Field Level Media
Jan 25, 2020
Brandon Robinson returned to action and scored a career-high 29 points as North Carolina ended a five-game losing streak by thumping visiting Miami 94-71 on Saturday afternoon in Chapel Hill, N.C.
Roy Williams picked up his 880th career coaching victory, finally passing his mentor, Dean Smith, for fourth place on the all-time Division I men's list.
North Carolina (9-10, 2-6 Atlantic Coast Conference), which had lost six straight ACC games for the first time in program history, produced a season-high point total and largest margin of victory this season.
Armando Bacot checked in with 19 points and 12 rebounds and Garrison Brooks added 14 points for the Tar Heels, who shot above 50 percent for the first time this season at 58.0 percent.
Isaiah Wong's 19 points, Anthony Walker's 14 points and Rodney Miller Jr.'s 13 points were tops for short-handed Miami (10-9, 2-7), which lost its fourth game in a row.
Miami, which had used the same starting lineup in every game this season, was without starting guards Chris Lykes, the team's leading scorer at 15.7 points per game, and Kameron McGusty (14.5) because of injuries -- groin ailment and back spasms, respectively.
Robinson, a senior guard who missed Wednesday night's double-overtime loss at Virginia Tech because of neck pain associated with an automobile accident following a Jan. 11 game, scored nine of North Carolina's points as it built a 24-7 lead.
Robinson ended up with six 3-pointers, the most by a North Carolina player this season.
North Carolina went up 17-4 in the opening nine minutes. Three other times this month, the Tar Heels had double-figure leads and ended up losing.
The Hurricanes shot 1-for-14 on 3-point attempts in the first half.
North Carolina played without guard Jeremiah Francis because of knee soreness. The Tar Heels have their third game in a six-day period Monday night at rival North Carolina State.
The Tar Heels improved to 5-5 in home games.
--Field Level Media