WRAL Sports Fan

North Carolina State University

UNC holds off N.C. State 93-76 in emotional game

Jan 31, 2009

Raleigh, N.C. — North Carolina pounded out another victory over N.C. State with a 93-76 decision, but the Tar Heels had to hang on in the second half at the emotional RBC Center Saturday.

Wolfpack fans are always raucous when the Tar Heels arrive, and Saturday's men's basketball game was no exception. But this game had a different look as many Pack fans wore pink in honor of women's basketball coach Kay Yow, who was buried Saturday morning in her hometown of Gibsonville.

The Tar Heels roared to a 54-36 lead early in the second half and looked like they might hand State a nasty whipping in a rivalry that has become lopsided in recent years. But the Wolfpack's Courtney Fells would have none of it and his torrid shooting pulled State back into the game.

A Fells' three-pointer cut Carolina's lead to 69-60 and then the Pack got as close as 69-62.

But Tyler Hansbrough, Ty Lawson and Deon Thompson all had big baskets in a crucial stretch as UNC pushed ahead.

The game unveiled as expected in many ways. State was undermanned at point guard and Lawson, who has been torched by the league's better guards, had no such troubles Saturday. Hansbrough had the baskets he needed in a rugged game that resembled a backyard brawl at times, and he even hit a three-pointer.

State got a courageous effort from Fells but key big man Brandon Costner had a quiet day after a hot start in the opening minutes.

The game ended strangely, with UNC's Mike Copeland driving for a basket with 1.9 seconds left. State's Ben McCauley came up from behind and slammed his right arm across Copeland, knocking the Tar Heel down. Copeland jumped up and aggressively moved toward McCauley, but an official pushed Copeland away. Both head coaches came on the court and Copeland was ejected from the game.

The final seconds then concluded without incident.

Hansbrough finished with 31 points on 12 of 17 shooting from the field. Lawson had 16 points and four assists, Danny Green 14 points, Wayne Ellington 12 and Thompson 10 for Carolina.

Fells had 22 for State, with Costner getting 13, Farnold Degand 10 and McCauley five.