CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — It took Walker Kessler one afternoon to go from promising reserve to having North Carolina fans — the first allowed to attend games all year — chanting his name.
He earned it, too, after sparking a turnaround that helped the Tar Heels upset the Atlantic Coast Conference’s top team, boost their NCAA Tournament resume and give their Hall of Fame coach a milestone victory.
The 7-foot-1 freshman scored a season-high 20 points to help North Carolina beat No. 11 Florida State 78-70 on Saturday, a game that saw the Tar Heels rally from 16 down on the way to giving Roy Williams his 900th career win.