RALEIGH, N.C. _ North Carolina is still a work in progress.
The Tar Heels turn the ball over too much and are making do without a true post option, but Roy Williams' team still knows how to beat N.C. State.
Senior Luke Maye scored 21 points to lead the 12th-ranked Tar Heels to a 90-82 win over the 15th-ranked Wolfpack on Tuesday night. Williams, in his 16th season at UNC, improved to 29-4 against N.C. State and 14-2 at PNC Arena.
The building was rocking for the first top-25 matchup between the rivals since 2006. The sellout crowd saw a slow start by N.C. State (13-2, 1-1 ACC). Braxton Beverly had a career-high 21 points off the bench and helped the Wolfpack fight back. N.C. State tied the game twice in the second half but never held a led.
N.C. State's pressure defense bothered UNC and, as promised by coach Kevin Keatts, the Wolfpack ran with UNC. The Tar Heels (12-3, 2-0 ACC) turned the ball over 23 times, surely too many for Williams' taste. But UNC used a 51-33 advantage on the glass and some unselfish passing (20 assists on 29 field goals).
Senior Cam Johnson finished with 15 points, 11 rebounds and five assists for the Heels. Freshman guard Coby White added 19 points. D.J. Funderburk had 15 points off the bench for the Wolfpack, which went cold at the wrong time. N.C. State shot just 25 percent in the second half.
The Wolfpack was able to overcome an early hole. The Tar Heels led 12-0 and 19-5 before Beverly got N.C. State in gear. Beverly made all three of his 3-point attempts in the first half and had 15 points. Funderburk added 13 points with a boost from freshman Jericole Hellems and the Wolfpack had a 35-0 bench scoring edge in the first half.
The turnovers, as they've been all season, were a problem for UNC. White is a blur with the ball and sometimes too fast for it. The freshman had three of UNC's 13 turnovers in the first half. N.C. State's trapping press was causing problems in particular. A steal by C.J. Bryce at midcourt, on one of three lollipop passes that N.C. State's press swiped, set up Funderburk for a dunk at 8:44 and cut UNC's lead to 29-22.
State got as close as two points twice but Johnson's productive first half, with six points, five assists and nine rebounds, kept UNC's advantage at 47-42 at the half.
