Virginia Holds Off NC State in ACC Tournament as Cavaliers Advance to Semifinals

Virginia kept its ACC Tournament run moving Thursday with an 81-74 win over NC State in Charlotte, using a timely second-half surge and just enough late composure to turn back a Wolfpack team that kept pressing until the final minute.

The Cavaliers, the No. 2 seed in the 2026 ACC Tournament, improved to 28-4 and advanced to the semifinals after beating NC State for the third time this season. The Wolfpack, seeded seventh, fell to 20-13 and now head into Selection Sunday with a quarterfinal loss as the last result on the résumé.

For readers searching for the ACC Tournament, UVA basketball or NC State vs. Virginia, the central development is straightforward: Virginia is still alive, and NC State’s run is over.

Virginia’s Balance Won Out Over NC State’s Shot-Making

Malik Thomas led Virginia with 16 points, while Thijs De Ridder added 15. Jacari White scored 13, Sam Lewis had 12 and knocked down four 3-pointers, and the Cavaliers again showed the kind of balanced offense that has made them one of the ACC’s steadiest teams this season.

NC State got a huge effort from Paul McNeil Jr., who finished with 26 points and hit six 3-pointers. Ven-Allen Lubin added 14 points and 10 rebounds, giving the Wolfpack a real interior presence as they tried to stay within striking distance.

For long stretches, though, Virginia had more answers across the lineup. That mattered in a quarterfinal where both teams could score, but only one could consistently create separation.

The Decisive Stretch Came After Halftime

The game was close at the break, with Virginia holding only a one-point edge at 33-32. That left plenty of room for NC State, which had entered the day with momentum after its second-round win over Pitt.

The turning point came in the second half, when Virginia used a 9-0 run to create the cushion it needed. The Cavaliers did not completely run away from the game, but they forced NC State into chase mode and made the Wolfpack spend the rest of the afternoon trying to close a gap that never fully disappeared.

That sequence captured the difference between the teams. NC State had enough offense to stay dangerous, especially with McNeil heating up from outside, but Virginia was cleaner in the possessions that changed the score and the rhythm of the game.

Ugonna Onyenso Changed the Game Defensively

One of the most important performances did not come primarily on the scoreboard. Virginia center Ugonna Onyenso finished with eight blocked shots, tying for the second-most in ACC Tournament history and giving the Cavaliers a defensive backbone whenever NC State tried to attack the paint.

That kind of rim protection can change more than individual possessions. It affects shot selection, pace and confidence, especially in tournament settings where every drive feels more consequential.

NC State still found offense, particularly from the perimeter and at the foul line, but Onyenso’s presence helped Virginia keep control when the Wolfpack looked capable of turning the game into a late toss-up.

What the Result Means for the ACC Tournament Bracket

Virginia now moves on to the ACC Tournament semifinals, where the Cavaliers will face either Louisville or Miami. With the win, they remain firmly in the conversation for a high NCAA Tournament seed and continue to look like one of the conference’s most complete teams outside the very top national favorites.

For NC State, the loss closes the conference tournament at a difficult moment. The Wolfpack showed enough fight and shot-making to suggest they are dangerous, but they could not turn this game into the kind of statement win that would have strengthened their case heading into Sunday.

That leaves NC State in wait-and-see mode while Virginia gets another day to improve its profile.

UVA Basketball Gets the Result It Needed

Virginia did not need a miracle or a wild comeback. It needed a controlled quarterfinal win against an opponent with enough firepower to make things uncomfortable, and that is exactly what it got.

The Cavaliers were not perfect Thursday, and NC State made sure of that. But Virginia was deeper, steadier and better in the stretch that decided the game. In March, that is often the difference between moving on and going home.

Now the Cavaliers are one win closer to the ACC title game, while NC State is left to hope its body of work holds up once the bracket is set.