Tar Heels hammer Huskies, advance to Sweet 16

Coby White #2 of the North Carolina Tar Heels takes a shot against David Crisp #1 of the Washington Huskies. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)

COLUMBUS, Ohio (GoHeels.com) – Nassir Little scored 16 second-half points and Luke Maye posted a double-double as top-seeded North Carolina (29-6) beat ninth-seeded Washington, 81-59, in the second round of the NCAA Midwest Regional on Sunday afternoon in Nationwide Arena.

Little finished with 20 points in the game, and Maye had 20 points and 14 rebounds.The Tar Heels advance to meet fifth-seeded Auburn next Friday in Kansas City.Carolina will be making its 36th appearance in an NCAA regional semifinal overall and its 10th in 16 years under head coach Roy Williams.

Garrison Brooks #15 of the North Carolina Tar Heels hugs Kenny Williams. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)

UNC is 23-8 in the round of 32 since the field expanded to 64 teams in 1985 and 10-5 in the second round under Williams. Carolina is 63-11 as a No. 1 seed

Midway through the first half, UNC sophomore forward Garrison Brooks took an elbow to the chin and left the court. He needed stiches to his lower lip and suffered one loosened tooth and one possibly fractured tooth as a result.  He returned to the game for the start of the second half.

The Tar Heels shot 52 percent in the opening half but allowed the Huskies to shoot 48 percent. Maye had 13 point and eight boards in the first half and White had four three-pointers for 12 points.  UNC led, 41-33, at the break.

Carolina held the Huskies to 29 percent shooting from the floor in the second half.