The in-state Atlantic Coast Conference rivalry returns Wednesday, and it comes at a crucial time for both NC State and North Carolina.
As the Wolfpack (10-15, 3-11 ACC) make the short trip to Chapel Hill, they do so with some urgency. Six games remain in the regular season, and NC State sits as the first team out of the ACC tournament as the No. 16 seed.
North Carolina (15-11, 8-6), meanwhile, has a chance to sneak into the top four and earn a two-round bye.
The Wolfpack come off Saturday’s win against Boston College, snapping a nine-game skid that was capped by their worst loss of the season, a 25-point home defeat against Louisville.
“I challenged them a little bit,” Wolfpack coach Kevin Keatts said after the Boston College win. “I just wanted to see what type of guys I’ve had in my locker room. … Sometimes when you lose a game, it wakes you up a little bit.”
Jayden Taylor went for 19 points in the Boston College victory, his most since the team’s third game of the season. Taylor (11.8 ppg) and Marcus Hill (12.6) — who put up 20 points in NC State’s 63-61 home loss against UNC on Jan. 11 — look to lift the Wolfpack’s offense that has averaged just 66.1 points in conference play — the second lowest among ACC teams.
In that January matchup, UNC blew a nine-point lead but stood tall as Jalen Washington’s dunk with 24 seconds left and ensuing block at the buzzer sealed the win.
North Carolina has won two of its last three, including Saturday’s 88-82 win at Syracuse. Jae’Lyn Withers emerged with a season-high 19 points in what UNC coach Hubert Davis labeled as Withers’ best game in two seasons with the Tar Heels.
Notably, Ian Jackson had 23 points for the Heels after enduring a seven-game stretch of averaging just 7.4 points on 30.5 percent shooting from the field.
“I told the whole group I wanted them to play fast and free but not cool and casual,” said Davis, whose team has won seven of nine against NC State and each of the last six in Chapel Hill.
“Ian and I met every day this week and we talked about the adjustments that teams have made against him defensively, and now it’s time for him to make an adjustment. … I challenged him to make winning plays in other areas, not just in scoring.”
–Field Level Media
