GAMEON

UNC's Dexter Strickland thinks N.C. State is overrated

USATODAY

Dexter Strickland shown playing in 2011. The North Carolina point guard is critical of N.C. State being voted the preseason favorite in the ACC.

Guys named Dexter also seem to be out for blood.

When the ACC coaches and media picked North Carolina State as the preseason favorite to win league, a rival was incredulous.

"They talk those guys up every single year and we beat them every single year," North Carolina point guard Dexter Strickland told Jeff Goodman of CBS Sports. "They are the least of our worries. Beat us one year and then they can talk smack. Until then, you can't put them in the mix."

We'll probably be able to time with a stopwatch the minutes it takes for Tar Heel coach Roy Williams to amend his guard's statement and try to patch over the incendiary bulletin board material.

North Carolina has won the last 13 game between the two but North Carolina State returns four starters including 6-9 forward C.J. Leslie (14.7, 7.3) an All-American candidate.

North Carolina plays in Raleigh on Jan. 26 and hosts N.C. State on Feb. 23.

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