MEN'S TOP 25 Tar Heels pull closer to first

North Carolina moved within one-half game of Wake Forest in the ACC.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. -- Rashad McCants had 23 points and Sean May added 17 points and 16 rebounds, helping No. 4 North Carolina pull out an 85-61 victory against Virginia on Wednesday night.
Jawad Williams and Raymond Felton each scored 12 points for the Tar Heels (21-3, 9-2), who moved within one-half game of first-place Wake Forest in the Atlantic Coast Conference. McCants had a season-high six assists as North Carolina won for seventh time in eight games.
The Cavaliers (13-10, 4-8) continued their slowdown tactics started earlier this month by coach Pete Gillen, holding the ball on nearly every possession while the shot clock wound down.
It was a bit reminiscent of the 1982 ACC championship game, when the Tar Heels beat the Cavaliers 47-45 after stalling for the final 7 1/2 minutes. That game -- with players such as Michael Jordan, James Worthy and Ralph Sampson on the court -- is generally credited with forcing the eventual implementation of the shot clock.
No. 6 Boston College 74,Rutgers 64
BOSTON -- Sean Marshall scored 22 points and Jared Dudley had 14 points and 12 rebounds as the Eagles (21-1, 10-1 Big East) bounced back from their first loss of the season.
Boston College had not played since a 68-65 loss at Notre Dame eight days ago.
Ricky Shields scored 16 points and Byron Joynes had 12 rebounds for Rutgers (8-14, 2-10), which has lost seven of eight.
No. 16 Alabama 72, Arkansas 63
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- Chuck Davis scored 16 of his 21 points in the second half to lead the Crimson Tide (20-4, 9-2 Southeastern Conference) to its second consecutive 20-win season.
Jonathon Modica was 6-of-7 from the field and scored 16 points for the Razorbacks (17-8, 5-7), who had a three-game winning streak snapped.
No. 21 Oklahoma 83, Nebraska 60
NORMAN, Okla. -- Terrell Everett scored 18 points and Drew Lavender added 10 as Oklahoma ended a three-game losing streak.
Kevin Bookout had 12 points and Jaison Williams scored 10 for the Sooners (18-6, 7-4 Big 12).
Joe McCray had 21 points and Muhleisen scored 11 for Nebraska (11-11, 4-7).
N.C. State 82, No. 22 Maryland 63
RALEIGH, N.C. -- Ilian Evtimov and Tony Bethel each scored 17 points to lift North Carolina State over No. 22 Maryland.
Julius Hodge added 13 points and nine assists for the Wolfpack (15-10, 5-7 Atlantic Coast Conference), who led by 20 points in the first half. The win gives N.C. State its first regular-season sweep of the Terrapins (15-8, 6-6) since the 1988-89 season.
No. 23 Charlotte 66, DePaul 62
CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Curtis Withers scored 18 points and Eddie Basden added 15 points and 10 rebounds for Charlotte (18-4, 9-2 Conference USA).
Drake Diener tied the school record with seven 3-pointers and had 25 points for the Blue Demons (16-6, 8-3).
Charlotte was playing its first game as a ranked team in six years.
No. 24 Cincinnati 83,Southern Mississippi 51
CINCINNATI -- Jason Maxiell scored 20 points and Eric Hicks had 18 points and 12 rebounds as the Bearcats (19-6, 7-4 Conference USA) dominated up front with a 44-19 rebound advantage.
Rashaad Carruth had 16 points for the Golden Eagles (10-14, 1-11), who have lost six in a row for the second time this season.