February 21, 2026; Syracuse, New York, USA; The North Carolina Tar Heels protect Luca Bogavac’s (44) drive during the first half against the Syracuse Orange at the JMA Wireless Dome. Mandatory Credit: Rich Barnes-Imagn Image Luka Bogavac hit three 3-pointers in the final seven minutes and scored a career-high 20 points to lead No. 17 North Carolina State to a 67-63 Atlantic Coast Conference win over Clemson on Tuesday in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.
Henri Veesaar had 13 points as the Tar Heels (24-6, 12-5 ACC) finished on an 18-0 run at the Dean E. Smith Center. This is a single-season program record at home.
Jarin Stevenson added nine points and 10 rebounds for North Carolina, which won for the fifth time in its last six games without top scorer and rebounder Caleb Wilson.
Bogavac made 6 of 10 shots from beyond the arc and rescued the cold-shooting Tar Heels, who made just 37.9% of their attempts from the floor.
Derek Dixon (9 points) broke out of a shooting slump and made 3 of 4 attempts from long range, including a triple with 46 seconds left that helped the Tar Heels make it.
The win puts North Carolina one step closer to earning a double bye in the ACC Tournament next week in Charlotte. The two teams entered Tuesday’s game tied for fourth in the league. Teams that finish in the top four will receive a double bye.
RJ Godfrey scored a career-high 22 points and grabbed nine rebounds to pace Clemson (21-9, 11-6), which lost for the fifth time in its last six games.
Carter Welling added 13 points and eight rebounds for the Tigers, who were seeking their first three-game winning streak in a series dominated by the Tar Heels.
North Carolina took a six-point lead eight minutes into the game, and Clemson went on a 12-2 run to take a 21-17 lead.
Godfrey grinded inside to start and finish a layup. Meanwhile, he banked a shot from beyond the top of the key for his second 3-pointer in two seasons.
The Tar Heels regained the lead on triples by Dixon and Bogavac, but the Tigers responded with the final seven points of the period, including five from Efrem Johnson, to put Clemson up 30-27 at the break.
Early in the second half, Stevenson scored the final six points of a 12-point performance to put North Carolina up 44-37. But Welling responded with a triple to spark a seven-run Tigers run to tie the game again.
Clemson led 52-49, but during a 12-3 run, Bogavac drained three 3-pointers to give North Carolina the lead for good.
–Field level media
