Tar Heels take over ACC lead

North Carolina bounced back with another big win on the road and took Boston College’s spot atop the Atlantic Coast Conference standings.

Tyler Hansbrough had 17 points and seven rebounds to lead the fourth-ranked Tar Heels (23-4, 9-3) to a 77-72 victory over No. 21 Boston College on Saturday night, putting them in a first-place tie with Virginia. Carolina has followed each of its four losses this season with a road victory over a ranked team.

“We’re a pretty darn good team on the road,” Tar Heels Coach Roy Williams said. “I love it. I really do. I love going on the road and quieting the crowd.”

The Eagles (18-8, 9-4) got to within three points twice in the final minutes.

But Jared Dudley missed all three free throws after he was fouled attempting a three-pointer with 1:29 left. He also missed a three-pointer when it was 75-72 with 10 seconds left. Ty Lawson made two free throws with seven seconds left to clinch the win.

No. 7 Pittsburgh 65, Washington 61 -- The Panthers (23-4) beat the Huskies (16-10) at Pittsburgh in the first game between the schools in more than 56 years. The Panthers’ effort reminded Huskies Coach Lorenzo Romar of a much more familiar Pacific 10 opponent: No. 5 UCLA.

“I think they’re right there with the best teams in the country,” Romar said of Pitt. “They’re not atop the Big East for nothing. They’re very physical.... and UCLA and Pitt play very similarly for obvious reasons.”

UCLA’s Ben Howland coached Pitt from 1999 to 2003 before being succeeded by his former assistant, Jamie Dixon, so the two teams understandably play comparable styles. Washington matched Pitt’s physical toughness, but lost because it couldn’t counter the Panthers’ quickness and athleticism.

No. 8 Memphis 78, Gonzaga 77 -- Chris Douglas-Roberts drove across the key through traffic and made a one-handed layup with 5.6 seconds left in overtime at Spokane to give the Tigers (23-3) their 15th consecutive victory.

Memphis led, 76-75, but Jeremy Hunt fouled Abdullahi Kuso with 17.6 seconds left and Kuso made both free throws to put the Bulldogs (18-10) ahead, 77-76. Gonzaga’s Jeremy Pargo scored with a minute remaining in regulation to tie the score at 69-69.

No. 9 Kansas 92, Nebraska 39 -- The Jayhawks (23-4, 10-2 Big 12) handed the Cornhuskers (15-10, 4-7) the second-worst defeat in the 110-year history of Nebraska basketball. It was eclipsed only by a 102-46 loss to Kansas in 1958. The 53-point margin at Lawrence, Kan., matched the second-largest margin of victory in Big 12 history.

Iona 52, Delaware 50 -- Mike Harris made four free throws in the final 40 seconds, and the Gaels won their first road game in more than a year. Iona (2-25) came in as the only team in Division I with only one victory -- at home over Rider on Feb. 3.