The most recent UNC-NC State matchup was another classic in the historic rivalry, coming down to the wire on the game’s final possession, but ultimately the Tar Heels came away with the 63-61 victory, their 167th all-time victory over the Wolfpack.
While there’s still plenty of ACC play ahead for each team, every game matters especially with how much the conference’s brand has fallen in recent years (currently only one ACC team is ranked in the AP Top-25).
For NC State, it’s yet another tough loss for a team that last year won the ACC Tournament and made it all the way to the Final Four.
Obviously, that run came off of a down year that saw the Wolfpack finish 10th in the conference, but you’d still have expected perhaps a better start coming out of that run.
Defensively, NC State has been pretty good and that’s been a constant under coach Kevin Keatts.
The Pack are forcing 13.4 turnovers per game and their 3.63 turnover margin is the best in the conference. In addition, the Wolfpack is allowing on average just 66.7 points per game and the most points they’ve allowed has been 77 which came in a blowout loss to Wake Forest just a week prior.
However, scoring lulls have continually plagued NC State – who’s averaging just 71.8 points per game – and that’s especially apparent when they’re missing any of their bigs.
“We’ve been very good when our post guys are able to get some touches and play inside out,” Keatts said. “Our offense tends to flow a little bit better when we play the game inside out and that’s not necessarily always throwing the ball in. Sometimes that’s driving the ball and then kicking out.”
Despite the losses and the offensive struggles, Keatts says he isn’t too worried about his team though.
“I like where we’re at,” Keatts said. “There’s a thin line between being 3-2 and 2-3 and I completely understand that, but we’ve closed some games out, and had some great defensive stops at the end. I like where we are. I think we’re starting to put it together a little bit more defensively than we are offensively, but in our five ACC games, those were all games that could have gone either way. Right now we’re 2-3 and hopefully we can build on the ones that we’ve won and not the two that we’ve lost.”
For the Heels, it was another nail biter and the third of UNC’s four ACC wins that have come down to one possession, but at the end of the year, wins is the only stat that matters.
The Tar Heels weren’t able to take advantage of one of the toughest non-conference schedules in the entire NCAA with losses against Auburn, Alabama, Michigan State and Florida, but they’re finding their footing and have managed to string together a good amount of ACC wins as of late.
UNC is the second highest scoring team in the conference (83.2 points per game) and coach Hubert Davis believes his team can be just as good defensively too.
The Heels have had really strong defensive halves, but they’ve had a bit of difficulty with continuing that defensive dominance for a full game. Saturday night was a good example as UNC held NC State to just 22.5% shooting in the first half, but started to falter into the second as the Pack then made 60% of their shots.
“There’s a lot more room to grow,” Davis said. “Yeah, we can play at a high level defensively, but can you sustain it? Can you stay at that level and that’s something I know is the next step for us defensively. Can we put a full game together? … The growth for us will be to put two halves together defensively and rebounding. Then I feel like we’ll be in a really good spot.”
One issue for UNC early was their bigs struggling, but Jalen Washington especially has shown a good amount of growth, and he was a big key in the win over NC State with the go-ahead basket and game-sealing block.
“I think his confidence is building,” Davis said. “His assurance on the floor on both ends is growing. His ability to block and alter shots and rebound the basketball and be able to do it consistently.”
Over his last three games, Washington is averaging four blocks and seven rebounds and if he can consistently make an impact, he could bring a big boost to what’s a bit of a smaller starting lineup.
So whether it’s been RJ Davis, Ian Jackson, Elliott Cadeau or Washington, the Heels have been getting contributions up and down the lineup as of late and that bodes well for their future tournament aspirations.
“For us to be the best team that we need to become, we need everybody,” Davis said. “There is no set rotation. North Carolina is going to show up and try to be the best team that we can become.”