CHAPEL HILL, N.C. -- If North Carolina has regained its collective shooting stroke, this could mean real trouble for future opponents.

The No. 2 Tar Heels looked efficient during stretches Saturday and the result was rewarding.

Forward Brice Johnson scored 17 points and collected 11 rebounds as North Carolina broke out of its shooting slump in an 89-62 victory over Boston College at the Dean Smith Center.

"It was not a relief because I really do believe we're going to make shots," Tar Heels coach Roy Williams said. "We just haven't been making them with the frequency I would like."

North Carolina snapped out of its shooting doldrums to finish at 53.7 percent from the field. The Tar Heels had shot below 40 percent from the field in their previous three games, but they have never hit that low of a rate for four games in a row under Williams.

Guard Joel Berry's 13 points and guard Marcus Paige's 12 gave a boost to North Carolina (19-2, 8-0 in the Atlantic Coast Conference), which has won 12 games in a row.

"I shot a lot this week," said Paige, who had been in the most glaring slump. "(Shooting) 3-for-8 (on 3-pointers) doesn't sound great, but on the good looks it felt great."

The biggest comfort of the opening half for the Tar Heels had to be the two 3-pointers made by Paige, who had been mired in a 5-of-35 shooting slump from the field across the previous four games.

"In the games I've been slumping, we're 4-0 and that's all about getting us to the next step," Paige said.

Williams said Paige, who reached a double-figure point total for the first time in five games, had done other things to make up for missed shots.

"I thought he was very, very good except for shooting the ball in the other games," said Williams, whose team has shot better than 50 percent from the field in 14 games this season.

It is the best start for North Carolina in ACC play since an 11-0 mark 15 years ago.

Guard Eli Carter led Boston College (7-14, 0-8) with 19 points. Forward Garland Owens had 14 points and forward A.J. Turner added 10.

Boston College had 18 turnovers with more than 16 minutes to play, finishing with a season-high 23 giveaways.

The Eagles didn't score for almost six minutes to begin the second half. By then, they fell into a 51-30 hole, with the Tar Heels using mostly man-to-man defense.

"We forced them into some things and they had more turnovers than they normally have," Williams said.

Boston College closed to within 63-48 before Paige's 3-pointer sparked a 9-2 run that put the game out of reach.

"We've been struggling offensively," Boston College coach Jim Christian said. "It has been hard for us to be consistent on offense."

North Carolina built a 41-30 halftime lead, though Boston College scored the last five points before the break.

Earlier, Boston College made 3-pointers for four of its first five field goals, grabbing a 14-11 lead and looking nothing like the worst shooting team in the ACC.

North Carolina had efficient early moments as well, with assists on nine of its first 10 baskets. The problem for the Tar Heels was they missed their first eight free throws.

Boston College's 10 3-point baskets were its most in ACC play this season.

Carter made three of the 3-pointers, but there might be mounting pressure on him to come up with a bulk of the offense. He has led the team in scoring in all except one of the Eagles’ ACC games.

"It helps when those other guys play well," Christian said of the supporting cast. "(We tell Carter) it's all about playing right. You don't have to score. You just have to make the right play."

NOTES: Boston College dropped to 0-6 on the road. ... North Carolina has won the last nine meetings with Boston College. ... Boston College G Jerome Robinson, a freshman from nearby Raleigh, sustained a broken wrist Tuesday night against Florida State and might miss a month. ... North Carolina C Joel James returned to action after missing the previous two games because of an Achilles injury. ... The Tar Heels begin a stretch of three consecutive road games on Monday night at Louisville and end in a rematch with Boston College on Feb. 9. ... This was the start of four Boston College games in a row against ranked teams, with the Eagles going next to Virginia and then to Louisville to wrap up a three-game road swing.