No. 1 Kentucky squeaks past North Carolina

Lexington, KY – There was no guarantee that John Henson's shot from the right wing was going to drop through the basket and give North Carolina the lead with only seconds remaining.

That is, not until Anthony Davis reached up and got a fingertip on the ball, blocking the shot to help secure Kentucky's 73-72 victory over North Carolina in an early-season thriller.

Michael Kidd-Gilchrist finished with 17 points and 11 rebounds for the top- ranked Wildcats (8-0), who have won 38 consecutive games in Rupp Arena. They trailed by five at halftime but moved in front for good with about seven minutes left, then held on down the stretch.

Reggie Bullock drilled a three-pointer with a minute remaining, pulling the Tar Heels (6-2) within a point. They gained the opportunity to move in front after Kentucky's Marquis Teague missed the front end of a 1-and-1, but didn't execute on their final possession and lost for the second time in three games.