ACC-best UNC men's basketball prepares for battle between Barber, Paige

After a thrilling contest in Raleigh a season ago, North Carolina and N.C. State meet tonight with drastically different goals.

No. 7 UNC (22-5, 11-3 ACC) boasts pole position atop the ACC standings after thrashing second-place No. 12 Miami 96-71 on Saturday. And with a trip to No. 3 Virginia looming and a rematch with No. 15 Duke awaiting a week later, the Tar Heels’ hopes for a regular-season conference title rest in each game.

For the Wolfpack (14-13, 4-10 ACC) — who currently rank 12th in the ACC — a chance to avenge an 81-79 home loss in 2015 could serve as the highlight of an otherwise lackluster season.

North Carolina has claimed 18 of its past 20 meetings with N.C. State and 15 of the past 19 in Raleigh.

But UNC knows the dangers of looking past its in-state rival.

“They’re a lot better team than their record says ... ” sophomore Justin Jackson said. “We can’t go in there taking anything for granted. That’s for sure.”

‘We were lucky’

This season, Wolfpack sophomore Anthony “Cat” Barber leads the conference with 23.1 points per game and ranks fourth with 4.5 assists per contest.

But the Tar Heels limited the explosive guard to just nine points on 4-of-11 shooting in their 67-55 win earlier this season.

“We were lucky,” Coach Roy Williams said. “He just didn’t make some of the shots that he makes.”

In the 2015 game in Raleigh — where Barber scored five points on one made basket — Jackson said his teammates focused on denying Barber the ball and limiting his effectiveness off ball screens and in the lane.

And in this year’s matchup, Jackson knows that forcing the ball to N.C. State’s secondary players is UNC’s best defense against Barber.

“They’ve got good players,” he said. “But we’d rather have that than have him out there trying to make plays.”

‘That’s his home’

Barber isn’t the only backcourt stud who excels in PNC Arena.

A season ago, senior Marcus Paige led UNC with 23 points, hitting two free throws in the final second to settle the rivalry showdown.

And the year prior, Paige exploded for 35 points — including 31 in the second half — and hit a game-winning layup with under a second left in perhaps the most memorable game of his career, an 85-84 overtime win.

“It seems like that’s his home,” Jackson said.

After earning ACC Preseason Co-Player of the Year honors, Paige has struggled so far this season — including two straight efforts of seven points.

But a trip to Raleigh could be exactly what the senior needs to get back on track.

“Something about that Wilson (brand) ball and that arena,” Jackson said. “His eyes light up.”

@CJacksonCowart

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