After missing Saturday’s loss at Louisville due to illness, UNC junior forward Garrison Brooks returned to the lineup in a big way on Tuesday night at the Dean Dome—putting up 30 points and nine rebounds to lead the Tar Heels to an 85-79 victory over the NC State Wolfpack.
The win gives UNC (11-17, 4-13 ACC) the season sweep over the Wolfpack (17-11, 8-9 ACC) while also snapping a seven-game losing streak—a streak that was one loss shy off tying the longest in program history.
Much like the first meeting against NC State last month in Raleigh—when he had 25 points and 11 rebounds—the Wolfpack had no answer for Brooks inside and he took full advantage. Perhaps his most notable contribution in Tuesday’s win was his performance at the free throw line down the stretch.
Freshman guard Cole Anthony ended the game Tuesday night with 19 points and five assists as UNC defeated NC State for the second time this season. (Photo via Todd Melet)
After allowing the Wolfpack to pull within three points in the final minutes despite trailing by 11 midway through the second half, it appeared like this could be just the latest collapse for the Tar Heels in crunch time. Instead, Brooks—who has struggled at the line all year—stepped up with confidence and sank all six of his attempts over the last 40 seconds.
For the game, the junior made 14 of his 16 shots at the charity stripe—a number that made all the difference in the final outcome of the game.
Head coach Roy Williams also improved his all-time record against NC State to 37-4 after finally seeing his team hold strong when it mattered most.
“I told them we were gonna play our tail off, is what we’re gonna do,” Williams said to reporters afterwards, about the final four minutes of the game. “Come on. Do it now. Do it now. And that’s all I said. They had to do it themselves.”
In addition to Brooks’ outstanding performance, the Tar Heels also received stellar games from guards Cole Anthony and Christian Keeling. Anthony had 19 points in the game, while Keeling added 16 as the third and final UNC player in double figures.
That trio combined to score each of the Tar Heels’ last 33 points in the game over the final 12 minutes of action.
UNC also rallied from down 11 points in the first half to take a halftime lead, then later put together a 22-4 run midway through the second half to turn a seven-point deficit into an 11-point lead of its own.
It was the type of performance Tar Heel fans have come to expect against NC State, regardless of how talented the team is. UNC may have just 11 wins this season—and only four in ACC play—but two of those have come at the Wolfpack’s expense as the team from Raleigh finds itself battling to try and make the NCAA Tournament late in the season.
When asked the secret to his success against the Wolfpack, Williams struggled to find an explanation.
“I have no idea,” Williams responded. “If I did, guys, I’d be 37-4 against everybody else too. Let me back up. We would be 37-4. I’ve never shot a ball or anything whatsoever.
“But I get a little fired up to play conference games,” the coach added. “And they’re a rival. And it was fun to see our guys celebrate in the locker room.’
Up Next:
UNC travels to take on Syracuse at the Carrier Dome this Saturday, with tip-off set for 4 p.m.
Game Notes:
- UNC has won 32 of its last 36 games against NC State.
- The Tar Heels finished the night with 22 made free throws compared to 11 for the Wolfpack. Both teams had 40 points in the paint.
- Senior guard Markell Johnson led the Wolfpack with 21 points and 10 assists.
Cover photo via Todd Melet
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