BACOT, DAVIS, LOVE LEAD TAR HEELS TO 80-76 WIN OVER MICHIGAN

CHARLOTTE—Armando Bacot posted 26 points and five rebounds as North Carolina beat Michigan, 80-76, on Wednesday night in the inaugural Jumpman Invitational at the Spectrum Center.

The Tar Heels won their fourth consecutive game and improved to 9-4 this season. Michigan fell to 7-4.

Bacot took a Michigan elbow to the face and suffered a bloody lip late in the first half but responded by shooting 11 for 15 from the floor and putting up his third 20-point game in the last four outings.

RJ Davis hit a season-high four three-pointers and tallied 19 points, six rebounds and five assists in 38 relentless minutes.

Caleb Love had 18 points, five rebounds and four assists despite missing 4 of 5 three-point tries.

Carolina has won four in a row since losing four consecutive games during a challenging road trip to close November and begin December.

Carolina had the momentum and a 41-34 lead at the break.  The UNC defense held Michigan to 40.6 percent shooting from the floor in a back-and-forth opening 20 minutes.

Bacot and Love combined to lead a 13-2 run to close the first half, and Carolina shot 53.8 percent (14 for 26) as a team in the second half and 50.0 percent (29 for 58) overall.

The Tar Heels now will break for the holidays before reconvening on campus in Chapel Hill on December 26. UNC returns to action on December 30 at Pitt.