The UNC men’s basketball program traveled 23 miles to take on NC State with dibs on first place in the ACC on the line.
The bad blood between the two programs has reached new heights in the last few years, and the play on the court showed it as both teams struggled to find rhythm early on. In the first 15 minutes of action, turnovers and missed calls painted the picture, and frustration built on social media with fans in awe of the bad shooting and ACC refereeing.
Frustration only grew more, mostly directed at the officiating, with an alarming differential at the free throw line in the first half, with UNC having two free throw attempts compared to NC State’s 15. The second-half pace picked up as both teams traded buckets, keeping the score tight.
Despite the lack of calls, [autotag]Armando Bacot[/autotag] riding the bench because of foul trouble, and a quiet scoring night for [autotag]RJ Davis[/autotag], UNC found a way to avoid the upset by beating NC State 67-54. Using the same formula to beat Pitt and Clemson, UNC has proven no matter the physicality of the opponent they can still get their buckets once they find their groove.
The win gives UNC sole first place in the ACC, passing another test in their journey for the National Championship. Let’s look at how social media reacted to UNC quieting the Wolf Pack.