RALEIGH — In the final minutes, N.C. State fought for loose balls, scrapped for rebounds and didn't allow Virginia Tech to have any free rides to the basket.

It was a big effort but a little too late. Virginia Tech diffused a late Wolfpack rally for a 77-69 win on Wednesday night at the RBC Center.

Scott Wood's hard foul of Virginia Tech forward Terrell Bell with 3:48 left underscored State's intensity as it tried to erase a 15-point deficit. But the same hustle plays that got State back in the game in the final 5 minutes were mostly absent in the first 35.

updated: 11:59 p.m.

CHAPEL HILL -- Early in Thursday night’s game at the Smith Center, it looked as if the whole “toughness” thing that North Carolina had been touting was a wee bit premature.

Not so, it seems.

For the second straight ACC game, the Tar Heels came back from a double-digit deficit after an ugly first half to pull out a victory – this time, beating Virginia Tech 64-61. In so doing, they broke a six-game winning streak by the Hokies (10-5, 1-2 in the ACC) – who are playing with only eight scholarship players thanks to injuries and a transfer. UNC (12-4, 2-0), meanwhile, has now won eight of its last nine games.

Linebacker Nate Irving, whose infectious smile had lit up the field as N.C. State won his first four games, turned around slowly to face reporters after the game Saturday night.

In its first game as a ranked team since 2003, the Wolfpack had lost 41-30 to Virginia Tech after racing out to a 17-0, second-quarter lead.