Nassir Little Erupts as No. 8 UNC Routs No. 16 FSU Behind Strong 2nd Half

Just days after knocking off No. 1 Duke, eighth-ranked North Carolina defeated No. 16 Florida State 77-59 at the Dean E. Smith Center in Chapel Hill on Saturday.

Nassir Little led the way for the Tar Heels with 18 points and eight rebounds, and Luke Maye (15 points and 11 rebounds) and Cameron Johnson (18 points and 10 rebounds) each recorded double-doubles.

David Nichols had 16 points in a losing effort for the Seminoles.

Surviving Brutal Schedule Makes Tar Heels Final Four Threat

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Saying the Tar Heels have been tested this season would be an understatement. And while they haven't always won, they've proved themselves to be a threat to cut down the nets in Minneapolis.

According to CBSSports.com, Roy Williams' squad ranks eighth in strength of schedule. It's faced the likes of Michigan, Gonzaga, Kentucky, Virginia Tech, NC State, Louisville, Virginia, Duke and Florida State. In their last four games, the Tar Heels have taken on the fourth-ranked Cavaliers, the top-ranked Blue Devils and the 16th-ranked Seminoles.

They still have a 22-5 record and sit atop the ACC alongside Virginia at 12-2 in conference play. Following Saturday's victory, North Carolina has seven Quadrant I victories.

That impressive resume has the Tar Heels at No. 6 in RPI, per CBSSports.com.

North Carolina is so tough because of its roster full of playmakers. Luke Maye proved against Duke on Wednesday that he can dominate a game down low. Cameron Johnson (46.5 percent) ranks first in the ACC in three-point shooting. Kenny Williams can knock down shots from the perimeter. Little (9.4 ppg) and fellow freshman Coby White (15.4 ppg) are each capable of going off.

Meanwhile, the Tar Heels have once again dominated the boards. They entered Saturday's action as the nation's best rebounding team (42.7 rpg). The ability to control the paint has allowed them to overcome recent three-point shooting struggles (25.4 percent over the last two games).

Don't forget that this squad got bounced out of the NCAA tournament in the second round as a No. 2 seed a season ago. That type of disappointment still has to be fresh in the players' minds, especially for a senior like Maye. It's also worth noting Maye was a member of the 2016-17 championship team, so his experience can't be overvalued.

North Carolina's schedule lets up a bit as the regular season winds down, with the next three games against unranked opponents. However, a showdown against archrival Duke in the regular-season finale looms—and then it's time for the postseason.

There are plenty of talented teams with quality resumes. But when it comes time to fill out a bracket, there aren't many teams that have proved more capable of a deep March run than the Tar Heels.

Depth Makes Seminoles Dangerous March Madness Sleepers

The Seminoles may have lost Saturday, but they made the Tar Heels earn the win. A balanced attack is a big reason for that.

Florida State entered the weekend ranked 70th in scoring at 77.2 points per game. While it has no trouble lighting up the scoreboard, Leonard Hamilton's squad only has two players who average double figures: Mfiondu Kabengele (13.4 ppg) and Terance Mann (11.7). For comparison's sake, Kabengele would rank fourth on the Tar Heels.

The lack of a dynamic scorer hasn't stopped the Seminoles from piling up wins, though. If anything, the depth caused them to catch fire recently.

During the team's eight-game winning streak, which ended Saturday, Florida State's bench averaged 33.5 points per game. Of course, that total is helped by the fact that the team's leading scorer comes off the bench. Kabengele averaged 16.5 points per game over his last 11 appearances before Saturday.

Even though North Carolina held Kabengele (eight points) in check, the Seminoles hung with the Tar Heels in the Dean Dome for much of the game. Ultimately, though, being held without a field goal for nearly nine minutes late in the second half proved costly.

That type of drought doesn't typically happen for well-balanced teams. But a top-tier squad like North Carolina can get opponents out of a rhythm, especially when the Heels make their signature scoring runs.

Florida State may not be the most talented team in college basketball, but don't be surprised if the Seminoles make some noise in March.

What's Next

Florida State (21-6) will be back in action Monday when it returns to Tallahassee to host the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. North Carolina (22-5) is off until Tuesday, when the Syracuse Orange come to town.