Tar Heels fall to Wolfpack

Sidney Lowe always knew how to beat North Carolina as a player. The first-year coach proved he can also get the best of the Tar Heels from the sideline.

The former North Carolina State point guard earned his first big victory as its coach when the Wolfpack upset No. 3 North Carolina, 83-79, on Saturday in just the kind of rivalry game he was hired to win.

“It’s one win, but it’s a big win. I’ve never shied away from the rivalry of the three schools down here, and it’s a big win,” Lowe said. “It’s not something that I made up. ... This was here long before me, and when I got here they told me this was a big game, and I believed them. I don’t see it ever changing.”

Courtney Fells scored 21 points, Ben McCauley scored 17 and Gavin Grant had 16 for North Carolina State (13-8 overall, 3-5 in the Atlantic Coast Conference).

The Wolfpack, which led by 12, held off the Tar Heels’ comeback bid and beat two of the ACC’s best teams during a four-day span. It upset No. 16 Virginia Tech, 70-59, on Wednesday.

“The game they played against Virginia Tech, and to turn around and play like this against us, Sid and his staff and all the Wolfpack faithful should feel very good about that,” North Carolina Coach Roy Williams said.

The Wolfpack controlled most of the second half, three times pushing its lead into double figures. The last -- and biggest -- came when Fells’ three-point basket made it 72-60 with just under seven minutes left.

North Carolina battled back, eventually pulling to within three in the final moments when Brandan Wright’s basket made it 80-77 with 1:08 left.

Tyler Hansbrough led the Tar Heels (20-3, 6-2) with 24 points.