Pair Of Tobacco Road Rivals Are Playing For The Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament Title As North Carolina, NC State Are Opposing Each Other Saturday Night In Washington DC
32 miles separates the campuses of tobacco road rivals North Carolina, NC State!
271 miles separates Chapel Hill North Carolina , Washington DC 278 miles separates Raleigh North Carolina, Washington DC!
Pair of tobacco road rivals are playing for the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament Title as North Carolina who is a 1 seed , NC State who is 10 seed are opposing each other Saturday night in Washington DC.
Where?
On the hardwood at Capital One Arena that isn’t only home to Washington Wizards of NBA though Washington Capitals of NHL as well. North Carolina advanced to the ACC Championship game with 72-65 win the first semifinal on Friday in Washington DC.
Though,
North Carolina was down 35-33 to Pittsburgh in ACC Tournament semifinal Friday North Carolina came back to win 72-65 to advance to ACC Tournament Championship game Saturday.
Though,
North Carolina was down 35-33 to Pittsburgh in ACC Tournament semifinal Friday North Carolina came back to win 72-65 to advance to ACC Tournament Championship game Saturday.
As North Carolina came back to advance to championship game with 72-65 win Armando Bacot, RJ Davis scored 19 points, 25 points.
As Armando Bacot scored 19 points he was 8-13 on field goals to go along with 11 rebounds , 3 assists, 1 steal , 2 blocks.
As RJ Davis scored 25 points he was 8-18 on field goals, 3-10 on 3 pointers to go along 3 rebounds, 2 assists.
Following North Carolina coming back to top Pittsburgh in ACC Tournament semifinals Friday 72-65 Armando Bacot who was scored 19 points he was 8-13 on field goals to go along with 11 rebounds , 3 assists, 1 steal , 2 blocks had this to say about his teammate RJ Davis! RJ’s been our closer all year and he’s hit some huge shots , so I was really just embracing him and telling him thank you. Just super excited to get to play in the championship . It was a tough game and it got close down the stretch and I think me and RJ just really wanted to make plays so we can win the game.
Following North Carolina coming back to top Pittsburgh in ACC Tournament semifinals Friday 72-65 Pittsburgh Head Coach Jeff Capel had this to say about North Carolina’s RJ Davis who is the player of the year! The player of the year stepped up and made plays,’’ You have to tip your hat to him.
According to article on espn app
Following North Carolina coming back to top Pittsburgh in ACC Tournament semifinals Friday 72-65 North Carolina Head Coach Hubert Davis described as tough, resilient.
According to Andrew Carter News & Observer article https://www.newsobserver.com/sports/college/acc/unc/article286711595.html
NC State topped Virginia 73-65 Friday in overtime in ACC Tournament semifinals to advance to ACC Tournament Championship Saturday night.
As NC State topped Virginia 73-65 Friday in overtime in ACC Tournament semifinals four players scored in double figures. Those players included Mohamed Diarra who was 4-11 on field goals to go along with 5 rebounds , 1 assists, 19 points . Michael O’ Connell was 5-9 on field goals, 2-5 on 3 pointers to go along with 3 rebounds, 3 assists , 1 steal , 12 points. Though, Michael O’connell’s most important basket came as a buzzer beater to send the game in to overtime where NC State would eventually move on to the ACC Tournament Championship game following his buzzer beater in regulation Casey Morsell was 4-8 on field goals to go along with 4 rebounds , 1 assist , 11 points. Ben Middlebrooks was 4-8 on field goals to go along with 6 rebounds, 3 steals , 12 points. DJ Horne was 2-9 on field goals , 0-5 on 3 pointers to go along with 3 rebounds , 2 assists, 2 steals, 8 points.
According to espn app
Following NC State advancing to ACC Tournament Championship Friday with 73-65 win over Virginia in overtime NC State Head Coach Kevin Keatts shared his thoughts on Michael O’Connell’s buzzer beater that sent the the NC State, Virginia semifinal game into overtime where NC State would eventually top Virginia 73-65 advance to ACC Tournament Championship that sets up a third match up of 2023-2024 regular season with tobacco road rival North Carolina by saying Michael’s shot, man, that’s a great shot,”and I had a direct view of it. As it went up I was like, man, that shot is going in, it’s going in and then luckily it did.”
Following NC State advancing to ACC Tournament Championship Friday with 73-65 win over Virginia in overtime NC State guard Michael O’Connell had this to say about sending NC State, Virginia semifinal into overtime about his shot!
“It doesn’t matter how it goes in, it counts. It’s three points and it took us to overtime. I’ll take it every time.”
According to Stephen Wiseman News & Observer article https://www.newsobserver.com/sports/college/acc/nc-state/article286546250.html
North Carolina, NC State opposed each other twice during the regular season!
Their first match up was on Wednesday January 10, 2024 in North Carolina’s state capital when North Carolina North Carolina defeated NC State 67-54 when guards Elliot Cadeau scored 16 points, 11 points. Following 7th ranked North Carolina defeating NC State 67-52 Wednesday in North Carolina’s state capital in first match up of 2023-2024 season where guards Elliot Cadeau, RJ Davis scored 16, 11 points Armando Bacot who was 3-7 on field goals to go along with 5 rebounds, 1 assist had this to say about forward Harrison Ingram who was 4-9 on field goals, 1-3 on 3 pointers to go along 19 rebounds, 1 assists, 9 points!
He’s just really a do-it-all guy. You never really know what you’re gonna get out of them,” graduate student
“Some games he might give us 20-6-6, and another game we might give us 10 and 20. Having a guy like that, that can just really just fit the mold of what’s going on and play like that is huge.”
Following 7th ranked North Carolina defeating NC State 67-52 Wednesday in North Carolina’s state capital in first match up of 2023-2024 season where guards Elliot Cadeau, RJ Davis scored 16, 11 points North Carolina Head Coach Hubert Davis had this to say!
We’re always talking about, this is not an Armando Bacot rebounding game, it’s a UNC basketball rebounding game,”
“For him to get 19 rebounds, that’s just off the chart.”
According to Jadyn Watson -Fisher news observer article https://www.newsobserver.com/sports/college/acc/unc/article283965483.html
Their second match up came on Saturday March 2, 2024 in Chapel Hill North Carolina who was then was ranked 9th in the AP Top 25 Poll swept NC State in rematch 79-70 as Harrison Ingram was 8-14 on field goals, 2-5 on 3 pointers to go along with 6 rebounds. Armando Bacot was 4-12 on field goals to go along 7 rebounds, 13 points. Elliot Cadeau was 5-7 on field goals to go along with 4 rebounds, 7 assists, 15 points. RJ Davis was 4-11 on field goals, 2-5 on 3 pointers to go along with 7 rebounds, 5 assists, 1 block, 14 points. Cormac Ryan was 1-3 on field goals, 3 pointers to go along with 2 rebounds, 5 points. Jalen Washington was 0-0 on field goals, 3 pointers to go along with 2 rebounds, 2 points. Jalen Withers was 2-3 on field goals to go along 2 rebounds, 4 points. Seth Trimble was 1-2 on field goals to go along with 4 points.
According to espn app
Following North Carolina sweeping NC State in 2023-2024 regular season with 79-70 win Saturday in Chapel Hill North Carolina Head Coach Hubert Davis had this to say!
“I played in the 90s,”where a fight could break out and you could still play.”I felt like when things got a little chippy, it ignited us a little bit,”
Though,
North Carolina Head Coach Hubert Davis wasn’t the only one to say something following North Carolina NC State in regular season with 79-70 win Saturday in Chapel Hill as senior guard RJ Davis who was 4-11 on field goals, 2-5 on 3 pointers to go along with 7 rebounds, 5 assists had this to say about North Carolina’s identity!
“I feel like that’s been the theme all year,”The wins are always not blowing out teams by 20 or being up by 30. We always win the tough, gritty ones. “And it’s always chippy ... I think we like those kinds of games, and I just think it prepares us for what’s to come in March. Because every game is going to be neck-and-neck. It’s going to be a dogfight. So I think we’re ready for it because we’ve been in it all year long.”
According to Andrew Carter article News & Observer article https://www.newsobserver.com/sports/college/acc/unc/article286168271.html
NC State opposed North Carolina twice during the regular season losing twice to their tobacco road rival losing the first match up on Wednesday January 10, 2024 in North Carolina’s state capital when NC State lost inaugural match up of 2023-2024 season to 7th ranked North Carolina Wednesday 67-54 in North Carolina’s state capital because as a team NC State didn’t shoot well offensively.
Where?
On the hardwood!
As a team offensively NC State shot 26.9 % on field goals, 9.5 % on 3 pointers.
Shooting percentages like that aren’t going to win you a game!
Individually DJ Burns Jr.was 4-8 on field goals to go along with 2 rebounds , 1 assist, 2 blocks, 11 points. Dennis Parker Jr. was 2-7 on field goals, 0-2 on 3 pointers to go along with 5 rebounds, 1 block , 4 points. Jayden Taylor was 2-7 on field goals, 1-4 on 3 pointers to go along 5 rebounds , 6 points. DJ Horne was 2-16 on field goals, 0-3 on 3 pointers to go along with 10 rebounds, 4 assists , 1 steal , 6 points. Casey Morsell was 3-12 on field goals, 0-6 on 3 pointers to go along with 6 rebounds , 12 points. Mohamed Diarra was 2-6 on field goals to go along with 3 rebounds, 1 steal , 7 points. Ben Middlebrooks was 0-3 on field goals, 0-1 on 3 pointers to go along with 2 rebounds , 1 steal , 2 points. MJ Rice was 1-4 on field goals, 0-2 on 3 pointers to go along 2 rebounds, 2 points. Michael O’Connell was 2-4 on field goals, 0-1 on 3 pointers to go along with 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 4 points.
According to espn app
Following NC State losing inaugural match up of 2023-2024 season 67-54 to 7th ranked North Carolina Wednesday in North Carolina’s capital because as a team NC State didn’t shoot well offensively NC State senior guard DJ Horne who was 2-16 on field goals, 0-3 on 3 pointers to go along with 10 rebounds , 4 assists, 1 steal , 6 had this to say!
They made shots and we didn’t,” he said in assessing the game. “We had some breakdowns defensively and they didn’t. And that’s ultimately what led to us losing.”
Following NC State losing inaugural match up of 2023-2024 season 67-54 to 7th ranked North Carolina Wednesday in North Carolina’s capital because as a team NC State didn’t shoot well offensively NC State Head Coach Kevin Keatts had this to say!
“Our defense completely kept us in the game at halftime.
Following NC State losing inaugural match up of 2023-2024 season 67-54 to 7th ranked North Carolina Wednesday in North Carolina’s capital because as a team NC State didn’t shoot well offensively NC State junior guard Jayden Taylor had this to say about North Carolina’s defense! Give them credit. They took us out of our flow and ultimately that led to us kind of playing soft, which we can’t do,”
We just couldn’t get into a flow.”
According to Chip Alexander News & Observer article https://www.newsobserver.com/sports/college/acc/nc-state/article284077843.html
Then NC State lost yet again on Saturday March 2, 2024 in Chapel Hill. This time, losing 79-70. to North Carolina Though, DJ Horne, Jayden Taylor scored 20 points, 22 points. As DJ Horne scored 20 points he was 8-19 on field goals, 2-4 on 3 pointers to go along 3 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals. Jayden Taylor was 6-10 on field goals, 5-7 on 3 pointers to go along with 1 rebound.
According to espn app
Following NC State’s 79-70 loss to 9th ranked North Carolina Saturday DJ Horne who scored 20 points he was 8-19 on field goals, 2-4 on 3 pointers to go along 3 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals had this to say!
I think we just kind of let go of the rope a little bit,Let go of our focus. Our emotions kind of started flaring a little bit.”
Following NC State’s 79-70 loss to 9th ranked North Carolina Saturday NC State Head Coach Kevin Keatts had this to say!
I don’t think we ever got rattled,”. “I just think we stopped making shots. I thought we had shots. I thought we did some good things. I thought we moved the ball. We didn’t make shots.”
According to Luke Decock News & Observer article https://www.newsobserver.com/sports/spt-columns-blogs/luke-decock/article286025616.html
Tip off is set for 8:30pm from Capital One Arena!
The game is going to be televised on ESPN with Jay Bilas, Dan Shulman commentating!
Jay Bilas is a former Duke center who played for former Duke Head Coach Mike Krzyzewski from 1982 -1986 playing 127 games averaging 8.4 points 5.4 rebounds, 0.4 assists before drafted 5th round of 1986 15th pick 108th pick overall in the 1986 NBA Draft. Though, Jay Bilas would never set foot on the hardwood for Dallas because he instead he would play professionally in Italy where he was among the leagues top scores in 1987-1988 seasons before playing professionally in Spain for part of the 1989 season before returning to Duke in 1990 to serve as an assistant coach on Krzyzewski’s staff, while also earning his law degree from Duke Law School. While Bilas was an assistant coach under Krzyzewski, the Blue Devils advanced to the NCAA Championship Gem three times, winning back-to-back National Championships in 1991 and 1992.
According to https://espnpressroom.com/us/bios/bilas_jay/