Three Tar Heels scored more than 20 each as North Carolina broke open a close game with a late 14-2 run in a 96-83 victory over Florida State in Chapel Hill.<\/p>\n
The win broke a Seminole 12-game win streak, a school record, and leaves Notre Dame as the only team in the ACC undefeated in league play. <\/p>\n
The Tar Heels, who had opened up a 50-41 halftime lead, were ahead by just four points with less than six minutes to play. That’s when Theo Pinson, who has missed most of the season with a fracture in his foot, scored his first points of the season. And big points they were. <\/p>\n
Starting at midcourt, Pinson drove past three defenders and slammed down a powerful, running dunk to put the Heels up 82-76 with 5:45 to go. <\/p>\n
It never got closer than four again as the Heels went on a 14-2 run over the next four minutes to open it up to 96-80 with less than a minute to go. <\/p>\n
There were plenty of big plays during the run including a Pinson to Isaiah Hicks alley oop and a Luke Maye to Hicks full-court pass for a dunk. Joel Berry also scored on a drive at the end of a shot clock and Pinson drained a three during the stretch. <\/p>\n
Berry led the way with 26 points while Hicks and Justin Jackson tallied 22 each. Pinson finished with 12 points and Maye finished with a career-high 15 rebounds. <\/p>\n
Carolina used some strange lineups as a number of players, including Kennedy Meeks who only played 13 minutes, were in foul trouble. <\/p>\n
“It was the first time in 29 years where I’ve had a lineup out there with no post player,” UNC coach Roy Williams said about going with a small lineup for good chunks of time. <\/p>\n
“We made some shots,” he added. “I feel good about a win over a really, really good team.” <\/p>\n
Carolina came out quick and aggressively, getting out to a 7-0 lead. There were four lead changes after that however. But Berry hit a three with seconds left to give the Heels what felt like a commanding 59-50 lead at the half. <\/p>\n
UNC got the lead to 11 but Florida State went on a 9-2 run to get back in it at 54-50. A 10-2 Carolina run, highlighted by a pair of Jackson threes, opened the lead back to 69-58 with 12 minutes left. <\/p>\n
Within five minutes the Seminoles had the lead down to three at 78-75. Soon thereafter Pinson got that big dunk that energized the crowd and led to the 14-2 run that wrapped it up. <\/p>\n
Dwayne Bacon’s 18 points led Florida State which falls to 16-2 and 4-1 in the ACC. <\/p>\n