College basketball

ACC men: Tar Heels end skid with rout

By wire services
Published January 30, 2005

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. - Intent on avenging five consecutive losses at University Hall, No.3 North Carolina took control early in a 110-76 victory over Virginia on Saturday.

"We did have it in the back of our minds," said Rashad McCants, who didn't score in the first half as the Tar Heels built a 62-26 lead.

It was the third-worst home loss for the Cavaliers, who hadn't lost to North Carolina at home since Feb.20, 1999.

"I've never lost like that in my life, not even in a video game," Virginia forward Gary Forbes said. "It's tough, but they're a great team."

The Tar Heels led 16-8 5:40 in when they started a 26-3 run. The Cavaliers were 1-of-10 with seven turnovers during the 81/2-minute spurt, which ended with North Carolina ahead 42-11.

It did not get better. When Melvin Scott made a 25-footer four seconds before halftime, it gave North Carolina eight 3-pointers and a 36-point lead. Virginia made just 7 of 28 shots.

North Carolina entered having not played since Jan.22 while Virginia, which has lost seven of nine, lost at Virginia Tech on Thursday. But coach Pete Gillen said that didn't excuse the showing.

"This is one game. It was a terrible game," he said. "We played very poorly, but it's not what lies ahead of us. It's what lies within us. We've got to play with fortitude and courage."

NO. 5 WAKE 94, MIAMI 82: Eric Williams had 23 points and 11 rebounds for the host Demon Deacons. Miami shot 56 percent and made 10 of 11 3-pointers for a 49-48 halftime lead.

But tied at 63, Williams started a 16-4 run with a dunk in traffic, and Chris Ellis added a dunk about a minute later. Williams' hook increased the margin to 12, and Ellis' only 3-pointer of the game made it 84-69 with 6:24 left.

N.C. STATE 80, CLEMSON 70: Engin Atsur made five 3-pointers and scored a career-high 21 for the visiting Wolfpack. Down 46-42 early in the second half, Ilian Evtimov, Tony Bethel and Atsur made consecutive 3-pointers to start a 20-2 run.

Clemson twice cut it to six, the second on Shawan Robinson's jumper with 3:27 left. But Atsur's 3-pointer, from about 24 feet, made it 73-63 with 2:26 left.

[Last modified January 30, 2005, 00:11:11]