CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — Georgia men’s basketball finished on a closing 10-2 surge and won 78-70 at North Carolina on Friday night, Nov. 13, staying unbeaten at 4-0 and handing the Tar Heels their first loss.
The win at the Smith Center was the Bulldogs’ first over North Carolina in nine visits to Chapel Hill, a series of road trips that goes back to 1918. Georgia had not beaten the Tar Heels anywhere since 1983, when it won 82-77 in that year’s NCAA East Regional final, and it ended a 21-game home winning streak for North Carolina, now 3-1.
Kanon Catchings led everyone with 22 points, a season best, and pulled down a career-high 11 rebounds. He made five 3-pointers and scored 11 in each half. Blue Cain added 20 points with four makes from deep, while Marcus Millender chipped in 17 points to go with seven rebounds.
Georgia trailed 28-27 late in the first half before an 11-3 run sent it to the break up 38-31. North Carolina answered with a strong start to the second half and led 60-51 with 10:35 to go, but the Tar Heels went cold, missing 16 of their final 21 shots.
With the game tied at 68 and 2:42 left, Georgia knocked down two 3-pointers and four free throws while North Carolina missed four of its last five attempts.
The Bulldogs won the rebounding battle 52-43 and hit 14 of 36 from 3-point range. North Carolina tried a program-record 38 threes and made only nine. Terrence Brown led the Tar Heels with 21 points.
Georgia plays at home against Jacksonville on Monday, Nov. 16, at 7 p.m. at Stegeman Coliseum, then faces in-state rival Georgia Tech in Atlanta on Friday, Nov. 20, at 8 p.m.
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