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University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
No Carolina St
Tar Heels Come Up Short Against NC State
January 26, 2003 | Men's Basketball
By DAVID DROSCHAK
AP Sports Writer
RALEIGH, N.C. - Julius Hodge had a career-high 30 points and Marcus Melvin made two key baskets down the stretch as North Carolina State beat North Carolina 86-77 Sunday for its best ACC start in 14 years.
The Wolfpack (11-4, 4-1) won its third straight after dropping three of four to remain one-half game behind Maryland for first place in the Atlantic Coast Conference. The teams play at Maryland on Thursday night.
N.C. State started 5-1 in the ACC in 1988-89.
Hodge, the second-leading scorer in the ACC with 18.7 points a game, was held to seven in the first half. He came alive offensively over the final 16˝ minutes, getting 23 in the second period to propel the Wolfpack to its third straight victory over the Tar Heels - its best streak over its arch rival since the early 1970s.
Hodge's previous best was 26 points twice this season. The sophomore also added 10 rebounds.
Raymond Felton, last year's national high school player of the year, had a season-high 28 points and tied the school record with eight 3-pointers. It wasn't enough as the Tar Heels (11-7, 2-3) folded in the final stages on the road.
A driving slam dunk by Rashad McCants pulled the Tar Heels to 66-64 with 4:52 left. But Melvin made a 12-footer and then sank a 3-pointer on N.C. State's next possession with the shot clock about to run out.
A three-point play from Josh Powell 41 seconds later gave N.C. State a 10-point cushion with 2:50 remaining and the Wolfpack salted the game away at the foul line.
McCants, the ACC scoring leader at 19.4 points a game, finished with 20 points and 10 rebounds. He had a rough first half on offense, missing a short baseline shot 13 seconds in and going 1-for-6 for three points.
Felton and Jackie Manuel more than made up for the lack of offense from the star freshman.
Felton had 11 of UNC's first 18 points, nailing three 3-pointers, while Manuel, normally a defensive specialist, finished the opening 20 minutes with 10 points.
North Carolina coach Matt Doherty shook up his lineup, starting David Noel in place of Byron Sanders in the post. Doherty put the shorter Noel on Hodge, who didn't score in the opening 8˝ minutes and was 2-for-8 from the field before his remarkable second half.
Manuel added two free throws early in the second half, but picked up his third and fourth fouls in a 37-second span and headed to the bench with 15:21 remaining. North Carolina's defense was never the same.
