s result didn’t just add to the win — it gave a clear answer to the team’s doubters.