The Sports Xchange
Dec 20, 2017
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. -- Fletcher Magee scored 27 points as Wofford defeated a ranked team for the first time, stunning No. 5 North Carolina in a 79-75 victory Wednesday night at the Smith Center.
Wofford improved to 1-23 all-time against ranked opponents.
Cameron Jackson added 18 points for the Terriers (8-4).
Wofford knocked off an Atlantic Coast Conference team for the second time this month, also defeating Georgia Tech.
Joel Berry tallied 23 points, Luke Maye had 17 points and Garrison Brooks and Cameron Johnson both had 10 points for North Carolina (10-2).
The Terriers took a 57-43 lead with about 13 1/2 minutes remaining, making nine of their first 13 attempts from the field in the second half. Wofford didn't have a turnover across the first 11 minutes of the second half.
But foul trouble started to wear down Wofford as the Tar Heels climbed back.
North Carolina was within 70-69 when Wofford's Nathan Hoover drained a 3-pointer at the 3:48 mark.
Wofford's lead was cut to 73-72 after two Maye free throws at the 1:22 mark. Magee scored on a layup after the Terriers broke the press.
A charging call on Berry came before a shot-clock violation on Wofford gave the Tar Heels the ball back with 32 seconds to play, but Maye missed a 3-pointer from the wing coming out of a timeout.
Wofford's Trevor Stumpe made both ends of a 1-and-1 with 15.2 seconds left before Berry missed a 3.
The game marked the North Carolina debut of Johnson, a junior who is in his first season as a graduate transfer from Pittsburgh. He missed the opener with a neck injury and then suffered a torn meniscus Nov. 13 in practice.
Wofford burst out to an 11-5 lead, then the Tar Heels appeared to take control.
But North Carolina went scoreless in the final 3:40 of the first half, with the Terriers scoring the last eight points before the break for a 34-33 lead.
Magee has reached the 20-point mark in six consecutive games, including 36 points against Georgia Tech
NOTES: North Carolina senior G Joel Berry moved alone into seventh place on the school's career 3-point chart with 200. He entered the game tied with current assistant coach Hubert Davis. ... North Carolina had won the previous meetings against Wofford, though the teams have met just twice since 1926. The other recent matchup came two years ago. ... North Carolina is back in action Saturday afternoon, when it takes on Ohio State in New Orleans. ... Wofford is off until opening Southern Conference play Dec. 30 at UNC Greensboro. That will be the Terriers' third game in a row in the state of North Carolina.