5:47 PM ET
ESPN News Services
BLACKSBURG, Va. -- Justyn Mutts scored 27 points to pb Virginia Tech to an 80-72 triumph implicit No. 18 North Carolina connected Sunday.
Mutts scored 21 of his points successful the 2nd fractional for the Hokies (8-1, 1-0 Atlantic Coast Conference), who built an 18-point, second-half pb and past held connected to manus the slumping Tar Heels (5-4, 0-1) their 4th consecutive defeat.
The Associated Press' preseason No. 1 team, North Carolina played without halfway Armando Bacot, who missed the crippled with a bruised shoulder. The ACC's preseason subordinate of the twelvemonth had started 107 of 108 games successful his vocation and was averaging 16.1 points and a team-best 11.1 rebounds.
Virginia Tech, and successful particular, Mutts, took vantage of Bacot's absence. Mutts connected connected 12 of 16 from the floor, and helium besides grabbed 11 rebounds. Behind Mutts, the Hokies changeable 50.8% (31of 61) from the floor.
The Tar Heels person shown a deficiency of toughness wrong of late. Indiana and Alabama scored 50 and 40 points successful the paint, respectively, and past North Carolina allowed 42 points successful the overgarment to the Hokies.
Caleb Love, Pete Nance, and R.J. Davis each scored 18 for North Carolina.
Though each 4 losses during this skid person been either astatine neutral sites oregon connected the road, North Carolina astir apt volition driblet retired of the apical 25 erstwhile the updated canvass is released Monday.
Meanwhile, the defending ACC champions played their champion crippled of the play and look to beryllium meshing arsenic a team. Virginia has present person won 3 consecutive pursuing a nonaccomplishment to the College of Charleston connected Nov. 20.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.
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