The ACC Basketball Tournament crown came down to a contest between a pair of heated rivals.

This time, it didn’t have to do with North Carolina and Duke. Saturday’s game was instead between the Tar Heels and in-state rival NC State.

The Wolfpack were trying to become the 1st double-digit seed to win the ACC Tournament. On the other hand, North Carolina was trying to prove why it deserved to be a 1-seed on Selection Sunday.

Here are the key takeaways from the final chapter of this year’s ACC Tournament and NC State’s historic 84-76 victory:

Big man battle in the paint

Armando Bacot and DJ Burns Jr. gave fans what they wanted, which was a highly anticipated matchup down low for 40 minutes.

Both players finished with double digits and had an impact for their respective teams. The double-double threats that both players pose on a regular basis was enough to set up how competitive a battle it was slated to be.

The first half saw both players come out hot with Burns delivering 11 points on 5-for-7 shooting to go with 6 assists and 2 rebounds. He also added his first 3-point field of the season. Not to be outshined, Bacot nearly had a double-double in the first 20 minutes alone with 8 points and 7 rebounds while shooting 3-for-5.

In the end, both players shined with Bacot delivering a double-double with 18 points and 12 rebounds. However, it was Burns’ efficiency from the floor (9-for-12 shooting) and his ability to deliver the ball from the post (7 assists) that complemented his 20 points in a big win for the Wolfpack.

ACC Tournament confirms why UNC deserves No. 1 seed

North Carolina was projected to be a 1-seed in the NCAA Tournament and the last 3 games may have just confirmed why it was deserved.

The Tar Heels earned a bye in their conference tournament and reached the final after moving past Florida State and Pitt. If there’s 1 thing that the conference tournaments showed us, it’s that it doesn’t matter how high your seed is.

Tennessee, Alabama, Kentucky, Purdue, Arizona, and Houston were all sent home in their conference tournaments. Of that group, only the Cougars made it to their league’s tournament final while 3 of the 6 were sent home in their 1st games.

North Carolina proved why the Tar Heels belong in the discussion for the top line, and ESPN’s Joe Lunardi had them as a 1-seed with or without a win Saturday night. Fans can track the latest NCAA Tournament odds ahead of Selection Sunday with SDS’s North Carolina sports betting links and apps.

Familiarity breeds contempt

The 3rd meeting between North Carolina and NC State this season was arguably 1 of the most important with plenty on the line for both teams.

The 2 rivals last met on March 2 in Chapel Hill with North Carolina pulling away for a 79-70 win. That victory gave the Tar Heels the regular season sweep after a previous 67-54 win in Raleigh.

However, it is regularly said that it can be hard to beat 1 team 3 times in the same season, and Saturday’s action showed just how difficult it can be. The tension in this game was palpable and continued to grow as the clock kept ticking.

In the end, NC State’s historic — and magical — run would not be denied as the Wolfpack pulled off the unthinkable in a tournament for the ages.