Junior big man Tyler Zeller leads the Tar Heels in scoring with 14.5 points per game, ranks ninth in the and rebounding (7.3), and is second in field-goal percentage (.534).

"He's been that little security blanket that every team needs, that you feel like you're going to get good effort from him every night. You feel like you're going to get intelligent play from him every night," Tar Heels coach Roy Williams said. "... He's been having a very solid, very consistent year, and it's been very important to our team, to say the least."

Added NC State coach Sidney Lowe: "What stands out to me with Zeller is the way he approaches the game. His ability to run the floor, his size, his aggressiveness are all positives for them. When I watch him, I can tell there's no messing around. You can tell by his facial expression that he's coming after it, and he's going to get it. When there's a play that needs to be made, he just seems to be there. It's just part of his make-up, and part of the way he is."