After three ties and six lead changes in the first half, the North Carolina men's basketball team pulled away late to claim a 41-30 advantage over Boston College heading into the break.
Here are the highlights from the first twenty minutes:
Hicks earns starting nod
After forward Kennedy Meeks showed up late to shootaround, Coach Roy Williams turned to sixth man Isaiah Hicks — who hadn't started a game all season.
In seven minutes on the court, the junior forward had mixed results. He recorded six points on 2-of-4 shooting and added three rebounds, but the 6-foot-9 forward committed three clumsy turnovers and picked up two fouls in limited action.
Paige heats up
In the midst of his worst shooting streak of his career, Marcus Paige showed signs of reprieve in the first half.
The senior guard scored the game's first points on an open 3-pointer — followed by a visible sigh of relief — and finished 3-of-6 from the field for eight points. Paige also hit an open 3-pointer after a shot clock violation, earning the approval of the crowd.
Curse of the charity stripe
If UNC hadn't struggled so mightily from the free-throw line, the result might be even more lopsided.
The Tar Heels entered the half 5-of-14 from the line, coming up empty on their first eight attempts. North Carolina shot 51.6 percent from the field, however — much improved from its poor shooting marks in the previous three contests.
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