Hairston leads 4-guard attack with another big day, leads North Carolina past Virginia 93-81

North Carolina's James Michael McAdoo is pressured by Virginia's Justin Anderson (23) and Evan Nolte, right, during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Chapel Hill, N.C., Saturday, Feb. 16, 2013. (AP Photo/Gerry Broome) (The Associated Press)

North Carolina's Brice Johnson, rear, guards Virginia's Akil Mitchell during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Chapel Hill, N.C., Saturday, Feb. 16, 2013. (AP Photo/Gerry Broome) (The Associated Press)

P.J. Hairston scored a career-high 29 points in his second straight start to help North Carolina beat Virginia 93-81 on Saturday.

Freshman Marcus Paige added 17 for the Tar Heels (17-8, 7-5 Atlantic Coast Conference), who snapped a two-game skid with one of their strongest offensive showings this season. North Carolina shot 49.2 percent and hit 13 3-pointers for its best total in a league game while staying with the four-guard lineup it used in Wednesday night's loss at rival Duke.

The Tar Heels had lost by 26 points at third-ranked Miami and by five to the No. 2 Blue Devils in the past week, but they buried shot after shot from outside Saturday and tore through a defense that ranked second nationally by allowing just 52 points per game.

Virginia (18-7, 8-4) hadn't allowed more than 69 points, a total UNC passed with more than 9 minutes left.