No. 9 Tar Heels use late surge to down Kansas State

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Justin Jackson scored 22 points, Kennedy Meeks added 15 and ninth-ranked North Carolina used a 21-3 finishing run to beat Kansas State 80-70 on Tuesday night in the CBE Classic title game.

Theo Pinson scored 11 and Brice Johnson had 10 points for the Tar Heels (5-1), who trailed 67-59 with just more than 4 minutes remaining before their game-ending charge.

Kamau Stokes hit six 3-pointers and finished with 24 points for the Wildcats (4-1), but the freshman also committed a pair of costly turnovers in the closing minutes. Justin Edwards added 10 points.

Meeks started the Tar Heels' final push with a pair of free throws, and Johnson added a putback moments later - one that perhaps could have been called interference. Joel Berry II added a 3 from in front of his own bench, and Jackson scored on a drive to the basket.