UNC downs NC State 80-68
The NC State Wolfpack were unable to turn around their season when facing the Tar Heels.
It’s been a rough season for Mark Gottfried’s NC State basketball team. Two 12 points losses in five weeks to a Top 10 ranked UNC basketball team. The moral victory of being competitive does square with fans.
This time, a sluggish #7 ranked North Carolina (23-5, 12-3), managed to regain enough composure to win 80-68 at PNC Arena in Raleigh last night. It was only a 12 point loss, but somehow the final score of 80-68 felt much worse. Unless you watched the game, you would assume NC State was blown out as they should have been given the records.
They were…sort of.
NC State (14-14, 4-11) was smokin’ early, but as the evening wore on, you could just sense that the Pack would not sustain the level of intensity and execution needed to pull off the huge upset. For about 12 minutes, it looked like the Pack just might be able to do the impossible.
The Wolfpack led early by 13 points, only to be overtaken and then drubbed in the second half to the tune of 52% second half shooting and a 19 point deficit. That is a huge swing in a game that meant little to UNC (except the win) and everything to the Wolfpack. This is a sad commentary for a once proud rivalry where the Tarheels have now won 25 of the last 28 meetings.
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Anthony “Cat” Barber scored 32 points, but the heroics that freshman guard Maverick Rowan provided the previous game (20pts) against Clemson was nowhere to be found Wednesday night. On that night Barber did not shoot well. Last night when Barber was red-hot and needed help, Rowan nor any of his other teammates could score when needed. The game was there for the taking, if offensively the cavalry had come.
North Carolina’s Brice Johnson scored 22 points and had 11 rebounds. Justin Jackson also added 17 points for the Tar Heels as they continue to roll and hang onto 1st place in the ACC.
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QUICK STATS
Anthony “Cat Barber– 32 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists
Abdul-Malik Abu–15 points, 6 rebounds
Caleb Martin— 11 points, 6 rebounds
Maverick Rowan–8 points
UP NEXT: at Syracuse
When: Saturday, February 27, 2016 @ 2:00pm
Where: Syracuse, NY
TV: ACC Network