Keeping It Heel
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PK80: Tar Heels clinch spot in championship game with win over Arkansas

By Zack Pearson

PORTLAND, OR - NOVEMBER 23: Head coach Roy Williams of the North Carolina Tar Heels cheers on from the sidelines during the first half of the game against the Portland Pilots during the PK80-Phil Knight Invitational presented by State Farm at the Moda Center on November 23, 2017 in Portland, Oregon. North Carolina won the game 102-78. (Photo by Steve Dykes/Getty Images)
PORTLAND, OR - NOVEMBER 23: Head coach Roy Williams of the North Carolina Tar Heels cheers on from the sidelines during the first half of the game against the Portland Pilots during the PK80-Phil Knight Invitational presented by State Farm at the Moda Center on November 23, 2017 in Portland, Oregon. North Carolina won the game 102-78. (Photo by Steve Dykes/Getty Images) /
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The North Carolina Tar Heels will play for the championship in the Victory Bracket at the inaugural PK80 Invitational on Sunday night.

Just months after losing to the Tar Heels in the second round of the NCAA Tournament, Arkansas got their shot again. But like that meeting in March, the Tar Heels were just too much for the Razorbacks.

Arkansas jumped out to a quick 10-4 lead as the Tar Heels struggled offensively. UNC had just two made field goals in the first five minutes of the game and went scoreless on their first five possessions.

The Tar Heels figured it out quickly, however.

UNC went on a 13-0 run to take a 17-10 lead and the Razorbacks got it down to three in the first half before the Tar Heels opened it back up again.

Behind a strong first half from Luke Maye, UNC took 37-26 lead into halftime. UNC was in control for most of the second half as well.

The Razorbacks cut the lead down to 9 with just over 12:18 left in the game and then made another run late in the game cutting the lead down to 74-68 with just over three minutes left in the game.

It was the closest they would get.

UNC responded with a 6-0 run to extend it to 80-68 and eventually put it away at 87-68. The highlight of that run was a big dunk by Theo Pinson to essentially seal it.

Maye finished with 28 points and 16 rebounds, a career-high in both categories. The junior now has four games of 20-plus points this season.

Fellow junior Kenny Williams finished the game with 19 points, continuing his strong play as of late for the Tar Heels. Joel Berry added 13 points, giving the Tar Heels three starters in double digits.

With the win, UNC advances to take on the winner of Michigan State and UCONN. The game will tip off at 8:30 p.m. ET on Sunday night.

Next: Luke Maye makes history in UNC win

Michigan State and UCONN will play Friday night at midnight ET.

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