Preview: UNC men's basketball goes on the road to face rival N.C. State on Saturday

Ian Jackson asked one question ahead of his first ever game against N.C. State: 

"It's a rivalry?"

Although the first-year guard has yet to step on the court when the two programs have clashed, Jackson is familiar with the hype surrounding the two North Carolina programs. For the first time since the ACC Championship game in March — where UNC lost, 84-76 — the Tar Heels and the Wolfpack will meet once again on Saturday. But this time, it's going to look a lot different. 

Both programs started off rough this year. North Carolina and N.C. State have each recorded six losses this season. UNC had one early conference loss while the Wolfpack had two. Both teams have suffered early double-digit deficits and experienced failed comebacks. So, both teams are coming in with this mindset: they cannot afford to let another one slip away.

Here are three things to watch for ahead of UNC's game against N.C. State on Saturday:

Out with the old, in with the new

While the two programs are familiar, the rosters on each team are not. 

Starters that have headlined previous matches are gone, namely former N.C. State forward DJ Burns and UNC center Armando Bacot. The Wolfpack squad features eight new players while UNC displays nine.

What has been a battle in the past has shifted to the backcourt for the last two years. N.C. State's top three scorers are all guards who average almost 35 points per game combined.

One of those guards is former UNC player Dontrez Styles. The senior guard played at UNC from 2021-23, averaging around six minutes per game during both seasons. Even though he didn't see a lot of action as a Tar Heel, Styles is known for his monumental 3-pointer in overtime against Baylor to lead North Carolina to the Sweet 16 in 2022.

Graduate guard RJ Davis, junior guard Seth Trimble and junior center Jalen Washington — who are the only remaining players from the 2022 team — will face off for the first time against their former teammate as the two revamped rosters compete. 

Get up early 

It's no secret UNC has struggled to strike first.

The Tar Heels have fallen behind by double-digits seven times in the first half this season. N.C. State has experienced the same fate having succumbed to five early double-digit deficit, four of which were against high-major teams during their non-conference schedule. 

But in the team's last two outings, UNC flipped the script, taking double-digit leads by the second half against Notre Dame and SMU. On Tuesday, North Carolina defeated the Mustangs by 15 points. 

Since the Wolfpack struggles to mount early deficits, as they have shown this season, the Tar Heels will need to score early and fast to earn another stress-free win. 

Success from three

The Tar Heels have struggled from behind the arc this season. 

Prior to SMU, North Carolina shot 27 percent from the 3-point line over a seven game period. But something shifted against the Mustangs. North Carolina went 7-12 from three in the first half and ended the game with a 50 percent shooting performance from distance. 

This same success needs to continue for UNC to beat the Wolfpack. 

N.C. State's defense ranks fourth in the ACC with their 3-point defense coming in at fifth. It's safe to say the Tar Heels will need to find a way to score and that this sharpshooting success must continue. 

@_emmahmoon

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