MBB: UNC-Chapel Hill 86, North Carolina State 74

[FerryFor50]

Much better showing by the Wolfpack so far... UNC took it to them early but they're right back in it. If Howell can stay out of foul trouble (he has two so far) they have a chance.

[Lunchab1es]

Great to see them keeping pace thus far, but I learned long ago not to get my hopes up on NCSU-UNC. I'll start investing emotion if its under 6 minutes and still close

[FerryFor50]

Great to see them keeping pace thus far, but I learned long ago not to get my hopes up on NCSU-UNC. I'll start investing emotion if its under 6 minutes and still close

Point being that it's still a ball game near halftime.

[Cameron]

Tonight is desperation time for State. If the Wolfpack goes 0-3 during its most important stretch of the season -- the last three games against Duke, FSU and Carolina -- it is win-it-all-in-Atlanta-or-go-home time.

As John Saunders said during the Missouri-Kansas State game while giving an update on the Pack-Heels, you really have to feel for them and what transpired in Durham a week ago. That may have been the walls tumbling down.

Gottfried has done a hell of a job, though, in re-igniting the spirit of basketball in Raleigh.

[JasonEvans]

Carolina is 7-14 from three so far.

What?!?!?!

I went back and looked at the old Tarheel box scores...

Carolina has made a grand total of 7 three-pointers in their last 3 games. They have 7 at the half against State. They have exactly 2 games in their past 19 where they have hit more than 7 3-pointers. They had 10 against Ga Tech and 8 against Monmouth.

Kendall Marshall is 3-4 from deep?!?! Dude is shooting 27% from 3 on the season?!?!

-Jason "Where did this come from!??!?!" Evans

[FerryFor50]

Howell with his 4th foul with 16 min left. Ball game.

At least two of those fouls were borderline calls at best. He really does get a raw deal.

[MulletMan]

Howell with his 4th foul with 16 min left. Ball game.

At least two of those fouls were borderline calls at best. He really does get a raw deal.

That 4th was a pretty bad call... As was the offensive foul on Wood a possession later was really bad. Especially since he's getting e JJ treatment from UNC.

[FerryFor50]

That 4th was a pretty bad call... As was the offensive foul on Wood a possession later was really bad. Especially since he's getting e JJ treatment from UNC.

The worst on Howell was when McAdoo got a rebound and Howell turned upcourt and didn't even try for the board. McAdoo came down either on Howell's foot or just fell on his own and bam - Howell gets called for the foul.

[JasonEvans]

Kendall Marshall won't play this well again in his career. 17 points and 11 assists. Sick.

The gods have decided not to toy with the State fans. Instead, Carolina is about to blow doors off.

-Jason

[JasonEvans]

Kendall Marshall won't play this well again in his career. 17 points and 11 assists. Sick.

The gods have decided not to toy with the State fans. Instead, Carolina is about to blow doors off.

-Jason

12 assists now.. and zero turnovers.

[JasonEvans]

12 assists now.. and zero turnovers.

And he just hit another 3. He is 7-8 from the field now for 20 points, 12 assists, 0 turnovers. I fully expect Marshall to stop using his right hand for the rest of the game, just to give State a little bit of a chance.

-Jason "when the game is over he plans to solve global warming and balance the budget" Evans

[FerryFor50]

And he just hit another 3. He is 7-8 from the field now for 20 points, 12 assists, 0 turnovers. I fully expect Marshall to stop using his right hand for the rest of the game, just to give State a little bit of a chance.

-Jason "when the game is over he plans to solve global warming and balance the budget" Evans

Well they *have* been leaving him wide open. He just has been actually hitting them tonight.

One thing I noticed that has started working for State... and not sure if they're doing this on purpose... but they've been touching the ball after made shots to prevent the break after basket that UNC likes to employ. Seems like a good strategy.

[sporthenry]

But you guys don't understand, UNC doesn't shoot that many 3's while the other teams settle for 3's against them. Oh wait, they shot 18 3's to NC State's 13 3's yet they still were called for 7 less fouls. Next, you'll tell me they are good at drawing fouls on their 3 point attempts?

[PackMan97]

State zoned for most of the first half hoping that we'd be in better shape without CJL and Howell in foul trouble and Carolina can't hit all their threes.

Carolina is just too talented to give any of their guys an opening. Pick your poison. First game we let them maul us on the inside. This one we let them bomb away.

Until we get more talent and depth, there isn't much we can do when we get their A+ effort every game. I swear they don't play this hard against Duke.

[WakeDevil]

Marshall will never have another game like that. But they have help on the way.

[Olympic Fan]

Marshall will never have another game like that. But they have help on the way.

One of the reasons State had such a big lead on Duke was that Alex Johnson hit his first three 3-point attempts against Duke. He was 4-of-21 against ACC competition before the Duke game.

Sometimes that happens ... on the other hand, Kenny Kadji's 4-for-5 on 3's against Duke is just a mild abberation. He is hitting 47.8 percent on 46 3-point attempts this season. It was his best 3-point game, but not by much.

Johnson's night was a lot like Marshall's tonight -- completely out of character (the 3-point shooting, not the assists -- that's what he does).

[throatybeard]

What OF said. Sample size.

State dared Marshall to shoot. He did. Inexplicably, his makes clustered in this game. With his normal percentage, this game is bout even.

Gary did this to Duhon in 2002. Up there, it didn't work. He copied Calhoun (1999) and dropped a guard into or near the lane. Chris coulda made them pay, didn't.

Interesting how this stuff works out. Poor State. This reminds me of Michael Lewis' article on Shane about three years ago. A lot of games turn on <5 possessions. Somebody like Kendall goes off like he did? That moves the dial.

[throatybeard]

I swear they don't play this hard against Duke.

That's what Duke folk say about UNC versus State. I say this with love, as I have three degrees from Duke and State.

I swear Kendall Marshall can't suddenly shoot like Steve Kerr when they play us in Durham?

[Newton_14]

But you guys don't understand, UNC doesn't shoot that many 3's while the other teams settle for 3's against them. Oh wait, they shot 18 3's to NC State's 13 3's yet they still were called for 7 less fouls. Next, you'll tell me they are good at drawing fouls on their 3 point attempts?

Sadly there were several questionable calls against the Red and White tonight which will continue to fuel the fire. UNC shot the ball way better than normal, which stinks. Some of the off the ball foul calls on State were like "what the heck"?

I thought State played with good energy the entire night and never quit. They are just one or two players short of being able to compete against the top teams. Howell and Leslie have to stay out of foul trouble for State to have any chance against a UNC that is playing that well. State played well offensively but just could not get enough stops. They also missed a ton of free throws. They held their own against Henson and Zeller inside, but the UNC 3 Ball killed them. Offensively, I thought UNC maxed out and played about as well as they can play. Certainly shot the ball from 3 far better than they have all season long. Figures it would happen against State.

[Wheat/"/"/"]

Hopefully this games strong shooting gives the team some confidence from outside that's been lacking. It's been their weakness all season. It's a bummer Pj Hairston is still mired in his freshman shooting slump, if his outside shots start falling, look out, everybody will feel it.