CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) – Malcolm Brogdon scored 17 points and No. 3 Virginia’s defense locked down in the second half to beat No. 12 North Carolina 75-64 on Monday night.
Justin Anderson added 16 for the Cavaliers (20-1, 8-1 Atlantic Coast Conference), who responded to their first loss of the season by blowing open a tight game at halftime for an impressive road win.
Coming off Saturday’s loss to Duke in one of the program’s biggest home games in years, Virginia erased a 33-32 halftime deficit by shooting 50 percent while holding the Tar Heels (17-6, 7-3) completely in check to build an 18-point lead and improve to 8-0 in true road games this year.
After shooting 52 percent in the first half, UNC went just 11-for-29 (38 percent) after halftime while preseason ACC player of the year Marcus Paige struggled for open looks against Brogdon’s constant defensive harassment.
Paige finished with 15 on 5-for-10 shooting, though a good chunk of that production came after Virginia had built its big lead and UNC was in desperation-comeback mode late.
Brice Johnson added 14 points for UNC, but fellow starter J.P. Tokoto managed just one point on 0-for-3 shooting.
Worse for the Tar Heels, they were unable to speed up the confident Cavaliers and turn it into an open-court game. UNC managed just two fast-break points, the lone basket not coming until the 1:53 mark of the game.
If there were any questions about how Virginia would respond after the Duke loss, this was a convincing answer that the Cavaliers aren’t easily shaken as they go for a second straight ACC title.
After blowing an 11-point second-half lead amid a barrage of late 3s from the Blue Devils, Virginia took control with a 9-0 burst midway through the second half. And while the Tar Heels struggled to find a response, Virginia kept pushing forward to stretch the lead.
As for the Tar Heels, it marked the second loss in three days against a top-10 opponent. UNC blew an 18-point lead early in the second half at Louisville and lost by 10 in overtime Saturday.
TIP-INS
Virginia: Virginia entered the game allowing a national-low 50.2 points per game. … London Perrantes had 15 points and six assists. … Anthony Gill had 13 points on 6-for-8 shooting with seven rebounds. … Virginia shot 52 percent for the game and went 5-for-12 from 3-point range, three coming from Anderson. … Virginia scored 18 points off turnovers.
UNC: Kennedy Meeks had 14 points. … UNC took a 34-27 rebounding advantage, but managed just 11 second-chance points. … Freshman point guard Joel Berry II missed his seventh straight game with a groin injury.
UP NEXT
Virginia hosts No. 9 Louisville on Saturday.
UNC travels to Boston College on Saturday.
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