Liveblog! NC State @ UNC -- First Half

[8:53PM] As we near the tip, I'm watching Tech finish off its dismantling of Boston College. Think the Hokies were a bit angry?

Last night I had this weird dream about lions that had snakes for tails. I can only assume this portends something for tonight's game, but what? Also, what would you call these mythical creatures? I haven't been able to come up with anything catchy.

[9:03PM] In other news, Georgia Tech is finishing off Wake Forest, while Miami and UVa are tied at 51 with less than eight minutes to go.

[9:04PM] Got my drink and my sarcastic skepticism. Let's go!

[9:06PM] We open with Gavin taking a three, UNC scores quickly at the other end.

McCauley with a turnover...they're doubling him immediately. Hansbrough lobs ball to no one, giving it back to us.

[9:08PM] Crap...two bricks early on. I was hoping for a quick start. And Fells misses a wide open three. Definitely a bad sign there.

Gavin ties it up with a dunk! Pretty up-and-down so far; I'm not comfortable with this. I just really hope we don't shoot like 34% tonight.

[9:09PM] Christ, there's another open three missed; that's two early attempts from three for Gavin. Stop leaving him open, would you, Tar Heels?

Costner with an acrobatic play, and he's fouled. Nails the FT: it's 5-5.

[9:11PM] Hansbrough converts, swallowing three flies in the process. Mmm...crunchy. Turnover by BC and we're under 16:00. Sloppy so far, but we've at least kept them from an early-game spurt.

[9:13PM] Billy says we're playing 5-on-10, but when you include the officials it's 5-on-13.

Sweet rejection by Ben McCauley.

[9:16PM] Lawson drives and turns it over. Fells gets fouled by air at the other end, hits one of two freebies.

More sloppiness leads to a fast break layup for Wayne Ellington. We cannot keep committing these turnovers...

[9:19PM] Horner and Nieman in there for the Pack. Roy says, "I'll see your white boys," inserts Wes Miller and Bobby Frasor.

Branden Wright converts a three point play to put the Heels up four. And there's Engin with our first three! Boy is that good to see.

Hey, what do you know, we were called for a foul.

[9:22PM] Carolina gets an offensive board off of a missed FT, and Marcus Ginyard of all people hits a three. Sidney Lowe calls a quick timeout to nip it. This is one of the things I like about Sidney the most--he's very quick to call a timeout. Not in the middle of a run, not after it, but when he senses one might be coming.

Atsur for three again.

[9:23PM] Offensive foul on Marcus Ginyard, we're under 12:00. Who told him he could dribble? 16-14 Heels.

[9:26PM] Haven't heard from Ben McCauley yet...credit to Carolina. Costner with a good move in the lane to tie it, but Hansbra puts the bad guys back on top quickly.

Costner hits the three and NC State takes the lead! Fells for two, Pack up three. Lovin' it.

[9:28PM] "There's a lot of confidence on that State bench," says Billy.

Atsur takes the worst shot in college hoops, so he at least had the courtesy to make it. UNC comes up dry, Gavin scores at the other end to give the Wolfpack a five point lead. I'm scared.

[9:30PM] Hansbrough hits a pair of free throws. 25-22 State.

Costner swishes a three-ball...man, was that pretty! Lawson scores and is fouled at the other end.

[9:31PM] Fans in Chapel Hill booing; this can only be a good thing. Lawson has two fouls; Atsur has one Oscar nomination. Turnover; our fourth.

[9:32PM] Reyshawn's all like, "what you talkin' bout, ref?" That's a foul, son. Deal with it. We're under 8:00.

[9:34PM] Wow, I went crazy with the semicolons there for a second. Sorry about that.

[9:36PM] Can we please get rid of rebounding margin? It's worthless. Percentages, people. Percentages.

Ellington scores to bring the Heels within two. Quentin Thomas, assist machine!

Costner attempts a hook...not so much. Good rebound on the defensive end, though.

Q fouls Atsur, Pack still up two.

[9:39PM] Quentin Thomas hits a J...someone really should tell him he doesn't have a J. Figures.

Carolina gets a stop, and Costner picks up his second foul at the defensive end.

[9:41PM] McCauley commits an offensive foul, his second. Ugh. He's been invisible at the offensive end.

Billy thought Green got fouled because Green flopped to the ground. Do try to pay attention, Billy.

Horner hits the first of a one-and-one, thanks in no small part to his shitty tattoo. Make that two of two.

[9:43PM] Atsur for three again. "He's seen a big basket lately."

More second chance points for UNC...crap. Have I mentioned lately that I really like Danny Green's game? A scrum on the floor leads to a beautiful dime from Quentin Thomas. I am instinctively disgusted yet appreciative.

[9:45PM] "Here's a situation where you have to understand who your teammates are," says Billy. Quentin Thomas remembers, "oh yeah, my teammates all kick ass," and passes the ball to one of them for a score. We're under four.

[9:47PM] Heels up 37-34 after Frasor hits one of two FTs.

[9:49PM] McCauley FINALLY scores; Horner commits a foul at the other end. Thankfully, it puts Wright on the line.

He gets one of two, Carolina 38-36. Horner misses a three, Gavin rejects the hell out of Wright--it's all ball, and Billy agrees--but gets called for a foul.

[9:52PM] Engin's had a fantastic first half. Sixteen points. Heels up 39-38.

State in the two-three zone. Wow...Ginyard, wide open, air balls a seventeen-footer. Loller.

Grant draws a foul at the other end, one minute to go in the half.

[9:54PM] Gavin hits two FTs, Pack up 40-39.

Wright gets an easy two against the zone, Heels up one.

Wolfpack turns it over on their final possession (Heels are lookin for that pick and roll from Atsur to McCauley); Frasor narrowly misses a long one. Carolina up 41-40 at the half.