No. 12 UNC Holds Off No. 15 NC State in Raleigh as Part of Top 15 Rivalry Showdown

With an electric atmosphere at PNC Arena in Raleigh serving as the backdrop on Tuesday night, the 12^th-ranked Tar Heels held off multiple rallies before ultimately closing the door on a 90-82 win over the No. 15 NC State Wolfpack.

UNC (12-3, 2-0 ACC) scored the first 12 points of the game and built double-digit leads in both halves, but each time the Wolfpack—led by 21 points and five three-pointers from guard Braxton Beverly–were able to erase them and get the sold-out crowd back on its feet.

NC State (13-2, 1-1 ACC) managed to tie the score twice early in the second half, but were never able to take the lead at any point.

After scoring 33 points when the teams played in Raleigh last season, Tar Heel senior forward Luke Maye again looked right at home on the rival’s home floor.

The Huntersville native led UNC with 21 points and 11 rebounds, while all five starters scored in double figures—including additional double-doubles from Maye’s fellow seniors Cameron Johnson and Kenny Williams.

Senior forward Luke Maye led UNC with 21 points and 11 rebounds in a 90-82 victory over No. 15 NC State on Tuesday. (Todd Melet)

Johnson ended the night with 15 points, 11 rebounds and five assists despite missing the final 12 minutes of the game after suffering cramps in both of his legs. Williams, meanwhile, finally seemed to break out of his season-long shooting slump on the way to 15 points and 10 rebounds of his own.

That, coupled with the way UNC responded to adversity time and time again, was a positive sign for head coach Roy Williams.

“I thought we answered every challenge,” Williams said after the game. “Every time they’d make a run, we’d come back and answer it.

“Kenny made one really big three late in the shot clock,” the coach added. “But we didn’t exactly look like the smoothest team out there either.”

It was the kind of performance against a big-time ACC rival on the road that showed how important toughness and experience can be at this point in the season.

Although their coach was pleased with the result, he was bothered by the Tar Heels’ 23 turnovers—which were a huge reason the Wolfpack managed to stay close.

The Tar Heels were without leading scorer Cameron Johnson for the final 12 minutes due to cramps in both of his legs. (Todd Melet)

“I was really mad at them at one point in the first half because I thought we were way too soft,” Williams told reporters. “We had some turnovers that looked like we were a ninth-grade basketball team at a bad school. And you can’t do that. So I was really mad at them and questioned their toughness.

“Then at the six-minute mark I told them we were gonna be a lot tougher over the last six minutes,” he continued. “And do what the heck I tell you to do and we’ll be fine”

Despite the problems with ball security, the fact remains that UNC was able to close out a tight game in a hostile environment even with its leading scorer out of the game for the most crucial minutes.

Speaking with reporters in the locker room afterwards, Johnson had nothing but praise for what his teammates displayed down the stretch.

“It shows you that we played with toughness today,” Johnson said. “And that’s a good team we went up against. They try to impose their style against you. But I was proud of them. It shows everybody can step up.”

Up Next:

The Tar Heels will return home to the Smith Center for their next game this Saturday against Louisville. Tip-off for that one is set for noon.

Game Notes:

Roy Williams improved his all-time coaching record against NC State to 34-4–an .894 winning percentage.
The Tar Heels came into the game as 1.5-point underdogs.
This marks the first time since the 1997-98 season that UNC has opened ACC play with back-to-back road wins.

FINAL BOX SCORE

Cover photo via Todd Melet

No. 12 UNC Holds Off No. 15 NC State in Raleigh as Part of Top 15 Rivalry Showdown

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