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4. Drake Powell has arrived. He was part of a freshman duo with Ian Jackson That gave the Heels 20 of their 34 points in the first half (ten each). A Carolina rotation that is still developing on the wing and in the frontcourt needs to make room for more Powell.

5. For the third straight game, Carolina faced a double-digit deficit in the first half. Michigan State had some unexpected offensive success, leading by as many as 14 before the Heels cut their lead to nine at halftime. It was almost worse, but a Spartan three-pointer that beat the buzzer didn’t actually beat the buzzer.

6. Part of that deficit was due to the UNC guards once again facing foul trouble. Elliot Cadeau picked up two quick fouls and RJ Davis was also hit with two. As a result, the duo sat on the bench for long periods of the first 20 minutes.

9. Tough break for Tom Izzo’s team as the Spartans played without Jase Richardson, who was very good early in his career in East Lansing. Richardson posted an 18-point performance against Memphis but was sidelined Wednesday with a head injury.

10. Carolina’s reign over Michigan State continues. The Tar Heels have now won nine of the last 10 games in the series, including victories in four different time zones and eight different cities: St. Louis, Winston-Salem, Detroit, Chapel Hill, aboard the USS Carl Vinson, at the Breslin Center at East Lansing, in Charlotte and now in Lahaina.

11. And guess what: you’ll see it again next Thanksgiving. Carolina and Michigan State will compete in a Thanksgiving Day matchup at the Fort Myers Tip-Off in Florida in 2025.

11. More important than the current streak is the significance this win could have over the entire season. Given the strength of the ACC, it’s very likely that a neutral site win over a Spartans program that has appeared in 26 straight NCAA Tournaments is still a Quad-One win in March.