UNC will be entering this second game of their heated in-state rivalry on a roller coaster ride. Over the past eight games, the Tar Heels are 3-5 with two of those victories coming in the friendly confines of the Dean Smith Center. The Wolfpack finally got back into the win column last Saturday, defeating Boston College at the Lenovo Center. NC State has lost six straight games in Chapel Hill, last defeating the Tar Heels 95-91 on Jan. 27, 2018.
Teams: UNC (15-11, 8-6) and NC State (10-15, 3-11)
Tip-off: 7 p.m. EST
Watch: ESPN
Listen: WCHL 97.9 FM (Internet Radio)
The Wolfpack never trailed against Boston College, defeating the Eagles on Saturday 70-62. NC State was led by Jayden Taylor, who scored 19 points and a team-high four steals. Those steals were a part of a 12-takeaway game, the most against an ACC opponent since the opening two rounds of the ACC Tournament.
JT Came to Play!
11 points, 3 steals, 2 rebounds & 1 assist in opening 8 minutes
Pack +10 pic.twitter.com/NGfBMJNUOX
— NC State Men’s Basketball (@PackMensBball) February 15, 2025
“We look like we were supposed to look, and that’s because we created so much off of our defense,” coach Kevin Keatts said. “This team is not blessed to be a great offensive team, but when we create stuff off our defense, we can score the basketball and that’s the way we have to play.”
The victory, with several members of last year’s Final Four team in attendance, prevented the Wolfpack from setting a school record with their 10th consecutive loss. A victory against their hated rival would be the first multi-game winning streak in conference play since back-to-back victories in February 2024.
Since the teams’ first meeting back in January, the Tar Heels had lost four straight games on the road. That streak ended on Saturday, with Carolina defeating Syracuse 88-82.
One factor in Carolina’s victory was productive shooting from beyond the arc. The Heels shot 46.4% on 28 shots from three, just the fifth time this season they shot over 40%.
Caught fire in the first half 🔥 @22_captainjack pic.twitter.com/gvh97oketY
— Carolina Basketball (@UNC_Basketball) February 16, 2025
Ian Jackson was on a hot streak from three-point range, hitting 5 baskets for just the second time in his young career. Only one of those games saw him starting, which so happened to be the first meeting against NC State back in January.
Despite Jackson’s career night from beyond the arc in Raleigh, the Tar Heels were only able to shot 36.8% from three. The rest of the team combined for 2-for-11 shooting from downtown.
The Heels are shooting 55% from inside the three-point line, their best shooting percentage from two-point range since 1997-98. That team, the first year without Dean Smith on the bench, shot 56.5% on the way to a Final Four appearance.
