RALEIGH, N.C. (Interstat) — In a high-octane, back-and-forth affair at a raucous Lenovo Center, the North Carolina State Wolfpack remained undefeated, outlasting the VCU Rams in a non-conference men’s basketball showdown on Monday night.

The Wolfpack improved to 4-0 on the young season, while the Rams, despite a valiant effort, fell to an even 2-2.

The game was ultimately decided at the free-throw line, where North Carolina State built a decisive advantage. The Wolfpack converted 27 of 31 attempts from the charity stripe, a stark contrast to VCU’s 8-of-11 performance. That 19-point differential from the line proved insurmountable for the visiting Rams, who were otherwise efficient with their offensive opportunities.

North Carolina State’s victory was spearheaded by a spectacular scoring display from Darrion Williams. The 6-foot-6 guard from Sacramento, California, poured in 28 points, grabbed seven rebounds and dished out two assists in 33 minutes of action. His backcourt mate, Tre Holloman of Minneapolis, Minnesota, was equally dynamic, contributing 25 points and four rebounds.

The Wolfpack set the tone early, leveraging their size and aggressiveness to attack the basket. After a tightly contested opening stretch, a 9-0 run midway through the first half, capped by a Matt Able three-pointer, gave North Carolina State a 19-11 lead. The Rams, however, refused to wilt. A three-pointer from Barry Evans and a driving layup from Lazar Djokovic helped VCU claw back, and the half ended with the Wolfpack holding a narrow 39-35 advantage.

The second half became a showcase for the star guards. Williams and Holloman consistently answered every VCU push with big shots of their own. Whenever the Rams would trim the deficit to one or two possessions, one of the Wolfpack duo would respond with a driving layup, a pull-up jumper, or by drawing a foul and converting at the line.

VCU’s offense was fueled by the duo of Barry Evans and Jadrian Tracey. Evans, a 6-foot-8 forward from Baltimore, Maryland, led the Rams with 18 points, five rebounds and three assists. Tracey, from Fort Myers, Florida, was a catalyst with 16 points and a game-high seven assists, consistently breaking down the defense to create opportunities for himself and his teammates.

The Rams’ offensive execution was notable, as they scored 79 points on just 38 possessions, posting an elite offensive rating of 120.3. They shot a solid 48.5 percent from the floor and committed only seven turnovers. Conversely, North Carolina State’s offense was more voluminous, scoring 85 points on 71 possessions, but they were hampered by 15 turnovers, which VCU converted into 13 points.

A critical sequence occurred with just over seven minutes remaining. After a Darrion Williams layup extended the Wolfpack lead to 71-64, VCU called a full timeout. The Rams emerged with a renewed defensive intensity, forcing a turnover that led to a Barry Evans three-pointer, cutting the lead to four and energizing the visiting contingent. But, as they did all night, the Wolfpack responded immediately, with Williams finding Ven-Allen Lubin for a dunk to halt the Rams’ momentum.

Lubin, a 6-foot-8 forward from Orlando, Florida, was a force in the paint for North Carolina State, narrowly missing a double-double with 11 points and nine rebounds while also contributing a block.

In the final minutes, VCU was forced to foul, and North Carolina State’s proficiency from the line sealed the outcome. Tre Holloman calmly sank four consecutive free throws in the final 18 seconds to extinguish any hope of a last-second Rams comeback.

For VCU, Djokovic, from Serbia, added 13 points and five rebounds, while Tyrell Ward of Washington, D.C., chipped in nine points and five rebounds. North Carolina State’s Matt Able provided a significant spark off the bench with 12 points.

The announced attendance of 14,805 witnessed a game that lived up to its billing as a compelling early-season test. North Carolina State will look to continue its perfect start when it faces Seton Hall in the Maui Invitational on Nov. 24. VCU, meanwhile, returns home to host Coppin State on Saturday, Nov. 22.