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No. 16 North Carolina will take on NC State on Tuesday at 7 p.m. at the Lenovo Center in Raleigh in what should be another juicy game in this rivalry
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 79-6/6 victory over Pitt in a game in which neither Henri Veesaar nor Caleb Wilson played.
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.
However, this is a rivalry game that will be played in front of nearly 20,000 NC State fans, and anything can happen. The Wolfpack have one of the best offenses in the country and are known for their 3-point shooting ability, something that North Carolina (20-5, 8-4 ACC) has struggled to defend all season.
Here are three storylines going into Tueday night’s game.
Veesaar did not play in the Tar Heels’ win over Pitt last Saturday because of a lingering issue from an injury he suffered in the loss to Miami, along with an illness he picked up leading into the game.
UNC coach Hubert Davis, on the weekly ACC coaches call Monday, said Veesaar “continues to feel better and get better” and that his status will be re-evaluated ahead of the matchup with NC State.
"He continues to feel better and get better. I haven't seen him today," Davis said shortly after 10 a.m. "We've got practice this afternoon, and we'll just continue to re-evaluate and see how he's doing and then move forward from there."
"It's both, like both are getting better," he said when asked about the injury and illness. "He had the flu, and that's not just for one day. He is feeling a lot better from that."
Ven-Allen Lubin is a name North Carolina knows well. He was the Tar Heels’ starting big man last season before transferring to NC State, a move made possible by the transfer portal and one of the spiciest subplots in this rivalry, given that he was at the center of Wade and several Wolfpack players throwing jabs at Davis and UNC.
Lubin is averaging 13.7 points and 7.1 rebounds for the Wolfpack. Given North Carolina’s issues in the post on both ends of the floor, limiting his impact will be a top priority.
Zayden High, who had barely played this season and did not see the floor in either of the previous two years, delivered a breakout performance against Pitt. He finished with 15 points on 7-for-11 shooting, seven rebounds and two assists.
If he can produce another game like that — whether he starts or comes off the bench — it would be a major boost. Performances like this can help North Carolina in the long term, too, as High could provide valuable frontcourt depth with Wilson expected to be out until at least the ACC tournament. Even when Wilson gets back, High can come in and get significant reps to give Veesaar and Wilson rest.
Follow us @TarHeelsWire on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of North Carolina Tar Heels news, notes and opinions.
This article originally appeared on Tar Heels Wire: UNC Basketball: Three Storylines as Tar Heels battle Wolfpack
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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 79-6/6 victory over Pitt in a game in which neither Henri Veesaar nor Caleb Wilson played.
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.
However, this is a rivalry game that will be played in front of nearly 20,000 NC State fans, and anything can happen. The Wolfpack have one of the best offenses in the country and are known for their 3-point shooting ability, something that North Carolina (20-5, 8-4 ACC) has struggled to defend all season.
Here are three storylines going into Tueday night’s game.
The Status of Henri Veesaar
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Veesaar did not play in the Tar Heels’ win over Pitt last Saturday because of a lingering issue from an injury he suffered in the loss to Miami, along with an illness he picked up leading into the game.
UNC coach Hubert Davis, on the weekly ACC coaches call Monday, said Veesaar “continues to feel better and get better” and that his status will be re-evaluated ahead of the matchup with NC State.
"He continues to feel better and get better. I haven't seen him today," Davis said shortly after 10 a.m. "We've got practice this afternoon, and we'll just continue to re-evaluate and see how he's doing and then move forward from there."
"It's both, like both are getting better," he said when asked about the injury and illness. "He had the flu, and that's not just for one day. He is feeling a lot better from that."
Benedict Lubin
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Ven-Allen Lubin is a name North Carolina knows well. He was the Tar Heels’ starting big man last season before transferring to NC State, a move made possible by the transfer portal and one of the spiciest subplots in this rivalry, given that he was at the center of Wade and several Wolfpack players throwing jabs at Davis and UNC.
Lubin is averaging 13.7 points and 7.1 rebounds for the Wolfpack. Given North Carolina’s issues in the post on both ends of the floor, limiting his impact will be a top priority.
Another Zayden High Masterclass?
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Zayden High, who had barely played this season and did not see the floor in either of the previous two years, delivered a breakout performance against Pitt. He finished with 15 points on 7-for-11 shooting, seven rebounds and two assists.
If he can produce another game like that — whether he starts or comes off the bench — it would be a major boost. Performances like this can help North Carolina in the long term, too, as High could provide valuable frontcourt depth with Wilson expected to be out until at least the ACC tournament. Even when Wilson gets back, High can come in and get significant reps to give Veesaar and Wilson rest.
Follow us @TarHeelsWire on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of North Carolina Tar Heels news, notes and opinions.
This article originally appeared on Tar Heels Wire: UNC Basketball: Three Storylines as Tar Heels battle Wolfpack
Continue reading...
