CHAPEL HILL, NC – NC State entered its second encounter against North Carolina with the chance to sweep the season series just four times since Roy Williams returned to Chapel Hill in 2003. Each time Tar Heels slapped Wolfpack , and on Saturday it was no different, as the Williams team built their biggest advantage in the season break in their 86-76 victory at the Dean E. Smith Center.
Tar Heels (10-5, 5-3 ACC) won for the fifth time in six games before entering their toughest stretch of the ACC game with four away games in the next five. UNC had its most efficient half of the season to take 43-33 at halftime and maintained a comfortable double-digit margin until the end, when a 7-0 run at Wolfpack reduced the score to 72-66 with 4:24 to play .
Tar Heels responded with a 14-8 spurt in the next 3:48 to guarantee victory.
Armando Bacot (17 points, 8 rebounds) and Day’Ron Sharpe (16 points, 10 rebounds) alternated in the field of the post, while Caleb Love continued his solid game with 15 points on 6 of 15 shots with five assists, despite five turns. Anthony Harris and RJ Davis also reached double digits, scoring 10 points each. Devon Daniels led the Wolfpack with 21 points from 9 out of 16 shots.
UNC shot 54.4 percent from the ground, the record of the season, while NCSU shot 47.0 percent. Tar Heels overtook Wolfpack, 44-30, and got a 17-12 lead on second chance points. NC State had a 17 to 10 point advantage over the turnover.
Offensive click
In the second half against Wake Forest on Wednesday, Tar Heels set a high of the season with a 54.8 percent kick shot (17 of 31). This increase was short-lived, as UNC shot 56.8 percent in the first half against NC State. Tar Heels scored 43 points from 43 possession in the first half, which marked his best points for possession in the first half of this season.
The UNC hit 51.6 percent after the break to score the first time in the entire season, he hit better than 50 percent in both halves of a game (only eighth time got better than 50%).
Fights continue for Brooks
Striker Garrison Brooks was fouled 1:20 to play with four points from 2 of 5 shots and four rebounds. The ACC preseason player averages 9.0 points from 36.8 percent of shots in eight ACC games this season.
A year ago, Brooks led the ACC in scoring (18.8) and came in second in percentage of pitches (53.5) in conference games.
History vs. NC State
UNC has won 33 of its last 38 and 50 of its last 62 games against NC State. Roy Williams improved to 38-5 at all times against Wolfpack.
Tar Heels improved to 28-7 against NC State at the Smith Center and won 16 of their last 18 home wins in the series.
Featured game
ARMANDO. BACOT. REJECTION. pic.twitter.com/6nHT26xUmo
– Trevor William Marks (@twmarks_) January 23, 2021
Injury update
Puff Johnson did not play Wolfpack after suffering a toe injury during training on Friday. The freshman wing is wearing a protective boot on his right foot.
Sterling Manley also remained in street clothes for the 15th straight game this season. The junior center has lost 48 consecutive games due to a left knee injury.
Next
UNC begins a three-game trip to Pittsburgh on Tuesday (7pm / ACCN). The Panthers (8-2, 4-1 ACC) built their success on a solid defense, as they rank second in ACC games in percentage of effective field goal defense (44.2).