The 11th-ranked Tar Heels used their inside strength and depth to beat the 22nd-ranked Bruins 89-76 on Saturday in the CBS Sports Classic at Barclays Center.
UCLA had beaten then-No. 1 Kentucky and then-No. 20 Gonzaga in the last nine days, wins that propelled the Bruins into the Top 25 for the first time this season.
The toughest guy for UCLA to stop either in transition or down low was senior forward Brice Johnson, who had 27 points, the second straight game he set his career high.