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Maye’s huge night helps North Carolina top Boston College 96-66

Boston College v North Carolina

CHAPEL HILL, NC - JANUARY 09: (L-R) Garrison Brooks #15, Seventh Woods #0, Luke Maye #32, Andrew Platek #3 and Sterling Manley #21 of the North Carolina Tar Heels cheers on the reserves during their game against the Boston College Eagles at the Dean Smith Center on January 9, 2018 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. North Carolina won 96-66. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)

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CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) — Luke Maye had career highs of 32 points and 18 rebounds while No. 20 North Carolina’s small lineup got off to a fast start in a 96-66 win against Boston College on Tuesday night.

Cameron Johnson added 14 points and 11 rebounds for the Tar Heels (13-4, 2-2 Atlantic Coast Conference), who were trying to avoid their first three-game losing streak since January 2014. UNC coach Roy Williams juggled his starting lineup to move in Johnson over freshman forward Garrison Brooks — and that wing-heavy unit responded by getting out in transition and on the attack in their active opening minutes.

Maye became the first North Carolina player with at least 30 points and 15 rebounds at home since Antawn Jamison in 1997-98, according to ESPN Stats & Info.

UNC ran off an early 12-0 burst to go ahead for good, then relentlessly attacked the boards to address one of Williams’ primary concerns with going small for long stretches.

Ky Bowman scored 21 points to lead Boston College (11-6, 2-3), which has lost 11 straight against the Tar Heels.

BIG PICTURE

Boston College: The Eagles have proven they’re capable of big shooting days, most notably by making 15 of 26 3-pointers to hand then-No. 1 Duke its first loss in December. But they got off to a 2-for-13 shooting start, then struggled to grab a rebound in UNC’s opening flurry. UNC grabbed 16 of the game’s first 18 rebounds, putting BC in a quick hole that its periodic bouts of warmed-up shooting couldn’t erase.

UNC: The Tar Heels lost on the road to two ranked league opponents last week, most notably when they struggled to find any daylight against No. 3 Virginia’s enveloping defense in a 61-49 loss. Things came much easier this time, with UNC doing a better job of spacing and getting out on the break early. And perhaps most importantly for Williams, UNC dominated the glass (58-23 advantage, 24 second-chance points) with Maye having a double-double by halftime and Johnson posting his second career double-double in his first start for UNC.

UP NEXT

Boston College: The Eagles step out of league play to host Dartmouth on Saturday.

UNC: The Tar Heels visit Notre Dame on Saturday.

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