A Harrison Ingram three-pointer at the 7:59 mark of the first half changed the game.
After his bucket, the North Carolina Tar Heels finished the half on a 20-3 run to lead at the break. Carolina turned a 12-point deficit into a nine-point halftime lead and an eventual 16-point victory.
It was clear Michigan State’s offensive strategy was to work the ball in the paint. In a rare upset, the Spartans outrebounded the Tar Heels 37-32.
However, Carolina did not make that easy for MSU. The UNC defense woke up with just over a third left in the first half, and the big guys responded.