CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – The University of North Carolina jumped out to a 12-point lead less than four minutes into Tuesday night's season-opener, but Loyola University Maryland cut the deficit to nine early in the second half, but the 19^th-ranked Tar Heels went on a 12-1 run to pull away for an 83-67 victory at the Dean Smith Center.
 
Four Loyola players scored in double-figures, led by Jaylin Andrews' 17 and Cam Spencer's 15. Veljko Ilic added 12 points off the bench in his collegiate debut, and Kenneth Jones tallied 10 of his 11 in the first half.
 
Caleb Love had a game-high 22 points, while Brady Manek added 20, for North Carolina.
 
The Tar Heels converted on five of their first eight shots and made three free throws before the first media timeout to lead 15-3 on two shots by Armando Bacot from the charity stripe at 16:07.
 
A three by Love made it a 17-point North Carolina advantage, 39-22, with 4:32 left in the half, and the Tar Heels' halftime advantage would be 45-31.
 
Back-to-back baskets by Spencer made it a 10-point game 47-37, at 16:46 in the second half, and another bucket by the junior at 15:22 had the margin at 10 once more.
 
He converted the and-one, and it was a single-digit deficit for Loyola.
 
The Tar Heels, however, quickly scored 12 of the next 13 points to push the lead back to 20, 61-41, at 12:07. North Carolina ran the margin up to 26, 79-53, on a Manek basket at 4:28, but the final deficit settled at 16.
 
Golden Dike led Loyola with seven rebounds, while Jones and Ilic both had four rebounds.
 
The Greyhounds head to Charleston, South Carolina, for the Rising Coaches Classic. Loyola plays South Carolina State on Friday, November 12, in its first game of the event.