CHAPEL HILL, N.C. -- North Carolina was hurtling toward yet another loss to fellow blueblood Kansas , down after a shaky half marked by turnovers and stagnant offense.

Charging out of the second half with rousing energy and an edge changed everything, both for Friday night's game and in validating Hubert Davis' retooling of the roster after the Tar Heels barely made last year's NCAA tournament.

By the end, the 25th-ranked Tar Heels had rolled to an 87-74 win against the 19th-ranked Jayhawks behind contributions from a star freshman, a transfer portal big man and a returning senior, who took on the toughest defensive assignment against Kansas star freshman Darryn Peterson .

Trailing by 10 points in the first half and 37-29 at the break, North Carolina made 18 of 23 shots after ha

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