NC State vs. North Carolina: 2018-19 ACC game preview, TV schedule

Bitter in-state rivals, North Carolina and NC State, face off this week. Who will solidify themselves as an ACC contender with a win?

Who: North Carolina (11-3, 1-0 ACC) at NC State (13-1, 1-0 ACC)

TV: Tuesday, Jan. 8 at 9:00 pm ET on ESPN

Arena: PNC Arena in Raleigh, NC

North Carolina and NC State have one of the most heated rivalries in the ACC and will write the latest chapter on Jan. 8. The rivalry has traditionally been one-sided in favor of the Tar Heels but the Wolfpack were extremely competitive last year. In head coach Kevin Keatts’ first season, NC State earned a split against UNC, pulling off the upset in the Dean Dome.

Of course, North Carolina returned the favor by winning at PNC Arena, which is where this game is being held – and it’s an extremely important one for both sides.

NC State has been ranked in the top-25 nationally for the past few weeks with a 13-1 record, yet there’s still a sense of uncertainty about how good they actually are. They’ve only played two games against teams ranked in the KenPom top-45 (Wisconsin, Auburn) and are 1-1 in those games.

Markell Johnson (12.4 ppg, 4.2 apg) is one of the most underrated point guards in the country and he leads the Wolfpack’s deep and fast-paced attack. Keatts, a member of the Rick Pitino coaching tree, employs an up-tempo pressing style (15th in pace) that requires contributions from a large number of players. NC State has that with a 10-man rotation and every person plays a role, as they rank 14th nationally in bench minutes.

North Carolina likes to play fast as well, but NC State’s press will be the toughest test yet for freshman point guard Coby White and the rest of UNC’s backcourt. The Tar Heels are the more talented team yet haven’t been able to put it all together this year. A home win over Gonzaga was nice, though they looked poor in losses to Texas, Michigan (in blowout fashion), and Kentucky. They seem out of sorts at times with awkward lineups and rotations, and that has led to some poor offensive execution.

That’s what this game will come down to – execution, along with rebounding. NC State likes to play fast but can be sloppy with the ball, ranking 160th in turnover percentage. They’re also weak on the inside where their lack of size really hurts them. UNC is smaller than normal this year, too, but head coach Roy Williams’ reluctance to play small ball may actually pay dividends in this game if their bigs can control the glass. The Heels also haven’t been great when it comes to turnovers but do rank inside the top-100.

I fully expect this game to be fast, fun, and highly competitive throughout. But, with advantages in those areas, I think the Heels will pull it out on the road as we start to see them reach their full potential.

Prediction: North Carolina wins 89-84