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ACC Tournament pres. by T. Rowe Price - Quarterfinal

Final

11

Duke Blue Devils

24-8, 15-5 conf

69

18PTS7/13FG2/5FT28PTS13/20FG2/3FT

Team Stats

Rebounds

Full Team Stats

Capital One Arena

4:00 PM, March 14, 2024Coverage: ESPN

Washington, DC

Line: DUKE -10.5

Over/Under: 145.5

Dr. Mary Affee is balancing patient care with the expansion of her practice as she waits to get paid.

RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- A Triangle small business owner is owed close to $200,000 after a cyberattack caused problems nationwide for pharmacies, hospital systems, and healthcare organizations.

Dr. Mary Affee Founder and Clinical Director of Horizon Integrated Wellness Group, said, "It's pretty significant when we think about dollar amount."

Affee provided documents that showed her practice, which provides mental health services in the Triangle is owed more than $188,000 for services it provided to patients since the cyberattack on a subsidiary of UnitedHealth Group, Change Healthcare.

We don't want to stop seeing patients, but it's becoming a challenge of sustaining where we are.Dr. Mary Affee

"We depend on the payments from the insurance company, and we certainly don't want to burden our own patients with the responsibility as we have these contracts with the insurance companies," Affee said.

ABC11 showed you how the attack affected residents in Fayetteville from getting access to their prescriptions. That problem has since been fixed. Cape Fear Valley Health said its pharmacies have resumed insurance billing.

However, since the cyberattack, Change Healthcare still hasn't re-established its system to process medical claims filed such as those from Affee's business.

"We don't want to stop seeing patients, but it's becoming a challenge of sustaining where we are with our clinicians and our patients," Affee said.

This financial setback comes as Affee is trying to meet the growing needs of her patients with her practice in the middle of a big expansion to new offices in Cary and the opening of a new office in Holly Springs.

"Without the payments coming soon from Change Healthcare it creates stress. It is worrisome as a small business owner, for sure, and again, most of this is how will this impact what we're doing so we can continue to sustain but keep the growth going," Affee said.

As for when the system will be back up and running, UnitedHealth said its electronic prescribing system is fully functional. As for processing medical claims such as Affee's, the company said it hopes to begin testing and reestablish connectivity with the system starting next week.

Affee said it can't come soon enough as her practice will continue to see patients despite the money owed -- a number that only grows with each new day of seeing patients. The company is also offering a Temporary Funding Assistance Program to help providers bridge the gap in short-term cash flow.

The Department of Health and Human Services has launched an investigation into UnitedHealth Group following the cyberattack on its Change Healthcare unit.

Mohamed Diarra got the signal from Kevin Keatts to leave the game midway through the first half, after playing the first six minutes and change. The timing was no coincidence. It was precisely 7:17 p.m., moments after sunset in Washington.

It was time to eat. Finally.

The lanky French forward sat down on the N.C. State bench. Team nutritionist Jesse McGinley leaned over Diarra’s left shoulder. She handed him a UCAN energy gel, a slow-burning starch-based supplement. Then a banana. Then a cup of water to wash it all down.

It was the first food or drink to cross Diarra’s lips since sunrise. A Muslim, he’s observing Ramadan, fasting from sunrise to sunset since Monday and until April 6, the ACC Tournament no exception during Islam’s holiest month.

It’s hard enough to play college basketball fully fueled and hydrated. Diarra, with only 215 pounds on his 6-foot-10 frame in the best of times, is doing it with the needle completely on empty.

“I think I’m prepared for that,” Diarra said. “It’s not my first time doing it. I ask God for the strength to play and not be too tired. And I think I’m really in good shape.”

He’ll have to go through it all again on Thursday, after N.C. State advanced to face Duke in the first evening quarterfinal with an 83-65 win over a Syracuse team that had beaten the Wolfpack twice. Diarra was a huge part of that, a dominant rebounder against undersized opposition and a surprisingly effective passer.

It was a typically honest game from Diarra, who isn’t flashy but does all the little things well, a player recruited out of the transfer portal to give the Wolfpack the versatility, in Keatts’ words, of “a tight end.” In this one, with 14 rebounds and six assists, it did show up in the box score for once. More than that, Diarra gave the Wolfpack a big spark as N.C. State blew open the game in the second half.

The Wolfpack didn’t just get energy from the one guy on the team playing on an empty stomach. It got inspiration.

“It’s very impressive that he’s able to come out here and not only play, but play really well,” N.C. State guard Michael O’Connell said. “His energy, flying around, blocking shots, getting stops, scoring the ball. Kudos to him for doing that. It’s big time.”

Preparing Diarra to play in this tournament is a team effort among McGinley, the strength and training staff and the coaches, starting even before his 5:30 a.m. breakfast. One of the coaches was responsible for notifying Keatts at sunset, so he could sub Diarra to sit and eat. What Diarra eats and drinks is carefully timed and planned, to make sure his body can absorb it and get him what he needs, especially the electrolytes to avoid cramping — as Diarra is, even under the best circumstances, prone to cramps.

His post-sunset in-game regimen Wednesday included UCAN gels, The Right Stuff electrolyte supplements, crackers, granola bars, water and sports drinks — essentially, as many carbs and as much sodium as he could keep down. This was an improvement over Tuesday’s 4:30 p.m. start, when he couldn’t eat or drink at all, although he wasn’t as far removed from his last meal then, either.

Wednesday’s 7 p.m. start meant he could eat, but not only was that a long way from sunrise, it’s very difficult to fully refuel overnight while fasting during the day. Each successive game is only going to get tougher. N.C. State’s the only team that actually wishes it was playing in the late game every night, for Diarra’s sake.

“The first day, all the adrenaline and all that can push him through,” McGinley said. “The second and third and fourth days are a little tricky, because the glycogen stores are all gone. That was the biggest thing. Today was harder just because of the timing but it was easier because we were able to fuel him during the game.”

Survive. Advance. Eat?

“I don’t know how he does it,” Keatts said. “That says a lot about him as a young man that you can stay true to your religion and your beliefs and still be a part of our team. We completely respect that.”

Diarra played the first 11 minutes of the second half after refueling at halftime, cramp-free. It wasn’t until he came out of the game late that his hamstrings twanged like guitar strings. He watched the final seconds of the victory from his back, getting his legs stretched next to the bench.

He was in pain — “Bad,” Diarra said. “Cramping bad” — but he was smiling.

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This story was originally published March 13, 2024, 10:51 PM.

After 20 years in Raleigh, the city's traffic light cameras used to catch drivers who run red lights will be removed.

On April 8, the city of Raleigh's agreement will end with Conduent State & Local Solutions, Inc., which operates the cameras, and the city does not plan to renew the contract.

Crews have already begun removing cameras at 25 intersections across the city, including the intersection of Dawson and Morgan streets, where all that remains of the camera is a metal pole.

WRAL News visited several Raleigh intersections on Wednesday and noticed other red light cameras have been removed.

Raleigh's first red light cameras were installed as part of a Safelight program in 2003, and 25 have been installed at intersections since.

A memo from the city suggests the cameras require too much regulation for the cost and safety benefit.

A city of Raleigh memo reads: "City staff is not recommending renewal of this service. Both internal and external influences factor into this recommendation. Although Raleigh’s red light camera (RLC) program has historically been successful at improving safety, much has changed since the program began 20 years ago."

A new message posted on the Safelight website indicates Raleigh is no longer accepting payments for outstanding citations, and all unpaid citations for people who run red lights are being tossed out.

The most tickets Raleigh's Safelight program gave out in a year is 30,000. According to the city, the number of tickets issued and paid has dropped off in recent years.

One Raleigh driver who got a ticket with a photo of his car in the mail said he is glad to see the red light cameras go.

"If they’re going away, I think it’s nice that they are," said Patrick Hobgood. "It’s a little bit of a big brother situation where you’re just being monitored. I don’t really think they decrease traffic violations. I think they just make it easier to ticket people."

The memo from the city of Raleigh cites third-party litigation and operating costs as reasons why the cameras may be removed.

Many cities and towns in North Carolina, including Charlotte, Cary and Greenville, have already removed their cameras already due to lawsuits.

Steps are already underway to improve safety at intersections once the cameras are removed. Upgrades include new traffic lights and high-visibility backplates that make red lights stand out more as drivers approach an intersection.

Other upgrades include high visibility pavement markings, new signal heads, signal timing and phasing adjustments and pedestrian signals with push buttons to reduce all crash types at intersections with similar safety concerns.

NC State Wolfpack (19-14) vs. Duke Blue Devils (24-7)

The Line: Duke Blue Devils -10.5; Over/Under: +150.5 (Get latest betting odds)

The NC State Wolfpack and Duke Blue Devils meet Thursday in the college basketball ACC Quarterfinal at the Capital One Arena. We will look at this from a betting perspective and determine the best bets for this game. Here’s a NC State Wolfpack vs Duke Blue Devils prediction.

NC State Wolfpack Betting Preview

The NC State Wolfpack are coming off wins over Louisville and Syracuse. The NC State Wolfpack are averaging 75.5 points on 44.4 percent shooting and allowing 72.8 points on 44.5 percent shooting. DJ Horne is averaging 16.8 points and 3.2 rebounds, while Jayden Taylor is averaging 12.5 points and 3.9 rebounds. DJ Burns Jr. is the third double-digit scorer and Casey Morsell is grabbing 2.9 rebounds. The NC State Wolfpack are shooting 34.6 percent from beyond the arc and 72.3 percent from the free throw line. The NC State Wolfpack are allowing 35.1 percent shooting from deep and are grabbing 32.7 rebounds per game.

Duke Blue Devils Betting Preview

The Duke Blue Devils recently beat Virginia and NC State while losing to UNC. The Duke Blue Devils are averaging 80.2 points on 48.4 percent shooting and allowing 67.2 points on 43.1 percent shooting. Kyle Filipowski is averaging 16.7 points and 8 rebounds, while Jeremy Roach is averaging 14.3 points and 2.5 rebounds. Jared McCain is the third double-digit scorer and Mark Mitchell is grabbing 6.1 rebounds. The Duke Blue Devils are shooting 38.1 percent from beyond the arc and 72.5 percent from the free throw line. The Duke Blue Devils are allowing 32.3 percent shooting from deep and are grabbing 33.5 rebounds per game.

NC State Wolfpack vs Duke Blue Devils prediction

The Duke Blue Devils should be favored as they’re the more talented, better team and have a clear rest advantage. Duke also made light work of NC State twice this season. However, this is a ton of points, especially when NC State is finding a groove through two tournament wins. We know what NC State is capable of when rolling, as there’s a couple of players on the Wolfpack who can take over games. Double-digit chalk? I have more respect for NC State than that. Give me the points.