North Carolina held Florida State without a bucket for more than six minutes to open up a close game with a 16-1 run in the second half en route to a 77-59 home win. (2/23)

No. 16 ranked Florida State trailed just 56-52 midway through the second half but then the Seminoles went cold. Meanwhile, Carolina got the rebounds and methodically pulled away, extending the lead to 19 points at 72-53.

Luke Maye started the run for the Heels with back-to-back three pointers, one from the corner and one banked in from Carrboro. Cam Johnson added a three during the run but the Smith Center got the loudest after a Johnson missed three. His three banged off the rim right into the hands of freshman Nassir Little who powerfully dunked it in with one quick motion.

Little had perhaps his best game of the season with 18 points and a season-high eight rebounds.

“Nassir was really big for us,” UNC coach Roy Williams said. “Nassir getting to the backboard is something that really helps us.”

Coach Williams said that he simply thinks Little is healthier than he had been recently. “He felt better,” he said.

The Tar Heels outrebounded the Seminoles 47-32, including a 10-rebound advantage in the second half.

“We boxed out as well as we have all year,” Little said. “Crashing the offensive glass helped us too.”

Maye and Johnson each had double-doubles for Carolina as Maye scored 15 points and hauled in 11 rebounds while Johnson scored 18 and pulled down 10 rebounds.

It looked like the Tar Heels would make it a blowout in the first half after Johnson drained a three from the right wing to make it 31-18. But Carolina went scoreless for more than three minutes while Florida State quickly scored 11 straight points to get back in it.

The Heels led just 37-34 at the break despite a 20-6 points in the paint edge.

An 11-4 run in the first four minutes of the second half prompted a Seminole timeout when Coby White went coast to coast for a layup that made it 48-38.

Three triples by three different Florida State players got the visitors without four before Carolina went on that 16-1 run to all but wrap up the victory.

Carolina improves to 22-5 and 12-2 in the conference to remain tied for first. Florida State, which had won eight ACC matchups in a row, falls to 21-6 overall and 9-5 in the ACC.

The Tar Heels host Syracuse Tuesday night.

For more on the game, including a box score, please click here.