RALEIGH -- One look at a stat sheet after the game was enough for Virginia coach Pete Gillen, his face crimson and his voice betraying disgust. But N.C. State's Herb Sendek knew better.

The Wolfpack topped the Cavaliers 75-63 Sunday night in its ACC opener at the RBC Center, and Virginia's Travis Watson had eight shots from the field, did not take a free throw and scored just 10 points. Many in the crowd of 14,718 undoubtedly left after the game convinced that the Wolfpack's hustling defense on the Wahoos' big man decided it. "He's a warrior, a great competitor," Sendek said of Watson. "He devours guys."