UNC ends Louisville streak at 21

UNCASVILLE, Conn. — One week earlier, Roy Williams apologized to his players after one of the most troubling defeats of his tenure at North Carolina. On Sunday, after the No. 24 Tar Heels’ 93-84 upset of No. 3 Louisville, Williams walked into an ecstatic locker room and participated in the celebration.

There was dancing and hollering and “bumping around,” as Williams described it, after one of the Tar Heels’ most unlikely victories in a long time. Nothing foreshadowed what UNC accomplished at the Mohegan Sun Arena.

Not the stunning home loss a week earlier to Belmont. Not the sluggish victory against Richmond on Saturday. Not the sense that UNC (4-1) appeared unlikely to compete with the defending national champions without P.J. Hairston and Leslie McDonald, their most experienced guards who haven’t played this season amid NCAA eligibility concerns.

Since early June, when Hairston was arrested in Durham, N.C., it seemed to be one negative thing after another for Williams and his team.

Then came Sunday. The Tar Heels snapped Louisville’s 21-game winning streak, and it was North Carolina’s first victory against a top-5 opponent since it won at Duke in the final game of the 2011-12 season.

“There’s no question it’s satisfying to have some good things to think about,” Williams said. “Since June 5 ... it’s been probably the most difficult time I’ve ever had as a coach.

“But watching those kids (Sunday) and seeing their excitement, bumping around with them there in the locker room and celebrating — that’s what I coach for.”

Sophomore Marcus Paige set a career high for the second consecutive game with 32 points — he scored 26 against Richmond — and Kennedy Meeks had 13 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists for the Tar Heels.

Russ Smith had a careerhigh 36 points, 22 in the first half, and Chris Jones scored 20 for the Cardinals (5-1), who shot just 38.8 percent from the floor.

— Raleigh, N.C., News & Observer