College basketball got underway this week, which means that along with Duke, the Blue Devil's triangle rivals began their seasons as well. Here's a look at how No. 6 NC State and No. 11 North Carolina fared in the early going.
No. 6 NC State
November 9: Miami (Ohio) 59, NC State 97
The sixth ranked Wolfpack were very impressive in a blowout over visiting Miami (Ohio) as six players reached double figures. The opening day win confirmed NC State’s preseason billing as a team be wary of thanks to a potent offense that shot an astounding 61.4 percent from the field. The Wolfpack were lead by Richard Howell, who had 16 points, 10 rebounds and two blocked shots.
November 15: NC State 72, Penn State 55
The Wolfpack had another easy victory in this one, this time being lead by freshman T.J. Warren. Warren, the 6-foot-8 forward out of Durham, NC, poured in 22 points off the bench, shooting 9-12 from the field and corralling eight rebounds. The Nittany Lions were held to 31.7 percent shooting from the field.
Analysis: Freshman Rodney Purvis was joint top scorer in the first game with 16 points from 6-11 shooting, along with two rebounds and an assist, which was enough to net him the ACC Rookie of the Week award. Through two games, the Wolfpack are shooting 56 percent from the field, the tenth best figure in college basketball. The ACC needs to be careful of this team, as NC State is winning with ease while star C.J. Leslie struggles to make a big impact, averaging only 12.5 points and 6.0 rebounds over the first two contest, both down from last year's averages.
Up Next: November 16 vs. Massachusetts
No. 11 North Carolina
November 9: Gardner-Webb 59, North Carolina 76
The Tar Heels improved to 91-12 in season openers as they dispatched of Gardner Webb in quite dominant fashion. Sophomore James Michael McAdoo led the way with career highs in points (26) and rebounds (14) after returning for a second season, and he was helped by 13 points from senior Dexter Strickland. North Carolina shot only 1-12 from beyond the arc and 9-19 from the free throw line.
November 11: Florida Atlantic 56, North Carolina 80
The Tar Heels moved to 2-0 on the season with a commanding win over Florida Atlantic. It was imperative that North Carolina got a favorable result considering their next five games would be on the road, and the Tar Heels did just that. James Michael McAdoo was at it again for the second straight game, contributing 19 points and 11 rebounds. This time the second scoring option was junior Reggie Bullock, who had 16 points of his own. North Carolina's struggles from the stripe continued, as they missed the 11 of their first 15 before finishing the night 12-27 from the line.
Analysis: North Carolina's offense hasn't struggled after losing four players to the NBA draft last summer, but there are definite deficiencies with this club. Without Kendall Marshall's steady play, the Tar Heels are averaging 17.5 turnovers per game compared to just 18.5 assists. What's more, a team shooting just 45.7 percent from the charity stripe is going to need to improve if they want to win close ACC games later in the season. The bright spot for North Carolina is that James Michael McAdoo looks like a player who can takeover a game at will. He'll surely be the focal point of the Tar Heel offense all season.
Upcoming: November 16 at Long Beach State; November 19 vs. Mississippi State
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