The No. 21 Virginia men's basketball team led No. 5 North Carolina by 3 with 16 minutes 50 seconds remaining, but the Tar Heels (21-4, 8-2 ACC) closed the game with a 33-12 run and finished off the Cavaliers (19-5, 6-4 ACC) Saturday afternoon in Chapel Hill, 70-52.
Senior forward Tyler Zeller manhandled an undersized Virginia frontcourt all day, finishing with 25 points, 9 rebounds and 3 steals.
The Cavaliers' star senior forward Mike Scott finished with 18 points, but missed eight shots on a day when he needed to be perfect to carry his teammates, who shot just 29 percent. Scott went 5-of-8 from the field in the first period, but two fouls limited him to just 10 minutes of action before halftime, and he struggled to find his familiar rhythm after the break.
Scott's foul trouble reflected a trend for a Cavalier lineup which saw its five starters rack up 13 fouls while four Virginia players finished with at least three.
The Tar Heels' poor perimeter shooting kept Virginia within striking distance for the first half, and North Carolina ended the game just 1-of-10 from behind the arc.
The Tar Heels' guards combined for just two points during the first half, but the team's forwards capitalized on their height advantage inside to dominate Virginia on the glass and sink second-chance points.
Sophomore guard Joe Harris fractured a bone in his left hand during the game but is expected to play through the injury.
North Carolina out-rebounded the Cavaliers 17-9 on the offensive end, and when the Tar Heels found their shooting touch, they were able to turn a close game into an 18-point blowout.
-compiled by Matt Welsh and Ashley Robertson
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