The North Carolina Tar Heels needed overtime to take down the Davidson Wildcats, hanging on for a 97-85 victory behind 17 points from Marcus Paige. The Tar Heels' leading scorer was held without a basket for the first 30 minutes of the contest, but scored 11 in the overtime period to seal the game for Carolina.
North Carolina vs. Davidson final score: No. 14 Tar Heels survive in overtime, 97-85
North Carolina narrowly avoided their third loss to a mid-major this season, outscoring Davidson 18-6 in overtime.
Grant Halverson
In a game that was tied on 10 separate occasions, overtime seemed like an inevitability. The Wildcats hung tough in regulation behind Brian Sullivan, who finished with 33 points. But Davidson's offense sputtered in overtime, with Paige stealing the show every trip down the floor. J.P. Tokoto was the workhorse for North Carolina in regulation, tallying 22 points and 11 rebounds on the day. James Michael McAdoo finished with 19 points.
Davidson last faced North Carolina in 2007, when Stephen Curry’s 24 points weren’t enough to topple the Tar Heels, who were the No. 1 team in the nation at the time.
North Carolina has been the best example of a Jekyll-and-Hyde team this season. The Tar Heels have knocked off the Louisville Cardinals, Kentucky Wildcats and Michigan St. Spartans while holding losses against the UAB Blazers and Belmont Bruins. And, according to the school and the NCAA, P.J. Hairston won't continue his collegiate career in Chapel Hill. Roy Williams' team will need to find a stable identity in ACC play.
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