“That’s a great, great rivalry,” UNC coach Roy Williams said at game’s end. “I loved our guy’s composure down the stretch.”
After a ragged first half, North Carolina trailed by seven and then by 11 in the second half before chipping away at the Blue Devil lead.
Down 60-56 with less than five minutes to go, Leslie McDonald, who twice had missed the front end of one-and-one situations, went to the foul line and calmly drained two free throws to start the run.
James Michael McAdoo scored inside with 4:22 left to tie it at 60-60 and McDonald sank a 15-footer with 3:50 to go that gave Carolina its first lead since midway through the first half.
Marcus Paige banged in a step-back jumper and followed it with a drive-by layup to keep the Heels out front at 66-62 with 1:28 left.
The Tar Heels, who had missed seven free throws in the first half, hit six in a row down the stretch – four by freshman Nate Britt and two by Paige – as they won going away.
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