Jan. 10, 2009

Game Notes in PDF Format

CHAPEL HILL --- North Carolina (15-0, 1-0 ACC) will look to give head coach Sylvia Hatchell her 800th career victory Sunday when the Tar Heels host local rival NC State at 1 p.m. at the Smith Center. Carolina is coming off an 83-74 win in its ACC opener against Clemson on Thursday. NC State (8-7) is coming off a 56-55 loss to South Carolina on Jan. 4. Carolina is ranked No. 2 in both the AP poll and the coaches' poll. NC State is unranked.

AT A GLANCE
Records: North Carolina 15-0 (1-0 ACC), NC State 8-7
Rankings: North Carolina is ranked No. 2 in both the AP poll and the ESPN/USA Today coaches' poll. NC State is unranked.
TV: RSN (Fox Sports Carolinas, Fox Sports Florida, Comcast Sports and NESN). Mike Hogewood (play-by-play) and Debbie Antonelli (analyst) have the call.
Radio: Tar Heel Sports Network, a division of Learfield Communications. Brad Heller (play-by-play) and Jan Boxill (analyst) have the call.
On The Web: TarHeelBlue.com (UNC), GoPack.com (NC State)

NC STATE SERIES NOTES
• North Carolina is 37-49 all-time against NC State, including a 20-16 mark in Chapel Hill.
• Carolina won both matchups in 2008, a 79-70 decision in Raleigh and an 85-79 victory in Chapel Hill.
• While NC State still holds a sizable advantage in the all-time series, Carolina has held the upper hand in recent years. The Tar Heels have won 15 of the last 17 meetings, their most successful stretch ever against the Wolfpack.
• NC State is Carolina's most common opponent in terms of games played as well as the Tar Heels' oldest rival. Sunday will be the 87th all-time meeting dating back to UNC's very first varsity game, a 74-47 loss to the Wolfpack on Jan. 13, 1975.
• Of teams with at least 10 all-time meetings with UNC, only NC State (49-37), Old Dominion (12- 7) and Tennessee (14-3) have winning records.

NOTING THE WOLFPACK
• NC State is 8-7 on the season following a last-second 56-55 loss to South Carolina on Jan. 4.
• Senior guard Shayla Fields leads the Wolfpack in scoring with 18.1 points per game, good for second in the ACC.
• Sophomore forward Tia Bell is NC State's top rebounder but is currently out with a broken hand.

STREAKS
• Carolina has won 15 in a row to start the 2008-09 season, marking the third time in four seasons that the Tar Heels have started at least 15-0. The 2005-06 team started 22-0, while the 06-07 squad started 24-0.
• UNC has also win 15 consecutive regular season ACC contests and 21 straight games over ACC opponents. Carolina's last loss to an ACC team came at Duke on Feb. 25, 2007.
• NC State has won four of its last six games.