Wolfpack-Tar Heels Wednesday Night At PNC Arena

NC State (14-13) vs. #7/6 UNC Chapel Hill (22-5, 11-3)
Date	Wednesday, Feb. 24
Time	8 p.m. ET
Location	PNC Arena – Raleigh, N.C.
Tickets	GoPack.com
Television	ACC Stations/WatchESPN (Tim Brando, Dan Bonner)
Radio	Wolfpack Sports Network (Gary Hahn, Tony Haynes)
Game Notes	NC State \| UNC-CH
Season Statistics	NC State \| UNC-CH
Live Stats	GoPack.com
Social Media	@PackMensBball \| Facebook

MARK GOTTFRIED MEDIA AVAILABILITY - Monday, Feb. 22

THE STARTING 5 - The Top 5 Storylines For This Game

1. WOLFPACK-TAR HEELS, EPISODE 230
Since 1912, North Carolinians have had to choose between the red of NC State and the blue of UNC Chapel Hill. For the 230th time, NC residents will have to make that choice again Wednesday night. The Wolfpack and Tar Heels have met at least twice every season since the 1919-20 campaign. The two rivals split a pair of games last season, with the road team winning each time. UNC-CH has already defeated NC State 67-55 at the Dean Smith Center earlier this season. That game was tied 29-29 at halftime.

2. HISTORIC SEASON FROM CAT BARBER
Rarely in college basketball does a player produce a season equal to what Car Barber is doing this year.The 6-2 junior is leading the ACC in scoring with 23.1 points per game (league-best 23.2 ppg in ACC play) and is on pace to become the second player in ACC history to average 23 ppg, 4.5 rpg and 4.5 apg (Kenny Anderson in 1990-91). Barber has a league-best seven games with 30 or more points, including five in ACC play. His 38-point against Wake Forest on Feb. 13 was a career high and featured 30 points in the second half. Additionally, he is also leading the conference in free throws made (200) and minutes per game (38.71) and is fourth in free throw percentage (.866) and fourth in assists (4.5).

3. NC STATE REMAINS A TOUGH OUT
The Wolfpack, having won three straight home games, has proven to be a tough out for the ACC's top teams and nationally-ranked opponents. In the beginning of the season, the Pack took down an LSU team ranked No. 22 at the time in Brooklyn and limited freshman phenom Ben Simmons to four points on one field goal. On Jan. 19, State went into No. 20 Pittsburgh's gym and blew out the Panthers 78-61. NC State led that game at Pitt 44-19 at halftime. No. 13 Miami came to PNC Arena on Jan. 30 and was sent home with an 85-69 loss behind 30 points from Cat Barber.

4. LAST THREE MEETINGS IN PNC HAVE BEEN EPICS
In each of the past three seasons, the Wolfpack-Tar Heels game at PNC Arena has been more than memorable. In 2013, the Pack hosted ESPN's College Gameday and fed off a frenzied PNC Arena environment to the tune of a 45-26 lead at halftime. The lead was 28 later before the Pack finished the 91-83 win. In 2014, a duel for the ages between T.J. Warren and Marcus Paige led to an 85-84 overtime win for UNC-CH. Warren finished with 36 points and Paige scored 35, including the game-winner. Last year, the two teams traded punches in a game that went down to the final second. With State trailing 81-78, Abdul-Malik Abu made a foul shot and intentionally missed the second. Cody Martin's tip-in to tie the game rolled off the rim and UNC-CH held on 81-79.

5. FOUR MORE SWATS
BeeJay Anya collected four blocked shots at Virginia and three more against Clemson, bringing his career total to 203. He is four blocks shy of tying the school record for career blocked shots (207 by Thurl Bailey). Anya and Bailey are the only two players in NC State history to block 200 shots. The 6-9 junior led the ACC in blocked shots last season (2.53 per game) and is currently topping the conference in that category this year (2.44 per game).

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Players Mentioned

Abdul-Malik Abu

BeeJay Anya