JACKSONVILLE, FL – Fourth-seeded North Carolina overcame early foul trouble to dispatch Arkansas 87-78 Saturday night, sending the Tar Heels into the Sweet 16 for the first time in three years. They’ll face the winner of Sunday’s Wisconsin-Oregon game next week in Los Angeles.
Arkansas took advantage of Marcus Paige’s slow start to keep pace with the Tar Heels in the first half, but Paige’s 20 second half points soon pulled UNC ahead for good.
Arkansas’ Michael Qualls led all scorers with 27 points in the losing effort.
Tom McCarthy and Donny Marshall called the action on Westwood One Sports.