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Tyrese Rice reacts after hitting a three-point field goal. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)
March 1, 2008
BOSTON (AP) - Tyler Hansbrough scored 25 points and No. 3 North Carolina overcame 46 points from Tyrese Rice and an 18-point second-half deficit to beat Boston College 90-80 on Saturday.
Wayne Ellington had 18 of his 20 points in the second half for the Tar Heels (27-2, 12-2 Atlantic Coast Conference), who won their sixth straight.
Rice surpassed his career highs of 32 points and six 3-pointers by halftime, making 8-of-9 from beyond the arc in the opening 20 minutes. He started the second half with a steal and fast-break layup to give him 36 points, and then he hit the next basket to make it 58-40.
But after Corey Raji hit a 3-pointer to give BC a 61-44 lead, the Tar Heels scored 18 straight points - getting three 3-pointers from Danny Green. Ellington had a steal and fast-break layup, then followed that up with a pass to Marcus Ginyard underneath for the dunk that made it 62-61 with 11:13 to play.
North Carolina remained tied atop the conference standings with No. 7 Duke, the last opponent to beat the Tar Heels. The teams play in Durham next Saturday.
Boston College (13-14, 4-10) was hoping to be the third team to upset a top three opponent in the last eight days.
Rice received a standing ovation after he was taken out of the game in the final minute; his 46 points tied for the second-most in school history.
Hansbrough had nine rebounds and Green scored 18 points for the Tar Heels. Point guard Ty Lawson, playing in his first game after missing six with a sprained left ankle, scored four points.
North Carolina made its first 17 free throw attempts before Hansbrough missed two with 9 minutes left. He got the rebound, but his putback was blocked and Rice hit two free throws at the other end to give BC a 67-66 lead.
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The Tar Heels scored 10 of the next 12 points to earn some breathing room.
Rice made his first five shots, four from 3-point range. Carolina's only points in the first 3 1/2 minutes were free throws after a technical foul was called on center John Oates for hanging on the rim following a breakaway dunk. It was 16-2 before Hansbrough was fouled on a jumper for a three-point play with 16:31 left in the first half.