Instant observations: NC State's comeback effort falls short against UNC

Is it a rivalry? Some would say yes, others would scoff at the idea. It just depends on who you ask between the NC State and North Carolina rosters. Wolfpack senior wing Dontrez Styles, who began his career with the Tar Heels, believed it was going into his first meeting with his former squad since he left Chapel Hill. UNC freshman Ian Jackson, however, thought otherwise earlier this week. But no matter what anyone on either side of Saturday's game thought before tipoff, the game had the makings of an ACC Tournament contest. NC State and UNC traded blows throughout, both on the score board and in the paint as the officials let the two squads battle, and the Tar Heels emerged victorious with a 63-61 win inside the Lenovo Center. UNC center Jalen Washington denied NC State senior guard Jayden Taylor at the rim on his last-second layup attempt to try to tie the game. Pack coach Kevin Keatts appeared to beg for a review, but it never came and the game ended with the eighth-year coach with a visable look of disgust. Senior guard Marcus Hill paced NC State with 20 points, while Taylor added 12. Senior center Ben Middlebrooks, meanwhile, chipped in with 5 points and a career-best 14 rebounds. Here are three observations from the Wolfpack's loss.