NC State @ North Carolina preview

Last Meeting ( Jan 8, 2019 ) North Carolina 90, NC State 82

Two teams trending in opposite directions collide on Tuesday evening as North Carolina State visits in-state rival North Carolina. The Wolfpack have lost three of four, causing them to drop out of the Top 25, while the Tar Heels have won five in a row and climbed to No. 8.

N.C. State’s most recent loss on Saturday was historic in that it scored the fewest points by a ranked team in the shot-clock era in a 47-24 loss to Virginia Tech. "It was crazy," Wolfpack coach Kevin Keatts told the media after the game. "It was almost like there was something on the rim." North Carolina got some revenge on Saturday, winning at Louisville 79-69 three weeks after the Cardinals crushed the Tar Heels in Chapel Hill, N.C. "The biggest thing for us was to come out early and be ready to go," senior forward Luke Maye told the media after the game, referring to his team’s start where it built a 44-28 halftime lead. "We didn't do that last time and I thought we did that today."

TV: 8 p.m. ET, ACC Network

ABOUT NORTH CAROLINA STATE (16-6, 4-5 ACC): The Wolfpack, who average 81.6 points per game (30th in Division I), hit just 9-of-54 shots, resulting in the lowest field-goal percentage in a game in the history of the ACC (16.7). N.C. State was 2-of-28 from 3-point range, lowlighted by Braxton Beverly’s 0-for-9 performance beyond the arc. If there was a positive for the Wolfpack to take away from the game, it was on defense, limiting the Hokies to 35.6 percent shooting while winning the turnover battle 12-10.

ABOUT NORTH CAROLINA (17-4, 7-1): Maye had a game-high 20 points on 7-of-18 shooting while also contributing 11 rebounds. Three other Tar Heels hit double figures in scoring, as Cameron Johnson had 20, Garrison Brooks scored 12 and Kenny Williams added 10. North Carolina was dominant inside against the Cardinals, winning the rebounding battle 49-32, including 18-7 on the offensive glass.

TIP-INS

1. North Carolina won 90-82 when these two teams met on Jan. 8.

2. Maye had 21 points and 11 rebounds against the Wolfpack earlier this season.

3. Despite averaging over 80 points per game, N.C. State hasn’t cracked the 80-point plateau in six consecutive games.

PREDICTION: North Carolina 85, North Carolina State 75