RALEIGH, N.C. – It was the 101st all-time grudge match between the N.C. State Wolfpack and North Carolina Tar Heels, but in the end it was the Tar Heels who would leave holding the grudge.
With a standing-room only crowd watching, N.C. State dominated the Tar Heels and put together a 78-49 win in front of 2,811 in attendance at Holliday Gymnasium (Broughton High School) on Sunday.
Dominique Wilson led the Wolfpack (16-6, 7-2) with 21 point points while three others joined her with double-digit finishes to top North Carolina (12-11, 2-6) by more than 27 points for the first time since 1980.
Miah Spencer (20 points, 8 rebounds), Ashley Williams (13 points, 3 rebounds) and a double-double effort from Jennifer Mathurin (12 points, 12 rebounds) solidified the Wolfpack’s play at both ends of the court.
A combined team total of 15 assists along with 42-percent shooting that included 11 three-point conversions overwhelmed North Carolina.
“It was a hard-fought battle there,” N.C. State head coach Wes Moore said.
“We just came out with what seemed like a lot of confidence and a lot of energy in the second half. To hold them to 21 points is pretty impressive and then we shot the ball extremely well and knocked down a lot of three’s.”
Destinee Walker (12 points, 7 rebounds) and Jamie Cherry (11 points, 2 rebounds) carried much of the offensive load for the Tar Heels who finished with a modest 19-of-63 shooting performance.
Playing without head coach Sylvia Hatchel who was serving the first of a two-game suspension issued by the UNC athletic department on Friday, associate head coach Andrew Calder made the calls from the North Carolina bench and held himself accountable for the loss.
“Congratulations to N.C. State – very, very good basketball team,” Calder said.
“I thought we got some good looks that we didn’t make, but I didn’t think that in my responsibility for this team to play together as a team, both offensively and defensively, I didn’t get the job done. In the situation, we missed our emotional leader in Coach Hatchell.”
With the energy high at tipoff, Mathurin quickly opened the game’s scoring with a three.
Starters N’Dea Bryant (8 points, 5 rebounds) and Hillary Summers (4 points, 3 rebounds) worked just as quickly to keep pace and pulled the Tar Heels ahead 4-3.
In a game that featured eight lead changes, both teams started the exchange early.
Walker’s three put North Carolina ahead 12-10 with 5:21 to play.
It then became a perimeter shooting game, and one in which N.C. State earned the upper hand throughout.
The Wolfpack converted at a 31-percent rate while the Tar Heels’ 5-of-26 performance wasn’t enough to stay close.
Williams’ three put N.C. State ahead 15-14 three minutes later.
While Watts answered, the Wolfpack led 19-17 heading into the next quarter
An offensive foul called on Wilson while driving to the basket with Cherry running beside her could have changed the momentum of the game for North Carolina at that point.
It didn’t.
Coming off the bench, Camille Anderson (6 points) extended the Wolfpack lead to five with her first shot of the game going in from beyond the arc.
Numerous offensive foul calls against the Tar Heels didn’t help.
The Wolfpack extended their lead to 26-19 before Cherry scored a three.
Erica Johnson (5 points, 9 rebounds) added a basket to a modest 5-0 run as the Tar Heels pulled to within two, trailing 26-24 with 4:55 to play in the half.
Rebounding became critical to N.C. State as it pulled further ahead, 33-26, as the Tar Heels experienced a significant scoring drought.
Watts’ layup ended that with a minute to play as she scored the last basket either team would score for the quarter.
N.C. State led 33-28 at halftime.
The back-n-forth scoring pace continued, but eventually it was only the Wolfpack who maintained it.
“We just had to keep the energy up and pedal to the floor,” Spencer said.
“Don’t let up, don’t relax because at any time they could have made a huge run, but we rebounded the basketball, got stops on defense, and we were shootin’ the ball real well.”
Watts pulled North Carolina closer with the help of Bryant early in the third period.
The Tar Heels then fell into a slump when easy putbacks didn’t fall on successive possessions.
A layup from Williams put the Wolfpack ahead 44-36 at the 6:12 mark.
N.C. State added two successive baskets and compiled its lead to 12 points, it’s largest up to that point in the game.
“We played a great first half,” Cherry said.
“We came out in the second half and we didn’t execute as well. Then once they started getting double digits, then everybody’s head just started dropping. Then we just allowed our defense to make it even worse.”
Watts scored North Carolina’s first points in three minutes, but it was matched by Williams’ three that put the Wolfpack ahead further, leading 52-38 with 3:22 to go.
It went from bad to worse for the Tar Heels as N.C. State finished the quarter on a 9-1 run and carried a 61-39 lead into the final 10 minutes of play.
The game continued to work to the Wolfpack’s favor as they rarely missed shots for the remainder of the game.
North Carolina’s troubles continued as it faced a 25-point deficit, trailing 69-44 with 5:38 left in the game.
In the end, the Tar Heels had nothing left to counter N.C. State’s steady play and execution.
For the Wolfpack, it was another important league win, and a cherished one that handed UNC its sixth consecutive loss.
After beating then No. 22 Duke 65-62 at Cameron Indoor Stadium on Jan. 14, and now beating the Tar Heels, N.C. State’s first sweep of its Triangle foes since 2006 was very satisfying.
“It’s an incredible feeling,” Spencer said.
“I’m so proud of my team and the coaching staff and how they prepare us for games.”
“In the locker room, we were happy,” Wilson added.
“Our seniors never beat them, so they were very happy and excited.”
Putting the win in perspective, its seventh in eight games, Moore pointed out that his team was ready to move on and travel to face the third-ranked Notre Dame Fighting Irish on Thursday.
“This team is showing some maturity and handled it well after the game,” he said.
“Enjoy this for a few hours and then gotta start gettin’ ready for the next one. It was a good day and proud of the way our kids responded after a close first half.”