National Basketball Association
BOXSCORE | RECAP
North Carolina 71, Virginia 67
When: 7:00 PM ET, Friday, March 13, 2015
Where: Greensboro Coliseum, Greensboro, North Carolina
Officials: # Roger Ayers, # Jerry Heater, # Raymond Styons
Attendance: 22026

No. 19 North Carolina 71, No. 4 Virginia 67: Freshman Justin Jackson scored a season-high 22 points on 8-of-10 shooting from the field as the Tar Heels defeated the Cavaliers in the ACC tournament semifinals at Greensboro, N.C.

Marcus Paige contributed 14 points, including two free throws with 3.9 seconds left, to close it out for fifth-seeded North Carolina (24-10), which plays third-seeded Notre Dame in Saturday’s championship game. Brice Johnson had 13 points and Kennedy Meeks grabbed nine rebounds for the Tar Heels, who shot 54.8 percent from the field.

Malcolm Brogdon led the way with 22 of his 25 points in the second half for top-seeded Virginia (29-3), which has dropped two of its last three games. London Perrantes and Anthony Gill chipped in with 12 points apiece for the Cavaliers, who cut a 13-point deficit to one in the second half.

Jackson’s floater extended North Carolina’s lead to 13, but Brogdon scored 11 during a 17-7 burst that pulled Virginia within 58-55 with 4:23 to go. Brogdon’s 3-pointer cut it to 61-60 with 2:45 left and after the teams traded baskets, Paige made a shot in the lane with 41.6 ticks left before the Cavaliers missed two 3s to tie and the Tar Heels sealed it at the line.

North Carolina scored 14 of the first 18 points and led by as many as 11 after Jackson’s 3-pointer with 3:05 left in the first half before settled for a 30-23 edge at intermission. The Tar Heels pushed the lead to 13 early in the second half before Virginia ran off nine of the next 12, capped by a tip-in by Gill.

GAME NOTEBOOK: The Tar Heels are 33-14 all time in ACC tournament semifinals and will go for their 18th title. … Second-leading scorer Justin Anderson of Virginia went 0-of-4 from the field and did not score in the last two games since missing eight with a fractured finger, followed by an appendectomy. … Paige drained two 3-pointers to pass Jeff Lebo (211) for fifth on North Carolina’s all-time list with 212.
Top Game Performances
 
North Carolina   Virginia
Justin Jackson 22 Scoring Malcolm Brogdon 25
Marcus Paige 5 Assists London Perrantes 3
Kennedy Meeks 9 Rebounds Malcolm Brogdon 5
Kennedy Meeks 5 Free Throws Made London Perrantes 5
Marcus Paige 2 Steals Evan Nolte 4
Kennedy Meeks 2 Blocks Justin Anderson 1
Team Stats Summary
 
Team Points FG% 3PM-3PA FTM-FTA Assists Rebounds Blocks Steals Turnovers
North Carolina 71 54.8 7-14 18-27 17 30 2 7 18
Virginia 67 44.2 5-16 16-20 8 21 2 8 13