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)<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
Little had perhaps his best game of the season with 18 points and a season-high eight rebounds.<\/p>\n
“Nassir was really big for us,” UNC coach Roy Williams said. “Nassir getting to the backboard is something that really helps us.”<\/p>\n
Coach Williams said that he simply thinks Little is healthier than he had been recently. “He felt better,” he said.<\/p>\n
The Tar Heels outrebounded the Seminoles 47-32, including a 10-rebound advantage in the second half.<\/p>\n
“We boxed out as well as we have all year,” Little said. “Crashing the offensive glass helped us too.”<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
The Heels led just 37-34 at the break despite a 20-6 points in the paint edge.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
The Tar Heels host Syracuse Tuesday night.<\/p>\n