By MITCHELL NORTHAM Associated Press
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) — Caleb Wilson and Henry Veesar both collected double-doubles as No. 16 North Carolina pulled away from visiting Georgetown in the second half to win 81-61.
Wilson tallied 20 points and 14 rebounds, while Veesar totaled 18 points and 15 boards for the Tar Heels (8-1). Derek Dixon and Luka Bogavac each added 14 points apiece for UNC.
KJ Lewis paced the Hoyas (6-3) with 17 points and Julius Halaifonua scored 14.
Sparked by a 3-pointer from Malik Mack, the Hoyas went on a 10-2 run in the game’s opening five minutes to grab an early five-point lead. The Tar Heels charged back though and led by seven points on a 3-pointer from Dixon just before intermission.
Georgetown trimmed its deficit to three on two occasions early in the second half, but the Tar Heels used a 12-2 run midway through the second half to open a 15-point lead. That scoring surge was capped off by Dixon, Veesar and Jarin Stevenson swishing 3-pointers in the span of less than 90 seconds.
UNC has been led this season by the frontcourt duo of Veesar and Wilson, who entered the game averaging a combined 35.3 points and 18.6 rebounds per game. They’re the first pair of Tar Heels to average at least 16 points and eight rebounds per game since Jerry Stackhouse and Rasheed Wallace did in the 1994-95 season. In eight of UNC’s nine games, either Veesar or Wilson have led North Carolina in scoring.
Georgetown guard DeShawn Harris-Smith (personal reasons) did not play, according to a statement from the team.
Up next
North Carolina: USC Upstate visits Chapel Hill on Saturday.
Georgetown: The Hoyas host Saint Peter’s on Saturday.