North Carolina at NC State: Gameday Open Thread
North Carolina takes its two-game winning streak into ACC play as it opens the conference schedule with rival NC State.
The Tar Heels have dominated the series against the Pack, winning 32 of 36 games since Roy Williams took over as coach. That includes five straight, nine of the last 10 and 13 of 15. State has not won at home against the Tar Heels since 2013, losing the last seven at PNC Arena.
As former Tar Heel David Noel (6-2 against the Wolfpack as a player) said on his weekly podcast with Quierra Luck, “History tells me North Carolina has zero worries against NC State.”
This matchup, however, could have Tar Heel fans—if not Noel—a little more worried than normal. State is favored in the game, both by gamblers and statisticians. North Carolina’s young backcourt has struggled with turnovers at times this season, including turnover rates of 33.9 percent against Texas and 25.3 percent against NC Central. State prides itself on using its defense to trigger the break, and the Pack have forced turnovers on more than 25 percent of possessions in every game this season. State has also been tough on the perimeter, holding Campbell to 2-for-17 from three in the last game and UMass Lowell to 3-of-15. That’s an area where Carolina has struggled as well, hitting just seven of its last 35 attempts from three spanning the last two games.
State is still recovering from a bout with COVID. The Wolfpack had just eight players available for the weekend’s Campbell game, missing veteran big man DJ Funderburk and freshman guard Cam Hayes, among others. Hayes is expected to return against Carolina. Funderburk is not.
Same starters as always for Carolina: Black, Bacot, Brooks, Love & Davis.
No Hayes in the starting lineup for the Pack: Hellems, Allen, Beverly, Bates, Daniels.
Confirmed: Hayes is in the pregame layup line. Funderburk is not.
Lights ... camera ... TV Teddy! Your officials: Bert Smith, AJ Desai, Ted Valentine
We have turnover number one, 23 seconds in as Armando Bacot picks up an offensive foul. Next possession, Beverly steals at half court. State isn't hitting from the field early, though, so Heels haven't paid.
Carolina with their third turnover in four possessions. Game is tied at 2, 90 seconds in.
If you doubted that ACC play was a different animal, watch Armando Bacot get pinballed around every time he gets the ball in the paint. Extremely physical game in the early going.
Both teams hitting 50 percent from the field early. UNC has the rebounding edge. State leads at the under 16, 11-8.
Garrison Brooks turnover. State three (they're 3-of-4 from three), Carolina turnover, State fast break dunk. State up 23-15.
State now hitting 68.8 percent from the field. Pack is out-quicking Carolina right now. 25-17 State at the under 12.
Carolina hasn't fallen behind by double digits ... yet.
Speak of the devil. Beverly hits two free throws to put State up 27-17. And Carolina responds with a turnover before reaching midcourt.
Both freshmen guards have now taken threes from way beyond the NBA distance. Can't waste possessions like that when you're turning it over at this rate.
Moore drills a three. He has 13. State is 4-of-5 from three and leading 30-17.
State getting whatever it wants right now. Offensive rebounds--they've evened up the rebounding margin--drives to the hoop.
At the under eight, it's 34-23.
Coming out of the time out, UNC doesn't box out and Seabron dunks a putback. Brooks blocked on the other end. Hayes hits a three-State is now 5-of-6 from three, and State is up 15.
Sharpe looks for someone to pass to. Can't hand it off to Davis. So he just puts up a three. No good. No flow at all to the offense tonight. It's every man for himself.
State is hitting 58 percent and has rebounded half of its own misses. Carolina just trying to avoid the blowout at this point, down 44-29 at the under four.
Kessler busting it at both ends right now. Heels don't have much to show for it. They turned over a fast break after a block by Kessler and Bacot missed a pair of free throws after a rebound.
Back-to-back charges by NC State. That should go over well in Raleigh. They both seemed pretty clear cut, though. the State guy just plowed into a stationary Tar Heel.
Things definitely began clicking for the Carolina offense in the final few minutes before the half. UNC closes the gap to 49-42 at the half with a 9-0 run.
Carolina very fortunate to be that close after about 17 and a half minutes of very shaky play.
State very fortunate to be up seven considering they have 0 points from Hellems and Daniels played just eight minutes due to foul trouble.
Both teams shot over 50 percent in the half: UNC 51.5, State 52.8. State hit 6-of-9 from three.
Carolina finally out of the locker room with less than 3:00 left on the halftime clock. They had a lot to talk about.
First possession, one pass and Bacot takes a jumper from beyond the free throw line. Roy Williams gets up and walks away from the court. He's now leaning against the wall where the NHL glass goes for hockey games.
Davis takes a transition jumper from almost the same spot. No turnovers but two wasted possessions for Carolina
Brooks visibly frustrated at Davis for not being able to get open on an inbounds, put the ball on his hip and threw up his hand. Then threw it away to Black.
I'm starting to think UNC takes bad shots early just to give their offensive rebounders a chance to score. At times that looks easier than getting open for a good shot.
At the under 16, UNC has cut it to 53-48, State. Carolina ball coming back.
Love drives and scores and is fouled. That's Hellems' third. Hits the free throw, and it's a two-point game.
Training staff looking at Bacot during the time out and at the start of play. Doesn't look serious.
State responding to the Carolina run. Ties up Sharpe to get possession. Hayes drives on Sharpe to score. Brooks gets called for an offensive foul. State back up four with the ball.
No one boxes out Bates and he dunks a put-back. Brooks scores inside and is fouled at the other end. Misses the FT.
Platek fouls Moore on a three-point attempt. Sharpe can't handle the pass inside. State up four again with the ball.
Sharpe gets the rebound and steps on the end line. State ball again. 14 turnovers on Carolina.
And State steps on the end line to take us to the under 12. UNC down 2 with the ball, 59-57.
State has missed all four three-point attempts this half and is shooting 30.8 percent. The Wolfpack regressed toward the mean, then blew right past it in the other direction.
Brooks shoots it off the side of the backboard coming out of time out. State working on its third shot attempt this possession right now.
Moore drives baseline and dunks. Davis puts up a three while falling down. Brooks blocked again. State up four with the ball.
Kessler tries to put up a three early in the possession, but he travels first. UNC wasting opportunity after opportunity with poor shot selection and sloppy play.
Platek converts a three-point play to cut it to a one-point game. He gives it right back on the other end, hitting Daniels with his hip as the shot goes in. Four-point lead for State
Daniels gets the ball and there is literally no one on his side of the floor. Every Tar Heel is in the paint or on the other side. That's a three. 71-64 with State going to the line at the under eight.
Carolina's youth is really showing tonight. Older players are either getting frustrated or rushing things instead of helping the kids through it.
Speaking of which, Brooks picks up his third offensive foul of the game.
And Beverly hits the three all the UNC freshmen were trying earlier. Back to double digits, 75-64, Sharpe with an offensive foul on the other end for UNC's 17th turnover.
State presses and Carolina turns it over for a third straight possession. Game is rapidly slipping away.
Sharpe fouls Beverly immediately after the turnover and State is already in the double bonus.
Foul-line jumper on the break must be a killer play in high school and AAU, because the freshmen guards try it again. Still not falling. State up 77-68 at the under four.
UNC in danger of falling to 5-3. Your chilling thought for the day--they were 6-2 at this point last year.
Carolina blocks State as the shot clock expires and kicks it out to Love for a fast break dunk. It's 77-73 with 2:45 left.
Caleb Love is not going to pass at crunch time. He's now missed layups on each of the last two possessions. And teammates are not giving him the ball either, because they know they're not getting it back.
Love. For three. No. That should just about do it. State calls time with 40.8 left, up five with the ball.
Beverly commits an offensive foul with 30 sec. left. UNC ball, and Williams takes Love out. Telling move.
Walton, who replaced him misses his first free throw. 78-74 with 17.8 left.
State keeps kicking the door back open. Misses both free throws and fouls Love.
State to the line up 2 with 9.3 left.
State makes one. Love and Davis both miss threes and time expires. State wins 79-76.
