Caleb Love scored two key second-half baskets to finish with 16 points as North Carolina held off Boston College for a 58-47 victory Wednesday night in Chapel Hill, N.C.
RJ Davis added 13 points for North Carolina (14-6, 6-3 Atlantic Coast Conference), which has won twice across a three-night span at home after a couple of blowout road losses last week.
It took a stout late-game defensive effort to maintain the lead on Wednesday. North Carolina shot just 29.1 percent from the floor.
The Tar Heels won despite Armando Bacot’s streak of double-doubles ending at 10 games. He had six points — shooting 1-for-10 from the field — but grabbed 18 rebounds.
Quinten Post scored 10 points off the bench for Boston College (8-11, 3-6), which has lost twice this month to North Carolina. The Eagles shot 33.3 percent from the field, making just 1 of 16 of their 3-point attempts.
The Tar Heels improved to 11-0 in home games.
It was the third game in five days for both teams, who both played a makeup game on Monday. The Eagles had a rough two-game trip, as they lost 87-57 at Wake Forest on Monday.
Love scored 10 first-half points as North Carolina led 33-31 at the break.
He didn’t score in the second half until 8:44 remained, when he gave the Tar Heels a 50-43 edge before the team’s scoring drought of more than four minutes allowed the Eagles to get as close as 50-47. Love had the next basket.
Boston College didn’t score in the final 7:12. Love and Davis both went 2-for-2 at the foul line in the final minute as the Tar Heels ended up 20 of 25 on free throws. The Eagles were 6 of 8 from the line.
North Carolina’s Dawson Garcia, who averages nine points per game, missed his second game after leaving early in the week because of family medical situation.
North Carolina also defeated Boston College 91-65 on Jan. 2 in Chestnut Hill, Mass.
–Field Level Media
