Brice Johnson leads UNC to 106-90 win over Florida State

TALLAHASSEE, FLA. — Brice Johnson did everything imaginable in the No. 6 North Carolina men's basketball team's 106-90 win against Florida State on Monday. 

The 6-foot-10 forward scored a career-high 39 points while hauling in 23 rebounds — also a career best — in what Coach Roy Williams said was "about as good (a performance) as any I've ever seen, particularly on the road."

Johnson seemed to score and rebound at will against the Seminoles, who watched the senior shoot 87.5 percent from the field. He missed just two shots (14-for-16) and made 11 of his 16 free throw attempts; while also collecting 46 percent of UNC's 50 rebounds.

Meanwhile, Marcus Paige had the quietest 30-point game of his career — shooting 5-for-9 from the 3-point line, collecting five assists and grabbing five rebounds of his own. 

Together, Johnson and Paige combined for 65 percent of UNC's points (69-of-106).

The efforts from the two veteran players helped prevent an upset by the Seminoles (10-4, 0-2 ACC), who led 56-55 with 15:49 left in the second half and had sophomore guard Xavier Rathan-Mayes put on another scoring display against the Tar Heels. 

After scoring 35 points against UNC during the 2014-15 season, Rathan-Mayes managed 30 points Monday night — hitting 7-of-9 3-pointers, including five in the first half. 

In addition to Rathan-Mayes' scoring abilities, North Carolina (14-2, 3-0 ACC) was able to overcome foul and turnover trouble of its own. The Tar Heels finished the game with six players with at least three fouls, and they turned the ball over 16 times. 

Quotable

"You know, we've been roommates for four years. Other than Coach, I'm pretty critical of him sometimes, I get on him because he's my boy. But I don't have anything to say man, I'm speechless. That is what we know he's been capable of doing, and he just took a huge step tonight. He was phenomenal." — Paige on Johnson's performance.

Notable

Johnson's performance makes him the second Tar Heel ever with at least 39 points and 23 rebounds in a game. It is the first time a UNC player has accomplished that feat in 52 years. Billy Cunningham is the other, and he managed it twice. 

Three numbers that matter

18: UNC finished with 18 offensive rebounds (seven of which came from Johnson), which helped the Tar Heels score 17 second-chance points. Florida State managed just 11 offensive boards and nine second-chance points. 

9.1 percent: The combined shooting percentage for Florida State first-year guards Dwayne Bacon and Malik Beasley during the first half. The two combined to go just 1-for-11 from the floor during the first half, which helped the Tar Heels go into the break with a 41-37 lead. Entering Monday's game, the two were both averaging 17.2 points per game. They finished with 18 and 15 points, respectively, but their lack of production in the first half was crucial. 

87: The number of total possessions between the two teams in Monday's frantic affair. Williams has long been a believer in up-tempo teams, and Florida State coach Leonard Hamilton has seemed to subscribe to that strategy this season. Entering the game, both teams were in the top 25 in the country in tempo (Florida State averaging 74.4 possessions per game, UNC averaging 74.1), and putting them on the same court made for an extremely fast-paced game. The average possession time for the Tar Heels was just 14 seconds, while Florida State averaged 13. 

What's next?

After playing four games in just eight days, the Tar Heels will get a four-day break before playing Syracuse at 8 p.m. on Saturday at the Carrier Dome.

@CarlosACollazo

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