When it comes to ACC basketball, the UNC-Duke rivalry often steals the spotlight, but don't sleep on the intensity of UNC vs. NC State.
Depending on which North Carolina fan you ask, the Tar Heels-Wolfpack matchup might not even qualify as a rivalry due to its historically one-sided nature. However, Tuesday night's clash told a different story, with NC State delivering a commanding 82-58 victory over UNC.
The Wolfpack, now boasting a 19-8 record and 10-4 in the ACC, simply outperformed the Tar Heels (20-6, 8-5 ACC) across the board, except in rebounding, where UNC held a slight edge at 40-38. This game was a tough pill to swallow for North Carolina, whose 24-point defeat marked their largest loss to NC State since 1962.
The Tar Heels struggled mightily from beyond the arc, hitting just five of their 33 attempts, resulting in a frigid 15 percent shooting night. Coupled with 12 turnovers, it was a performance they'd likely prefer to forget.
On a night when UNC needed everyone to step up, only Zayden High and Jarin Stevenson managed to score in double figures, each contributing 13 points.
Interestingly, this was the only scheduled meeting between the two teams this season. While there's a chance they could face off in the ACC Tournament, for now, NC State holds the bragging rights.
Last season, UNC swept the series with a 97-73 win in Chapel Hill and a nail-biting 63-61 victory in Raleigh. But with NC State on the rise under new head coach Will Wade, future matchups promise to add more fuel to this budding rivalry. Expect fireworks when these two meet again.