RALEIGH, N.C. (Interstat) — The North Carolina State Wolfpack delivered a commanding wire-to-wire performance, overwhelming the Liberty Flames 85-45 in a nonconference men’s basketball game Wednesday night at a sold-out Lenovo Center.

From the opening tip, the Wolfpack established a dominant tone, building a 45-19 halftime lead and never allowing the Flames to mount a challenge. The 40-point victory margin was North Carolina State’s largest of the season and marked a season-low in points for Liberty.

The most important part of the game was the first half, where North Carolina State’s suffocating defense and efficient offense decided the contest long before the intermission. The Wolfpack opened the game on a 12-3 run, fueled by an active defense that forced five early Liberty turnovers and held the Flames without a field goal for nearly the first three minutes. While Liberty briefly found its footing with back-to-back 3-pointers from Brett Decker and Kaden Metheny to pull within 12-9, North Carolina State responded with a decisive 20-4 surge over the next eight minutes to seize complete control.

That pivotal stretch showcased the Wolfpack’s depth and versatility. Quadir Copeland, who finished with 11 points and seven assists, was a catalyst, creating shots for others and attacking the rim. Ven-Allen Lubin provided a powerful interior presence, scoring 13 points, many during the first-half blitz. The Wolfpack’s defensive pressure consistently disrupted Liberty’s offensive sets, leading to rushed shots and 12 first-half turnovers by the Flames. By the time Matt Able drilled a 3-pointer just before the halftime buzzer to extend the lead to 26, the outcome was effectively sealed.

Liberty, which entered the game averaging over 80 points per contest, was held to a frigid shooting night. The Flames’ leading scorers, JJ Harper and Brett Decker, each managed 12 points but combined to shoot 10 of 27 from the field. The team’s offensive struggles were emblematic of the night, as they failed to string together any significant run after the opening minutes.

North Carolina State, conversely, shared the wealth offensively. Beyond Copeland and Lubin, Tre Holloman added 11 points, while Able chipped in 13 points off the bench. Darrion Williams contributed nine points, three assists and relentless defense. The Wolfpack assisted on 21 of their 32 made field goals and outrebounded Liberty 42-28.

The second half served as a formality, with North Carolina State maintaining its intensity and extending the lead. Liberty showed slightly more offensive rhythm after halftime, scoring 26 points, but could never cut the deficit below 24 points as the Wolfpack’s reserves closed out the game.

With the win, North Carolina State improved to 7-3 on the season, bouncing back from a road loss to Auburn the previous week. The Wolfpack now look ahead to a marquee home showdown against Kansas on Saturday. Liberty, which saw a four-game winning streak snapped, fell to 6-3. The Flames will aim to regroup when they host Midway next Tuesday.

The announced attendance was 14,515. According to pregame metrics, North Carolina State was projected with a 63.6% probability to win and was favored by 11.5 points. The combined final score of 130 points fell well under the over/under line of 156.5.