Duke finished second in the ACC, a single game behind Miami in the regular season standings after completing the sweep of North Carolina this weekend. Were N.C. State and North Carolina able to solidify their position in the standings? Lets have a look.
NC State (22-9, 11-7), 5th seed in the ACC
March 6: Wake Forest 66, NC State 81
Unranked NC State enhanced their chances of a better seeding in the ACC tournament with a comprehensive win over Wake Forest. C.J. Leslie led the Wolfpack with 19 points and 10 rebounds but three other Pack players also had double-digit scoring. Lorenzo Brown had 11 points, seven assists and six rebounds in a great all-round performance, with freshmen T.J. Warren and Rodney Purvis chipping in with 15 and 14 points, respectively. N.C. State was strong on the boards, underlining one of the strengths it has had all season and also had 10 steals a marked improvement from their season average.
March 9: NC State 67, Florida State 71
In a testy, physical game the Wolfpack fell to Florida State in both teams’ final game of the regular season. Scott Wood had 18 points in a losing effort as N.C. State wrapped up its regular season and secured the fifth seed in the ACC tournament. Richard Howell had a significant milestone as he grabbed his 1000th career rebound in the game. Lorenzo Brown also impressed with 14 points and eight assists but the Wolfpack’s poor rebounding, a surprise to many, as they grabbed only 27, came back to hurt them as they let a lead slip away and lose another close game.
Analysis: N.C. State finished up their ACC play with an 11-7 record, which could have been so much different had they closed out certain close games in the middle of the season. But the team is well stocked for a run in the ACC tournament. The team is very strong at rebounding and plays a strong offense that features stand out players. Freshman TJ Warren leads the ACC with a 61.3 field goal percentage and Richard Howell has been putting up double-doubles all season long. They should be a team to fear—its a matter of it all coming together at the right time.
Upcoming: Mar 14 vs. 12th-seeded Virginia Tech in the ACC Tournament first round
UNC (22-9, 12-6), 3rd seed in the ACC
March 6: North Carolina 79, Maryland 68
Unranked North Carolina posted a comfortable win over Maryland to solidify its standing in the ACC. Reggie Bullock had 19 points and 12 rebounds while P.J. Hairston added 22 points. The Tar Heels were helped by the Terrapins terrible shooting from beyond the arc as they missed 20 of their 23 attempts.
March 9: Duke 69, North Carolina 53
Duke completed the double over North Carolina with a dominating win over the Tar Heels. Seth Curry and Mason Plumlee were no match for an undersized North Carolina line-up as they were out-played by a confident Duke team. With this game, both teams completed their regular season commitments and will now turn their attentions to bigger things.
Analysis: This team has hung around in the ACC and locked up the number three seed. They looked like a legitimate contender with six wins in a row, but do people still feel that way after getting routed by Duke at the Dean Dome? The Tar Heels lack consistency and experience—two factors that will affect their tournament chances.
Upcoming: Mar 15 vs. the winner of 6th-seeded Florida State and 11th-seeded Clemson
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