Photos: N.C. State falls to Texas in NCAA First Four heartbreaker
By Kaitlin McKeown
Texas’ Tramon Mark shoots over N.C. State’s Tre Holloman with seconds remaining in the Wolfpack’s 68-66 loss in the NCAA First Four on Tuesday, March 17, 2026, at the University of Dayton Arena in Dayton, Ohio.
Kaitlin McKeown
kmckeown@newsobserver.com
N.C. State fell to Texas 68-66 in the NCAA First Four on Tuesday, March 17, 2026, at University of Dayton Arena in Dayton, Ohio.
The Wolfpack battled back in the final two minutes only to have their shot blocked in the final second.
Both the Wolfpack and the Longhorns came into the First Four having lost five of their past six games.
N.C. State’s Tre Holloman reacts after Texas’ Tramon Mark scored with seconds remaining in the Wolfpack’s 68-66 loss in the NCAA First Four on Tuesday, March 17, 2026, at the University of Dayton Arena in Dayton, Ohio. Kaitlin McKeown kmckeown@newsobserver.com
Texas’ Tramon Mark, right, reacts after scoring with seconds remaining to cement the Longhorns’ 68-66 win over N.C. State in the NCAA First Four on Tuesday, March 17, 2026, at the University of Dayton Arena in Dayton, Ohio. Kaitlin McKeown kmckeown@newsobserver.com
N.C. State head coach Will Wade reacts during the second half of the Wolfpack’s 68-66 loss to Texas in the NCAA First Four on Tuesday, March 17, 2026, at the in Dayton, Ohio. Kaitlin McKeown kmckeown@newsobserver.com
N.C. State’s Quadir Copeland drives to the basket past Texas’ Matas Vokietaitis during the second half of the Wolfpack’s 68-66 loss in the NCAA First Four on Tuesday, March 17, 2026, at the in Dayton, Ohio. Kaitlin McKeown kmckeown@newsobserver.com
The N.C. State bench protests a call after an official ruled Texas called a timeout prior to Paul McNeil Jr.’s defensive stop late in the second half of the Wolfpack’s 68-66 loss in the NCAA First Four on Tuesday, March 17, 2026, in Dayton, Ohio. Kaitlin McKeown kmckeown@newsobserver.com
N.C. State’s Tre Holloman is fouled as he drives against Texas’ Chendall Weaver and Jordan Pope with less than a minute remaining in the Wolfpack’s 68-66 loss in the NCAA First Four on Tuesday, March 17, 2026, at the University of Dayton Arena in Dayton, Ohio. Kaitlin McKeown kmckeown@newsobserver.com
N.C. State’s Quadir Copeland speaks with teammate Tre Holloman after Holloman drew a foul with less than a minute remaining in the Wolfpack’s 68-66 loss to Texas in the NCAA First Four on Tuesday, March 17, 2026, at the University of Dayton Arena in Dayton, Ohio. Kaitlin McKeown kmckeown@newsobserver.com
N.C. State’s Quadir Copeland is met by pressure from Texas’ Matas Vokietaitis and Tramon Mark during the second half of the Wolfpack’s 68-66 loss in the NCAA First Four on Tuesday, March 17, 2026, at the University of Dayton Arena in Dayton, Ohio. Kaitlin McKeown kmckeown@newsobserver.com
N.C. State’s Quadir Copeland drives to the basket past Texas’ Simeon Wilcher during the first half of the Wolfpack’s game during the NCAA First Four on Tuesday, March 17, 2026, at the University of Dayton Arena in Dayton, Ohio. Kaitlin McKeown kmckeown@newsobserver.com
N.C. State’s Quadir Copeland slams in two during the second half of the Wolfpack’s 68-66 loss to Texas in the NCAA First Four on Tuesday, March 17, 2026, at the University of Dayton Arena in Dayton, Ohio. Kaitlin McKeown kmckeown@newsobserver.com
Laura Lee Sherman and her son, N.C. State first year Michael Lee Sherman, cheer during the starting lineups prior to the Wolfpack’s game against Texas in the NCAA First Four on Tuesday, March 17, 2026, at the University of Dayton Arena in Dayton, Ohio. The pair drove to Dayton from Four Oaks, N.C. on Tuesday morning. Kaitlin McKeown kmckeown@newsobserver.com
N.C. State’s Quadir Copeland, second from left, smiles as the team waits to take the court prior to the Wolfpack’s game against Texas in the NCAA First Four on Tuesday, March 17, 2026, at the University of Dayton Arena in Dayton, Ohio. Kaitlin McKeown kmckeown@newsobserver.com
N.C. State’s Paul McNeil Jr., Terrance Arceneuax and Musa Sagnia pressure Texas’ Matas Vokietaitis during the first half of the Wolfpack’s game during the NCAA First Four on Tuesday, March 17, 2026, at the University of Dayton Arena in Dayton, Ohio. Kaitlin McKeown kmckeown@newsobserver.com
N.C. State head coach Will Wade looks at the scoreboard during the first half of the Wolfpack’s game against Texas during the NCAA First Four on Tuesday, March 17, 2026, at the University of Dayton Arena in Dayton, Ohio. Kaitlin McKeown kmckeown@newsobserver.com
N.C. State’s Darrion Williams battles for a rebound with Texas’ Tramon Mark, Dailyn Swain and Chendall Weaver during the second half of the Wolfpack’s 68-66 loss in the NCAA First Four on Tuesday, March 17, 2026, at the University of Dayton Arena in Dayton, Ohio. Kaitlin McKeown kmckeown@newsobserver.com
Texas’ Dailyn Swain blocks a shot by N.C. State’s Darrion Williams during the first half of the Wolfpack’s game during the NCAA First Four on Tuesday, March 17, 2026, at the University of Dayton Arena in Dayton, Ohio. Kaitlin McKeown kmckeown@newsobserver.com
N.C. State’s Tre Holloman drives to the basket past Texas’ Matas Vokietaitis and Chendall Weaver during the second half of the Wolfpack’s 68-66 loss in the NCAA First Four on Tuesday, March 17, 2026, at the University of Dayton Arena in Dayton, Ohio. Kaitlin McKeown kmckeown@newsobserver.com
N.C. State head coach Will Wade reacts after a Texas basket during the first half of the Wolfpack’s 68-66 loss in the NCAA First Four on Tuesday, March 17, 2026, at the University of Dayton Arena in Dayton, Ohio. Kaitlin McKeown kmckeown@newsobserver.com
Texas’ Dailyn Swain (3) pulls down a rebound away from N.C. State’s Musa Sagnia during the second half of the Wolfpack’s 68-66 loss in the NCAA First Four on Tuesday, March 17, 2026, at the University of Dayton Arena in Dayton, Ohio. Kaitlin McKeown kmckeown@newsobserver.com
Texas’ Nic Codie pressures N.C. State’s Ven-Allen Lubin during the first half of the Wolfpack’s 68-66 loss in the NCAA First Four on Tuesday, March 17, 2026, at the University of Dayton Arena in Dayton, Ohio. Kaitlin McKeown kmckeown@newsobserver.com
N.C. State’s Quadir Copeland blocks a shot by Texas’ Matas Vokietaitis during the first half of the Wolfpack’s 68-66 loss in the NCAA First Four on Tuesday, March 17, 2026, at the University of Dayton Arena in Dayton, Ohio. Kaitlin McKeown kmckeown@newsobserver.com
N.C. State’s Tre Holloman and Darrion Williams walk off the court following the Wolfpack’s 68-66 loss to Texas in the NCAA First Four on Tuesday, March 17, 2026, at the University of Dayton Arena in Dayton, Ohio. Kaitlin McKeown kmckeown@newsobserver.com
N.C. State’s Quadir Copeland hugs head strength and conditioning coach Steven Soltysiak outside the locker room following the Wolfpack’s 68-66 loss to Texas in the NCAA First Four on Tuesday, March 17, 2026, at the University of Dayton Arena in Dayton, Ohio. Kaitlin McKeown kmckeown@newsobserver.com
N.C. State’s Darrion Williams sits in an empty University of Dayton Arena following the Wolfpack’s 68-66 loss to Texas in the NCAA First Four on Tuesday, March 17, 2026, at the in Dayton, Ohio. Kaitlin McKeown kmckeown@newsobserver.com
This story was originally published March 17, 2026 at 10:46 PM.
