The battle in the state of North Carolina has been a bit one-sided recently with the Tar Heels winning and covering four of the last five matchups. This is a new year, though, and NC State enters with a 13-1 record while having covered seven out of its last eight games.

The Wolfpack have done magnificent work on both ends of the floor, ranking fourth among Division I teams in offensive efficiency and 11th in defensive efficiency. A lot of this has to do with the team taking good shots, with the Wolfpack having the second-best team field-goal percentage in the country at 51.9 percent. This means NC State is making shots on offense — and when the ball goes in the basket, it gives the Wolfpack a chance to set up on defense.

North Carolina’s Luke Maye will be the best post player on the floor given he is averaging 14.4 points and 9.9 rebounds per game, but the emergence of Wyatt Walker could help the Wolfpack neutralize his effectiveness. Walker, a transfer from Samford, has registered eight or more rebounds in three of the team’s last five games, including versus Penn State, Auburn, and Miami In the eight games prior, he had just one game in which he reached five rebounds.

Though no one is averaging more than 6.5 rebounds per game, NC State ranks fourth in rebounding rate and, with North Carolina turning the ball over 13.9 times per game, which is 198th among Division I teams, the Wolfpack should be able to get a lot of good looks and take care of their intrastate rival at home.

The play: NC State, -1.