The Miami Hurricanes had lost five in a row to North Carolina but they hit the Tar Heels early and often, winning in a blowout at home, 85-57. (1\/18)<\/p>\n
Three Hurricanes – Isiah Wong, Sam Waardenburg, Kameron McGusty – outscored the entire Carolina team with 20 or more points each.<\/p>\n
Waardenburg set the tone in the first half, going four of four from three with 16 points at the break. By that time, the game was over.<\/p>\n
Carolina led 5-2 early but after a Waardenburg three, the Heels never led again. Miami went on a 14-0 run to go up 16-5. <\/p>\n
The Hurricanes increased the lead to 30-11 on a Wong three midway through the first half before the Heels could break a scoring drought of almost five minutes.<\/p>\n
The Tar Heels, trailing 49-22 at the half, never got closer than 24 points the rest of the way.<\/p>\n
Armando Bacot, who had scored 29 points in each of the last two games, managed only three points in the first half and finished as Carolina’s only player in double figures with 15 points.<\/p>\n
R.J. Davis, who scored 21 points against Georgia Tech three days earlier, didn’t score until three minutes into the second half against Miami. He finished with nine points, missing all three of his three-point attempts.<\/p>\n
Miami had 13 threes compared to just six for Carolina while the Tar Heels turned the ball over 14 times compared to just five for the Hurricanes. <\/p>\n
It was the fewest points Carolina has scored in a game this year. The Heels 34 percent field goal percentage was their worst of the year. The final deficit was the 11th worse in UNC conference games ever.<\/p>\n
“I’m shocked and disappointed,” UNC coach Hubert Davis said. “First place was on the line. This had meaning and for us to come out a lack of energy and toughness is very shocking.” <\/p>\n
North Carolina, now 12-5 and 4-2 in the ACC, plays at Wake Forest Saturday. Miami, led by Wong’s 25 points, improves to 14-4 overall with a league-best 6-1 record. <\/p>\n