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The Daily Tar Heel

UNC defeats the Wolfpack 81-79 at PNC Arena

The Tar Heels have won 17 of their last 18 games against the Wolfpack.

Junior point guard Marcus Paige holds onto a pass off an inbounds play against N.C. State’s Abdul-Malik Abu during No. 15 UNC’s 81-79 victory over the Wolfpack on Wednesday night at PNC Arena in Raleigh.

Junior point guard Marcus Paige holds onto a pass off an inbounds play against N.C. State’s Abdul-Malik Abu during No. 15 UNC’s 81-79 victory over the Wolfpack on Wednesday night at PNC Arena in Raleigh.

N.C. State fans referencing No. 15 North Carolina’s academic scandal were everywhere, holding up everything from a “Roy Knew” sign, to a sheet of paper with the words “Official UNC Degree” on it to a Jan Boxill fathead. One man wore a dunce cap with the letters U, N and C all in light blue, and another held up a sign that read “Marcus Paige Likes Fish Sticks.”

The stage was perfectly set for a rivalry game featuring two teams that despise each other. And in a pure, old-fashioned, basketball showdown the hype didn’t disappoint. North Carolina 81, N.C. State 79.

“It’s kind of like an ‘us against the world’ mentality when we come in here, and that’s a fun way to play,” said North Carolina junior point guard Marcus Paige.

“You sign up to go to North Carolina to play in environments like this — where everybody’s against you except for your little corner and the bench and your teammates,” Paige said.

“It’s a lot of fun when people are screaming at you, all types of negative stuff, and you’re able to respond and play well.”

Play well, the Tar Heels did. Paige paved the way with 23 points, nine assists and four steals with zero turnovers. He shot a perfect 100 percent from beyond the arc, and his 5-for-5 performance from three is tied for the second best mark in UNC history.

“If the voters watched the game tonight, he’ll be on the list tomorrow,” said Coach Roy Williams of Paige — who wasn’t named to the Wooden Award Midseason watch list, revealed Wednesday.

“There’s nothing in the game that he doesn’t do very well. I’d like for him to be 6-foot-3, 220, but he’s not that. What he is is 165 pounds to 175 pounds. And most of it’s heart.”

Behind Paige and sophomore forward Isaiah Hicks, who scored a career-high 12 points, the Tar Heels (13-4, 3-1 ACC) entered the break with a 32-26 advantage. Through the first half, UNC shot 58.3 percent from the field and ended the night shooting 55.6 percent.

As the second half began, the two teams continued to fight and the back-and-forth nature pressed on.

On more than one occasion, the Wolfpack (12-6, 3-2 ACC) cut UNC’s lead to just two points and, slowly but surely, N.C. State chipped away at what once was a double-digit lead for the Tar Heels.

With 1:20 remaining, the Wolfpack found themselves down just 74-71, and in the final 16 seconds, N.C. State was never down by more than three points. With three seconds left, UNC led by one.

“I look at it as this is our rival,” Hicks said. “They’re not just going to sit back and let us beat them. Whoever’s out there, they’ve got to compete. That’s how everybody looks at it.”

UNC clinched the victory with free throws in the final seconds: one from J.P. Tokoto, two from Nate Britt and two from Paige.

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Now Williams is back in Chapel Hill with a 23-2 record against N.C. State as UNC’s head coach.

“Lucky as all get out and we’ll get out of town as quickly as we can,” he said.

And now — regardless of what the fans say — he knows his best player won’t let him down when it’s time to head to Raleigh.

“I love the Smith Center,” Williams said. “But I think Marcus would be ready for me to see if we could rent this place. He was sensational.”

sports@dailytarheel.com