Ian Jackson scored 19 points, leading a long-range assault as North Carolina won 91-59 over Virginia Tech, Tuesday in Blacksburg, Va, for its sixth straight victory.
Seth Trimble scored 17 points and RJ Davis added 15 for the Tar Heels (20-11, 13-6 ACC), who bolstered their shaky NCAA Tournament credentials. They entered Tuesday No. 43 in the NET rankings with a 1-10 mark in Quad 1 games.
Drake Powell scored 13 points and Ven-Allen Lubin added 10 points and 11 rebounds as North Carolina beat Virginia Tech for just the second time in its last five trips to Blacksburg.
The Tar Heels did it by continuing the marksmanship they’ve shown during their winning streak. They made 58.9 percent of their shots, including 15 of 28 (53.6 percent) from 3-point range.
Jackson made 5 of 8 from deep, while Davis and Powell each made 3 of 4 from distance. The 15 treys were a season high for the Tar Heels.
Jaydon Young scored 12 points and Ben Burnham collected 12 points and nine rebounds for the Hokies (13-17, 8-11).
Virginia Tech was without top scorer and rebounder Tobi Lawal, who is out with a lower-body injury.
The Tar Heels took control late in the first half as they used pressure defense to force turnovers and create fastbreak opportunities.
North Carolina’s surge came after Tyler Johnson hit two free throws to give Virginia Tech a 23-21 lead with 7:44 left in the period.
Over the last 3:17 of the half, North Carolina outscored Virginia Tech 15-1, with the run triggered by back-to-back 3-pointers from Jackson and Davis, who scored all of his points in the first half before resting for most of the second half.
Trimble closed the run, powering for a 3-point play and ending the half with an emphatic two-fisted slam to give the Tar Heels a 46-29 lead.
During one stretch of the second half, the Tar Heels made four straight triples, including two by Jackson, as they pushed their advantage to more than 30 points.
After shooting 32.3 percent from beyond the arc in its first 25 games, the Tar Heels have made 65 of 136 attempts (47.8 percent) from deep during their streak.
Jackson has led the way, making 17 of 28 (60.7 percent) from deep during the streak.
–Field Level Media
