No. 16 North Carolina will take on NC State on Tuesday at 7 p.m. at the Lenovo Center in Raleigh.
Last week, UNC lost to Miami 75-66 in a game where the Tar Heels were outrebounded 41-35 and outscored in the paint 46-28. However, Carolina bounced back with a 79-66 victory over Pitt in a game in which neither Henri Veesaar nor Caleb Wilson played.
Jarin Stevenson and Seth Trimble both scored 19 points, while Zayden High got the first start of his career and impressed, scoring 15 points and grabbing seven rebounds.
NC State (18-8, 9-4 ACC) has improved massively this season under new coach Will Wade, something that many expected the Wolfpack to do given Wade’s resume at his previous stops. However, the Wolfpack are on a two-game losing streak after a 118-77 beatdown at the hands of Louisville and a one-point loss to Miami.
Still, with nearly 20,000 NC State fans packing the building, a rivalry game can swing either way. The Wolfpack boast one of the nation’s most potent offenses, putting up 85.0 points per game — fourth in the ACC and 25th nationally — and rely heavily on their perimeter shooting, which ranks first in the ACC and ninth in the country, a glaring trouble spot for North Carolina (20-5, 8-4 ACC) all season.
Darrion Williams (14.2 points, 5.2 rebounds, 3.0 assists per game), Quadir Copeland (13.8 points and an ACC-best 6.8 assists) and former Tar Heel Ven-Allen Lubin (13.7 points and 7.1 rebounds) have all been central to making this Wolfpack offense one of the most dangerous in the league.
Defend the Perimeter
This season, NC State has been lethal from deep. The Wolfpack sit atop the ACC and rank ninth nationally in 3-point percentage at 39.4%. They have four reliable shooters at 40% or better from beyond the arc: Copeland (42.3%), Tre Holloman (40.6%), Paul McNeil, who leads the ACC at 43.5%, and Williams (40.3%).
On the other side, North Carolina ranks last in the league in 3-point defense, giving up 40.2% from long range, which makes protecting the perimeter a critical emphasis.
Win the War Inside
North Carolina’s recent form inside has been shaky. The Tar Heels have been beaten on the glass in three straight games and have come up second in points in the paint in three of their last four.
Even though NC State ranks 14th in the ACC in total rebounds in conference play, UNC’s pattern of losing battles around the rim is a serious issue — especially with Veesaar’s availability still uncertain and Wilson sidelined for the next three to four weeks with his injury.
Hit Your Free Throws
North Carolina has made 58 of its last 72 free throws, which is good for 80.5%. That is a significant improvement, considering the Tar Heels made only 65.1% in the first five games of ACC play, which ranked second to last among the 18 teams.
In a game that is expected to be close, it is important for the Tar Heels to hit their free throws throughout, let alone in critical moments. It’s also worth noting that the Wolfpack make 76.4% of their free throws, which is fourth best in the ACC and 42nd nationally among the 361 Division I programs.
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This article originally appeared on Tar Heels Wire: UNC Basketball: Keys to victory for the Tar Heels vs. NC State