North Carolina

Couch: 3 quick takes on Michigan State’s 94-91 overtime win over North Carolina in the Maui Invitational

Published

1 year ago

November 28, 2024

Couch: 3 quick takes on Michigan State’s 94-91 overtime win over North Carolina in the Maui Invitational

1. That was a massive win for MSU on several fronts

LAHAINA, Hawaii – There was a look to Michigan State’s men’s basketball team Wednesday that I hadn’t seen in any other game out of the gate this year. A determination to them. They weren’t leaving Maui without beating North Carolina. Or at least not without putting up the best wire-to-wire fight they could.

It’s as if they firmly understood that if you want to be taken seriously, you have to win some of these games.

A shaky-as-all-heck final couple minutes of regulation (and parts of overtime) notwithstanding, this 94-91 overtime win in their Maui Invitational finale was a you-better-take-me-seriously performance by MSU, which was playing without, arguably, its best player to this point in freshman Jase Richardson, who missed the game after taking an elbow to the head Tuesday in the Spartans’ loss to Memphis. And without Richardson, MSU played its best game of the season, almost end to end.

The reason: Just about everyone else elevated their games — beginning with junior guard Tre Holloman, who replaced Frankie Fidler in the starting lineup and couldn’t miss in the first half and made big free throws late, and Xavier Booker, who rewrote the script for his season (and maybe career) Tuesday, and Coen Carr, who rebounded and attacked with a ferocity that changed the game, and Jaden Akins, who was really good for a while, and Jeremy Fears Jr., who shepherded the Spartans along and made a boatload of free throws (and one massive defensive gaffe late), and Fidler, who, coming off the bench for the first time, made steady and important plays throughout.

This was an incredible game to watch. And the sort of game the Spartans have lost a lot in recent years. They nearly lost this one, losing a 79-71 lead by not making a field goal for the final four minutes of regulation.

They need to work on finding offense down the stretch — having Richardson will help. But give MSU credit, too. Once North Carolina sent this thing to overtime, with the Spartans visibly losing their poise in the final minute, I thought there was no way they were pulling this out. They were gritty in overtime — all the way to the final long pass up three, when Carr jumped through two North Carolina players to haul it in and all but end the game.

MSU shot 54% and scored 50 points in the paint — including 14 from Carr and 12 from Booker — and took advantage of a North Carolina team with some defensive deficiencies. But this is still North Carolina and the Tar Heels still have some serious backcourt firepower and shot-making.

So did MSU on Wednesday, with Holloman scoring 19 points and hitting three 3s — all of them coming in the first half — and Akins netting 14, playing well until the final minutes, and Fidler and Fears both 13.

This was a massive win on several fronts — what it means for Booker’s season, for Holloman, who’d been struggling, for Fidler, for their collective confidence and for their non-conference resume.

The way they began and played for so long — and that they held on — should help them.

2. Xavier Booker, holy smokes

Depending on where Xavier Booker’s season and career goes from here, this might be remembered as a pivot point. Booker was outstanding in the second half (more coming in a full column).

He was the catalyst for MSU during a critical stretch when the Spartans were wobbling a bit for the first time. Booker scored six points in less than a minute in the middle of the second half as the Spartans rebuilt a small cushion. It wasn’t just that he scored. It was how he scored — with aggression in the paint, which hasn’t come naturally for him. It was also how he impacted the game on the glass and how he changed shots defensively.

He finished with 12 points, seven rebounds and a block, his best moments coming in the second half. He wanted the ball in the post. His teammates wanted him to have the ball in the post. And they were thrilled for him.

One of best signs and scenes came when he checked out of the game after that impactful stretch — his teammates were so excited for him. He came back in and was in MSU’s closing lineup in regulation and overtime. That says a ton about how well he was playing.

A good game for Frankie Fidler in a big spot

Starting Tre Holloman proved to be the absolute right move Tuesday. MSU needed more in the opening minutes of games than Frankie Fidler had been given them. I don’t know that moving Fidler back into a starting role makes sense, given Wednesday’s start without him and Jase Richardson’s presence on this team coming off the bench. If there’s another move to be made, you’d think it would be Richardson entering the lineup.

But Fidler certainly didn’t play like someone who wasn’t hurt by it or sulking. Fidler hit 5 of 6 shots, scoring 13 points and was a steadying and consistent hand offensively in a game MSU absolutely needed him to be.

In overtime, he was there to steal a long pass and to grab a big rebound. He looked like a player MSU can count on — and count on off the bench.

Contact Graham Couch at gcouch@lsj.com. Follow in on X at @Graham_Couch and on Blue Sky at GrahamCouch.

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North Carolina

These 4 Western NC towns are among WorldAtlas favorites for 2026

Published

2 hours ago

March 10, 2026

Press Room

These 4 Western NC towns are among WorldAtlas favorites for 2026

A new list from WorldAtlas named the publication’s top 10 favorite North Carolina towns of 2026, including several locations located in Western North Carolina.

Founded in 1994 by cartographer John Moen and his wife, Chris Woolwine-Moen, WorldAtlas publishes educational materials and articles on geography, sociology, demography, environment, economics, politics, and travel.

Previous Citizen Times articles have covered numerous mentions of Western North Carolina from WorldAtlas, including “idyllic” and “unpretentious” towns, scenic drives, a favorite downtown area, and more. In the new list, published March 9, WorldAtlas writers chose their all-time favorite North Carolina towns ― almost half of which were located in the western region of the state.

Here’s what WorldAtlas had to say about mountain North Carolina towns, plus the full list and more.

What to do in Banner Elk, N.C.

WorldAtlas noted the range of activities offered in Banner Elk throughout the year. The town sits in the Blue Ridge Mountains between the Sugar Mountain and Beech Mountain ski resorts. Writers highlighted the following locations and activities in Banner Elk:

Wildcat Lake, which has a lifeguarded white-sand beach and is used for swimming, non-motorized boating and fishing for largemouth bass, trout, and bluegill
Grandfather Mountain Nature Museum, a museum located at Grandfather Mountain
The Mile High Swinging Bridge, the highest suspension footbridge in the United States, which visitors can cross on foot

What to do in Blowing Rock, N.C.

Also included on the WorldAtlas list, Blowing Rock takes its name from a rock formation where the wind appears to blow upward. The list highlighted the following locations and activities in Blowing Rock:

The town’s namesake, “Blowing Rock,” is a rock formation known for views of Johns River Gorge and the surrounding forest
Fishing, spelunking and rock climbing opportunities in the area
Moses H. Cone Memorial Park, also known locally as “Cone Park,” which has hiking trails and is located on the Blue Ridge Parkway
Memorial Park on Main Street, where town events and concerts often take place

What to do in Brevard, N.C.

Brevard, also known as the “Land of Waterfalls,” is home to more than 200 waterfalls located across Transylvania County. WorldAtlas highlighted the following locations and activities in Brevard:

Museums, trails, rock climbing and the surrounding area’s many waterfalls
Guided Jeep and hiking tours to view waterfalls throughout Transylvania County
Veterans History Museum of the Carolinas, a museum displaying artifacts from U.S. military conflicts
Transylvania Heritage Museum, a museum focused on local history and genealogy

What to do in Hot Springs, N.C.

Hot Springs’ name comes from the natural springs that attract visitors from across the state and region. The springs are commonly visited by hikers seeking relief after traveling along the Appalachian Trail, which runs through the town. WorldAtlas highlighted the following activities and events:

Kayaking on the French Broad River
Trailfest, a celebration of hiking typically held in April
French Broad River Festival, a celebration of the French Broad River held each year on the first weekend of May
White-water rafting and ziplining opportunities in the area
Fishing, skiing, sport shooting, golf, disc golf, biking and horseback riding opportunities throughout the area
A range of accommodations including campgrounds, privately owned cabins, apartments, suites and cottages, with options from basic to luxury experiences

WorldAtlas’s best towns in North Carolina

The full list of WorldAtlas’s favorite North Carolina towns of 2026 included:

Banner Elk
Beaufort
Blowing Rock
Brevard
Davidson
Edenton
Hot Springs
Seagrove
Manteo
Wrightsville Beach

Iris Seaton is the trending news reporter for the Asheville Citizen Times, part of the USA TODAY Network. Reach her at iseaton@citizentimes.com.

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North Carolina

‘It was dire’: NC State professor returns from Qatar after being trapped during Iran war

Published

14 hours ago

March 10, 2026

Press Room

‘It was dire’: NC State professor returns from Qatar after being trapped during Iran war

An North Carolina State University professor is back home Monday night after he was trapped in the Middle East as war with Iran broke out.

Rich Spontak was stuck in Qatar while traveling from Bangkok to Spain and was forced to stay in the country for about a week. Several travelers were trapped for days in the Middle East after Iran’s
Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and several defense leaders were
killed in joint strikes by the United States and Israel.

Spontak, like many travelers, found himself stranded in the Middle East after the initial attacks, which quickly entangled more surrounding countries, including Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, where seven U.S. service members were killed in retaliatory attacks from Iran.

Spontak said there were times he thought he wouldn’t make it out.

“I would just keep looking out and looking for the missiles,” Spontak said. “Some people that I met along the way were hit by shrapnel from the missles. It was dire.”

Airspace over Iran, Iraq, Bahrain, Kuwait and Syria remained closed, according to flight-tracking service Flightradar24. Azerbaijan also shut the southern sector of its airspace on Thursday after accusing Iran of a drone attack that injured four civilians and damaged an airport building.

Lilia Austin, a Chapel Hill woman who was part of a group of 100 women who went to Israel for a trip the day before Khamenei was killed, also returned home on Sunday after she left Israel through Egypt.

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North Carolina

Gov. Stein proposes $1.4B ‘critical needs’ budget for North Carolina

Published

1 day ago

March 9, 2026

Press Room

Gov. Stein proposes .4B ‘critical needs’ budget for North Carolina

RALEIGH, N.C. (WLOS) — With North Carolina still without a new state budget, Gov. Josh Stein is urging state lawmakers to approve a $1.4 billion “Critical Needs Budget.” Stein says this budget will address the state’s most urgent priorities while the General Assembly works on a full spending plan.

“North Carolina has gone nearly two and a half years without passing a new state budget – the only state in the country to finish 2025 without one[…]This budget invests in critical public safety, education and health care services for the people of North Carolina that cannot wait,” Gov. Stein said in a press release Monday.

A major part of Stein’s proposal is $319 million to fully fund Medicaid, which provides health coverage to over three million North Carolinians. This program also supports rural hospitals, nursing homes and statewide health care providers, per the release.

JUDGE ORDERS FEMA TO REINSTATE $200M STORM RELIEF PROGRAM, ATTORNEY GENERAL SAYS

The “Critical Needs Budget” would target public safety staffing and pay. According to the governor’s office, North Carolina currently ranks 49th in starting salaries for state troopers and correctional officers, and low pay has contributed to staffing shortages and vacancy rates. This budget would bring pay raises to correctional officers, law enforcement officers, probation and parole officers and more.

Stein’s proposed budget calls for raising starting and average teacher pay, as well as increasing pay for senior teachers and other education staff. The governor’s office said the state remains in the bottom 10 nationally in average teacher pay.

The budget proposal also includes pay increases for state employees and a cost-of-living adjustment for retired state employees, citing rising inflation costs and increasing health care premiums. Stein’s plan also includes targeted funding to maintain essential services, such as support for child care access and affordability.

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