RALEIGH – North Carolina found a way to win again Saturday, this time escaping Lenovo Center with a 63-61 victory over NC State courtesy of Jalen Washington’s slam and blocked shot, the latter of which came just before the final horn sounded.

Washington finished with the first double-double of his career scoring 11 points and grabbing 12 rebounds. He was also credited with 3 blocked shots but altered many others.

Ian Jackson paced the Tar Heels with 21 points even though he didn’t score until 2:50 remained before halftime. RJ Davis also scored 11 points while Elliot Cadeau finished with 11 assists.

UNC improved to 11-6 overall and 4-1 in the ACC. The Wolfpack dropped to 9-7 and 2-3.

Here is How It Happened:

TV TO – UNC 6, State 6 with 15:37 left in the half

UNC 3-5 FGs (0-2 from 3)

State 3-10 FGs (0-3 from 3)

Rebs – State 5-4 (4-0 OR State)

2nd chance pts – State 2-0

No fouls called yet

Ian 0-2 FGs (airball 3) & a TO

Notes: Energetic start by both teams but a bit sloppy. Ian Jackson with an airball 3 followed by a ballhandling turnover on the next possession. State’s 6-1 guard Marcus Hill with 3 offensive boards himself. Elliot Cadeau with 3 assists already.

TV TO – UNC 12, State 10 with 9:51 left in the half

That segment: UNC 6-4

UNC 6-13 FGs (0-4 from 3)

State 5-23 FG (0-7 from 3)

Rebs – State 14-12 (8-2 OR)

2nd chance pts – State 4-0

Fast break pts – UNC 6-2

Pts in paint – UNC 10-6

*State’s Hill has all 10 pts

*Rest of Wolfpack 0-11

Notes: The teams are playing hard but this is not pretty basketball at all. Bad hands on both ends, bad passes that don’t always end up turnovers, etc.

TV TO – State 15, UNC 14 with 7:05 left in the half

That segment: State 5-2

UNC 7-17 FGs (0-5 from 3)

State 7-28 FGs (0-8 from 3)

Rebs – State 17-14 (9-3 OR)

2nd chance pts – State 4-2

Assists – UNC 5-0

TOs – UNC 6-3

Pts off TOs – State 9-4

Steals – State 5-2

Blocks – State 3-2

Notes: UNC missed a big opportunity at building a lead given how poorly State was playing, but the Heels didn’t are now behind as State is playing with more energy. State’s first FG by anyone other than Marcus Hill came at 8:42.

TV TO – UNC 21, State 17 with 3:04 left in the half

That segment: UNC 8-2

UNC 10-25 FGs (1-7 from 3)

State 8-34 FGs (0-9 from 3)

Rebs – 21-21 (10-5 OR)

2nd chance pts – State 4-2

Pts in the paint – UNC 14-8

UNC has scored on 10 of 26 possessions (38.5%)

State has scored on 9 of 27 possessions (33.3%)

JWash: 6 pts (3-4 FG), 6 rebs, 1 block

Last segment:

*3-3

The close to the half was not pretty, but UNC forced more misses than State did, so the slight edge there goes to the Heels.

Note: The points totals for both teams are season-lows for the first half.

TV TO – UNC 35, State 30 with 15:55 left

That segment: State 10-9

UNC 15-38 FGs (4-14 from 3)

State 13-46 FGs (3-16 from 3)

Rebs – State 29-28 (13-8 OR)

Fast break – UNC 10-2

Pts in paint – UNC 18-12

*Jackson 3-5 from 3 (11 points, didn’t score until 2:50 left in the first half)

*Cadeau 7 assists

TV TO – UNC 39, State 38 with 11:38 left

That segment: State 8-4

UNC 16-42 FGs (4-14 from 3)

State 16-52 FGs (3-18 from 3)

Bench pts – UNC 6-4

Pts in paint – UNC 20-18

Assists – UNC 11-4

TOs – 9-9

Pts off TOs – State 11-8

*DNP so far for Tyson, Claude and Brown

TV TO – UNC 49, State 44 with 7:52 left

That segment: UNC 10-6

UNC 20-48 FGs (5-16 from 3)

State 18-57 FGs (3-19 from 3)

Rebs – 34-34 (15-10 OR)

2nd chance pts – State 8-2

Fast break pt s- UNC 16-4

FTs – UNC 4-8 / State 5-5

Notes: The Heels did a nice job moving the ball in that segment leading to some quality looks and usually makes. Jackson continues to get a ton of attention from State but he’s able to score regardless.

TV TO – UNC 58, State 57 with 3:07 left

That segment: State 13-9

*UNC went up by 9 with 5:53 left after Jackson’s 3

*It’s 10-2 State since then

*State has hit its last 3 shot attempts

Notes: The Tar Heels had State 56-47 and could not pull away. This was a problem on three occasions in which the lead should have been pushed forward but wasn’t, and it almost cost Carolina the game.

Last segment:

*UNC 5-4

*Jackson missed a wide open 3 which quickly led to a bucket by State’s Marcus Hill giving the Wolfpack a 59-58 lead.

*Jackson then made a 3 off an assist from Washington for a 61-59 Carolina lead at 1:58.

*Hill with another layup scooping the ball off the glass over Washington making it 61-61 with 1:29 left.

*A missed mid-range jumper by RJ Davis.

*Seth Trimble’s on-ball defense disrupted a play by the Pack that resulted with the ball going out of bounds and giving it back to the Heels with 41.0 seconds left.

*State snuffed out the set and the ball went back to Cadeau. He dribbled and dumped a nifty pass to Washington for a slam and the lead with 24 seconds left.

*State called timeout with 20.4 seconds left, tried running a play, and Washington blocked Jayden Taylor’s shot in the lane with 1 second left, grabbed the ball for his 12th rebound, and the game ended.