No. 5 UNC bounces back, hands No. 22 UCLA 2nd consecutive loss

Marcus Paige didn't take his poor showing in an upset loss to Butler on Wednesday lightly.

A day after shooting 5-of-17 and committing three turnovers against the Bulldogs, the UNC point guard was in some kind of zone Thursday as the No. 5 Tar Heels dispatched No. 22 UCLA by a score of 78-56. Paige shot 7-of-15 and hit four triples en route to 21 points, adding five assists and three steals for good measure.

It stands as a solid reminder why UNC is thought so highly of, despite having an uncharacteristic lack of potential first-round talent.

Brice Johnson had a quiet outing, but Kyle Anderson Lite Justin Jackson picked up some slack, scoring 12 points with five rebounds, and J.P. Tokoto came through off the bench for 10 points to lead the subs. The team shot just 41.8 percent overall but took care of the ball well and forced a shaky Bruins outfit into turnover after turnover.

Part of the problem Thursday was foul trouble that limited top prospect Kevon Looney to 23 minutes. He still managed 11 points and six rebounds, but UCLA was unable to find a flow without him and with Norman Powell (who played well otherwise), Bryce Alford and Isaac Hamilton coughing the ball up all over the place.

A day after dropping a 75-65 decision to Oklahoma, UCLA again looked out of sorts, tallying 23 miscues and shooting just 38.6 percent. While they're not necessarily considered a contender, getting bounced in back-to-back games in the Battle 4 Atlantis is a clear message Steve Alford's team has work to do before the Pac-12 schedule opens.