Brice Johnson helps No. 2 North Carolina beat Va. Tech for 12th straight win

https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2016/01/24/d37929a8-c2d2-11e5-8965-0607e0e265ce_story.html

Version 0 of 1.

Brice Johnson scored 19 points and grabbed 17 rebounds Sunday in Blacksburg, Va., leading No. 2 North Carolina over Virginia Tech, 75-70, for its 12th straight victory.

The Tar Heels (18-2, 7-0 ACC) led by 20 in the first half, but the Hokies took a 61-59 lead on a basket by Kerry Blackshear Jr. with 8 minutes 5 seconds left. It was their only lead of the game.

Seth Allen made two free throws for the Hokies (12-8, 4-3) to pull within 72-70, but Marcus Paige hit two free throws with 17.8 seconds left to push the lead back to four.

After Virginia Tech’s Justin Bibbs missed a three-pointer with eight seconds to go, Johnson made one of two free throws with 6.5 seconds remaining for the final margin.

Zach LeDay scored 17 points and Jalen Hudson 14 for the Hokies, who lost their second straight.

● PROVIDENCE 82, VILLANOVA 76 (OT): Ben Bentil scored 10 of his 31 points in overtime, including two key free throws with 14.7 seconds left, to lead the No. 16 Friars (17-3, 5-2 Big East) past the No. 4 Wildcats (17-3, 7-1) in Philadelphia.

Bentil also grabbed 13 rebounds, helping Providence end Villanova’s 22-game Big East winning streak. Kris Dunn added 13 points and 14 assists for the Friars.

Ryan Arcidiacono had 19 points for the Wildcats and hit a three-pointer with seven seconds left in regulation to force OT.

● TEMPLE 89, SMU 80: The eighth-ranked Mustangs (18-1, 7-1 American Athletic Conference) became the last Division I team to lose this season when Devin Coleman scored a career-high 23 points and led the Owls (11-7, 5-2) to a win in Philadelphia.

Coach Larry Brown and SMU are ineligible for postseason play this year because of NCAA infractions.

Coleman made all seven of his three-point shots, and Quenton DeCosey added 19 points for Temple. Sterling Brown scored 19 points to lead SMU.

● IOWA 83, PURDUE 71: Jarrod Uthhoff scored 13 of his 22 points in the first half, and the No. 9 Hawkeyes (16-3, 7-0 Big Ten) beat the No. 22 Boilermakers (17-4, 5-3) in Iowa City for their ninth victory in a row.

Adam Woodbury added 13 points and 10 rebounds for Iowa, which has beaten four ranked teams since late December ahead of Thursday’s meeting at No. 7 Maryland.

● OREGON STATE 85, USC 70: Gary Payton II had 22 points, 15 rebounds, eight assists and four steals, leading the Beavers (12-6, 3-4 Pacific-12) past the No. 21 Trojans (15-5, 4-3) in Corvallis, Ore.

● VCU 84, ST. BONAVENTURE 76: JeQuan Lewis had 26 points and seven assists, and the Rams (15-5, 7-0 Atlantic 10) rallied to beat the Bonnies (12-6, 4-3) in Richmond for their 10th straight victory. Marcus Posley scored 30 for St. Bonaventure.

● HOFSTRA 91, WILLIAM AND MARY 63: Juan’ya Green hit six three-pointers and scored a season-high 30 points, and the Pride (14-6, 6-2 Colonial) defeated the Tribe (13-6, 5-3) in Hempstead, N.Y. David Cohn scored 16 for William and Mary.