North Carolina punches ticket to Elite Eight

March 24, 2017 at 9:20p.m.

MEMPHIS, TENN. (AP) — North Carolina is now within a win of a second straight Final Four.

The No. 1 seed in the South Region led by as many as 20 points before beating fourth-seeded Butler 92-80. That sent UNC back to the regional final, the latest step toward its season-long goal of returning to the national championship game and playing for the title that slipped away in last year's loss to Villanova.

The Tar Heels (30-7) will face the UCLA-Kentucky winner Sunday.