From forward Joel James’ made free throws 44 seconds into the game, UNC never trailed the Spartans. The team withstood Michigan State (7-1) runs, including a 26-12 run to erase UNC’s 14-point lead in the final nine minutes of the first half.

UNC (5-2) answered with a run of its own in the opening minutes of the second half, breaking the tie 13 seconds in with sophomore guard Marcus Paige’s first 3-pointer of the game. Michigan State quickly tied the game twice more, but with fewer than seven minutes to play, the Tar Heels again held a steady double-digit lead that it didn’t relinquish.

“I knew a run was going to come just because they’re the number one team in the country,” Paige said. “They’re explosive offensively, and they’re great on the boards. They were going to make a run, especially at home. But the way we responded to it is what allowed us to win the game, obviously.”

Five Tar Heels finished in double figures for the second time this year, and UNC held the Spartans to 31 percent from the floor in the second half. The Tar Heels finished with a 49-38 edge on the boards, a far cry from being outrebounded 52-37 against UAB.

The day before the win, Williams told reporters that he couldn’t think of a past team with wilder swings than his current crop of Tar Heels. Wednesday night, Williams was still at a loss.

“I have no idea,” he said. “I know we’ve gotten killed a lot of times, and we’ve beaten the crap out of a lot of people. I’d hate to think it’s been worse than this.”

The Tar Heels broke into smiles in the locker room mid-answer, already reliving the win. They laughed and joked with each other — the mood considerably lighter than following Sunday’s four-point loss to UAB.

“It’s hard to explain,” Paige said. “There are highs and lows so far for us. We beat a top-five team, lose, beat another. It’s crazy. We’re still getting there, we’re learning. This is a big step for us.”