The No. 4 NC State Wolfpack look to avenge a loss against the North Carolina Tar Heels on Sunday at 12 p.m. ET (ESPN2). NC State was handed a 76-69 defeat by North Carolina on Feb. 7, its second loss of the season. That victory started a three-game winning streak for the Tar Heels, who beat the Clemson Tigers on Thursday, 77-64.
Elissa Cunane has been an excellent post player since she stepped on NC State’s campus. The junior forward leads her team in scoring with 15.6 points per game and has recorded four double-doubles this season. Meanwhile, Jakia Brown-Turner is the only player to start in all of NC State’s games this year. She has improved her per game averages from her freshman season, including increasing her scoring from 9.4 points to 14.6, and is shooting 45 percent from the field, which is up from 42 percent.
.@JustJakiaa doing Jakia things #GoPack // #WeWin pic.twitter.com/Pb1pUPgQ1w
— #4 NC State WBB (@PackWomensBball) February 13, 2021
Kayla Jones and Jada Boyd are additional scoring threats for the Wolfpack. Jones is averaging a career-best 13.3 points and 7.6 rebounds in her senior season and is shooting 49 percent from beyond the arc. Boyd has started three games this year but primarily comes off the bench, averaging 11 points.
Senior center Janelle Bailey leads North Carolina with 13.8 points and 7.9 rebounds. Bailey is coming off her worst game of the season, having scored just four points in the win against Clemson. Illinois graduate transfer Petra Holešínská is averaging 12.7 points and has scored 15 or more points in four games this year, including the upset win over NC State.
The Tar Heels have two players who are coming off big games against Clemson. Guard Stephanie Watts scored a season-high 26 points and is averaging 11.1 points in her last season at North Carolina. Freshman Deja Kelly scored 19 points against Clemson and has scored 15 or more points six times this season.
.@swatts15 led the way in the first half with 16 points, plus 2 steals including this beauty
— Carolina Women's Basketball (@uncwbb) February 19, 2021
Watch the rest of tonight’s game: https://t.co/GWNaagC2wu pic.twitter.com/yOpcKy6u6z
Here’s what to expect from the matchup and how to watch:
Game Information
North Carolina (11-8, 6-8 ACC) vs. No. 4 NC State Wolfpack (12-2, 9-2 ACC)
When: Sunday, Feb. 21, at 12 p.m. ET
Where: James T. Valvano Arena at William Neal Reynolds Coliseum in Raleigh, NC
How to watch/listen: ESPN2/Radio: NC State Audio or North Carolina Audio
What to watch: North Carolina made 11 threes in its win over NC State, while NC State was 4-of-19 on its shots from deep. The Wolfpack struggled in the second and fourth quarters, shooting a combined 12-of-37 from the field. Both teams feature great post players in Elissa Cunane for NC State and Janelle Bailey for North Carolina.