Once again Marcus Paige set a career high – this time with 32 points – but this was a team effort that saw the Tar Heels come from nine points down in the first half to tie it at 44 at the break and eventually fast break the Cardinals into submission in the second half.
The two plays that really got the pro-Carolina crowd going during were strong fastbreak outlet passes by freshman Kennedy Meeks that led to buckets on the other end. Usual suspect Paige scored on the first one and James Michael McAdoo dunked on the second one for just his first basket of the game with 12 minutes to go.
Midway through the second half, Meeks swished a 15-footer to give the Heels their biggest lead up to that time at 70-58.
In addition to Paige’s 32 points, Meeks had 13 points and 12 rebounds while Brice Johnson also scored 13. Twelve Tar Heels played for Coach Williams – partly because of foul trouble – in a close game against a nationally elite team.
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