Raleigh, NC – The 23rd-ranked NC State men’s basketball team outscored North Carolina, 29-15, in the final 10 minutes of the game Sunday afternoon to win going away, 77-69, inside PNC Arena.
With the win, NC State improves to 21-7, 11-6 in the ACC, while North Carolina falls to 16-11, 8-8 in the ACC.
Jarkel Joiner scored a game-high 29 points, hitting 11-of-21 shots and all six of his free throws. The Oxford, Miss., native was outstanding in the second half, scoring 20 of his 29 points in the final 20 minutes as he shot 8-of-11 from the field.
DJ Burns scored 14 of his 18 points in the second half as he was 7-of-9 from the field in the final 20 minutes.
Casey Morsell and Terquavion Smith each added 12 points.
Jack Clark had six points and a team-high eight rebounds.
Despite shooting 30 percent in the first half, NC State took a one-point lead into the halftime break.
The second half was a tight affair for the first eight minutes as the game stayed at a one possession margin the entire time. The Tar Heels used an 8-2 run to break a 46-46 tie to take a 54-48 lead on an RJ Davis three-pointer with 10:22 to go.
The Pack responded with a 7-0 run to retake the lead on a Clark three-pointer with 7:50 to play. The Tar Heels retook the lead on its next possession and still led 59-57 when Joiner converted a three-point play to give NC State the lead with 6:26 to play.
NC State would never trail again.
The Tar Heels made one free throw to tie the game, but the Pack went on a 9-0 run to break open the game. Burns gave NC State the lead and then Joiner took over, scoring seven consecutive points.
UNC converted a three-point play to get within six, 69-63, with 3:16 to play, but could get no closer as NC State went on a 6-0 run to put the game out of reach, 75-63, on a Morsell lay-up with 1:29 remaining.
NC State shot 64.5 percent in the second half. The Pack was 66.7 percent on two-point field goals in the final 20 minutes, converting 18 of its 24 two-point attempts.
The Pack only turned it over three times in the game and had a 16-3 advantage in points off turnovers. NC State also finished with a 46-26 advantage in points in the paint and a 25-7 advantage in fast break points.
North Carolina was led Caleb Love’s 23 points and Armando Bacot added 16 points and 14 rebounds.
NC State is back in action Wednesday night when it hosts Wake Forest at 9 p.m. at PNC Arena. The game will be televised on regional sports networks. NC State will honor the 1983 National Championship team at Wednesday’s game.