TAR HEELS WIN AT VIRGINIA TECH, 65-57

Associated Press

BLACKSBURG, VA.—Caleb Love scored 21 points with seven assists and North Carolina defeated Virginia Tech 65-57 on Saturday to snap the Hokies’ six-game winning streak.

Armando Bacot had 15 rebounds and scored all 12 of his points in the second half for his 20th double-double this season and also blocked five shots. Brady Manek added 14 points and RJ Davis had 10 for North Carolina (19-8, 11-5 Atlantic Coast Conference), which beat the Hokies by 10 on Jan. 24 and have four straight wins over Virginia Tech.

Keve Aluma scored 16 points with nine rebounds and Justyn Mutts added 10 points for the Hokies (16-11, 8-8).

The game pitted the ACC’s top two 3-point percentage teams with Virginia Tech at 40.9% coming in and UNC 38.1%. UNC was only a couple percentage points shy of its average after making 8 of 22 but the Hokies weren’t close, making 5 of 26 for 19%.

Bacot had two buckets and Love another plus a 3-pointer in a 7-2 spurt to open the second half for a 14-point lead. The Hokies got back within five after a 7-0 run that Aluma finished with a 3-pointer with under nine minutes left but they wouldn’t get closer.

Love made six free throws in the final minute to keep the Hokies at bay.

Tar Heels Love, Davis and Manek scored 10 points each to lead UNC to a 38-30 halftime lead. Leaky Black scored the first five and Love and Davis combined for the remaining points in a 22-8 half-ending run.

UNC is home against Louisville on Monday. Virginia Tech is at Georgia Tech on Wednesday.