CHAPEL HILL – North Carolina needed a win Monday and got one, grinding out a 78-68 victory over Virginia Tech at the Smith Center while slightly shifting the course from how things unfolded last week.

UNC lost games at Miami and Wake Forest by a combined 50 points last week, so disconnecting from those two performances in any manner was a must Monday night.

The Tar Heels overcame a 15-2 Hokies run in the first half while getting a bit stingy defensively after the intermission in the win. They also survived Armando Bacot fouling out and not having the services of Dawson Garcia, who was back home in Minnesota dealing with a family illness.

Carolina trailed early in the second half but with 16:39 remaining and held it the rest of the way.