It was a back-and-forth first half in Atlanta, as the largest lead either team had in the first half was five points. Sitting at half time the Wolfpack lead the Tar Heels 34-31
North Carolina was without ACC Defensive Player of the Year John Henson, who had been scratched from the game with an injury. Freshman James Michael McAdoo filled in rather well for the Tar Heels, providing the team with five points and two rebounds. However McAdoo picked up his third foul with just 24.3 seconds left in the first half.
For the Wolfpack, they were lead in the first half by the play of C.J. Leslie who scored 15 points on 7-of-9 shooting, along with four rebounds.
Down 20-17 with 7:37 left in the half, NC State's Leslie made a jumper in the lane over North Carolina's Tyler Zeller to spark an 8-0 run that gave the Wolfpack a 25-20 lead with just under five minutes until halftime. Zeller leads the Tar Heels with nine points at halftime.
NC State has done a solid job of guarding Harrison Barnes, holding the sophomore start to just three points in the first half. You may recall last year in the ACC Semi-Finals when Barnes went off for 40 points against the Clemson Tigers.
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