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North Carolina
Virginia
North Carolina Holds Off Virginia, 81-67
February 12, 2003 | Men's Basketball
Feb 12, 2003
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CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) - Freshmen Rashad McCants and Raymond Felton scored 21 points each to lead North Carolina to a 81-67 win over Virginia on Wednesday at the Smith Center.
McCants, who had scored only a combined two points in the previous two games, broke out of his February slump to give the Tar Heels (13-10, 4-6 Atlantic Coast Conference) their second straight league win and first in five games against the Cavaliers (14-8, 5-5).
Virginia erased an 18-point first-half lead and twice tied the game in the second half. But each time, the Tar Heels' duo had the answer.
McCants, who had been struggling with back pains and confidence problems, broke the game open after Virginia tied the score at 50 on Jermaine Harper's 3-pointer with 12:18 left. McCants accounted for nine of North Carolina's next 15 points.
His 3-pointer from the left corner gave the Tar Heels a 61-52 lead with 7:56 to play. The Cavaliers, who had won three straight in the league, didn't get any closer.
Todd Billet had 16 points to lead Virginia, which got off to a slow start. The Tar Heels jumped to a 10-0 lead, and the Cavaliers had more turnovers (six) than points (four) in the opening five minutes.
McCants had 12 points in the first half. His layup off a behind-the-back pass from Felton capped the opening spurt. The lead ballooned to 33-15 at the 6:06 mark as the Tar Heels made seven of their first 11 3-pointers.
The Cavaliers rallied just before the break, going on an 8-0 run and holding the Tar Heels scoreless over the final 3:53 of the half.
Devin Smith hit a 3-pointer with at the 1:00 mark then blocked McCants' shot at the other end. Billet followed with a 3 from the right wing and cut the Tar Heels' lead to 37-28 at the half.
The Cavaliers scored the first four points of the second half and first tied the game at 47 at 12:31 on Billet's running jumper. Felton answered with one of his three 3-pointers.
After the Cavs came back to tie it at 50, McCants' layup started the Heels on a 31-17 game-closing run.
