RALEIGH, N.C. _ Braxton Beverly was due.
Danny Dixon was a bonus.
Throw in strong efforts from regular standouts D.J. Funderburk and Markell Johnson and N.C. State was able to close out the regular season with an 84-64 home win over Wake Forest on Friday night.
Funderburk scored a team-high 19 points and Johnson added 13 points and 10 assists but the game belonged to Beverly and Dixon.
They saved their best ACC game for the last ACC game. Beverly had 16 points and Dixon had a season-high 10 points.
Beverly has had a difficult junior season playing through a back injury and intermittent shooting slumps. But he found his 3-point shot (4 of 5) and made his first six field goals of the game.
"It was really nothing different," Beverly said. "It's the same way I play every day. (The shots) just went in."
The Wolfpack (19-12, 10-10 ACC) avoided a hiccup against the Demon Deacons (13-17, 6-14), which hasn't always been easy recently in basketball or football.
The Deacs tripped up Duke on Feb. 25 and Notre Dame last Saturday but went 0-2 in the Triangle this week. Senior guard Brandon Childress led Wake with 19 points but the Deacs could be playing for sixth-year coach Danny Manning's job next week in Greensboro in the ACC tournament.
N.C. State will be playing for its NCAA tournament life. Another boost from Dixon or Beverly would be welcomed.
Dixon, a grad transfer from UMKC, started for freshman forward Manny Bates, who missed the game with a minor knee injury. Dixon made 5 of 6 shots and added two rebounds.
N.C. State coach Kevin Keatts said that Dixon, who missed some time earlier in the season with a foot injury, has had some strong practices recently.
Keatts said he texted Dixon before Friday's game: "Just be confident, you're a good basketball player."
Dixon hadn't scored in an ACC game since Feb. 5 and his previous season-best was four points _ in the opener against Georgia Tech _ but he was helpful on Friday.
Dixon was expected to add an extra big body and some fouls off the bench this season. More was counted on from Beverly, who averaged 9.4 points his first two seasons.
He has labored through the season with a nagging back injury. His 3-point percentage is actually up from last season but he has had his share of struggles on the defensive end.
He had 14 points in the win at Miami on Feb. 5 and 15 in the win at Wake on Dec. 7 but he has scored in single-digits in 13 ACC games.
"I've been constantly working and trying to get back to these regular games that I used to have," Beverly said.
And that's part of the problem. With other players coming in and out of the lineup with a variety of injuries all season, Beverly has made a concerted effort to be available.
"If somebody gave me the power to tell Braxton Beverly to not play basketball for three weeks, I would do it," Keatts said. "But I know Braxton Beverly, as soon as I get away from him, he's going to sneak somewhere and play basketball."
Beverly has been pressing to do more. He has grown his beard back out and generally tried everything to get his mojo back but it has been difficult at less than 100 percent.
"The pain, it hurts, but I can endure it," Beverly said. "Just mentally knowing that any little thing throws it off and it causes a bigger problem."
Beverly was effective defensively on Friday and helped spark a 24-4 run after Wake had an early 13-10 lead.
Wake was able to cut what was once a 19-point margin down to 10, 62-52, with 7:28 left but Johnson put the Deacs away.
