• FLORIDA 79, NORTHWESTERN STATE 47: Erik Murphy had 18 points to lead four Florida players in double figures and the Gators (27-7) shut down the NCAA's highest-scoring team Friday night in the second round of the South Regional in Austin, Texas. Third-seeded Florida turned this one into a rout with a 19-1 run in the second half and held the 14th-seeded Demons (23-9) to their fewest points this season — 34 below their average. Patric Young had 16 points and nine rebounds for Florida. Kenny Boynton and Scottie Wilbekin both scored 11. DeQuan Hicks had 12 points for the Demons, who upset Iowa as the No. 14 seed in their last NCAA tournament seven years ago. They couldn't repeat that feat against the Gators, who lost in the regional finals each of the past two seasons. Murphy and Boynton are seniors who arrived at Florida not long after the Gators had won consecutive national titles in 2006 and 2007. They have been to the NCAA tournament each of their four seasons, but the last two ended with losses in the regional finals. This is the last chance for Murphy and Boynton to win a championship of their own, and they're off to a good start — even after Boynton missed most of the first half. Florida plays Minnesota or UCLA on Sunday. Boynton played only 8 minutes before halftime after two early fouls, but Florida kept going while he sat on the bench.

• NORTH CAROLINA 78, VILLANOVA 71: P.J. Hairston scored 23 points, James Michael McAdoo added 17 and the Tar Heels (25-10) unleashed a flurry of three-pointers to subdue the gritty Wildcats in Kansas City, Mo., giving coach Roy Williams his 700th career victory. The never-say-die Wildcats (20-14) erased a 20-point deficit that North Carolina built in the first half and then nearly climbed out of a nine-point hole in the final minutes after the Tar Heels hit three consecutive 3s and once again appeared to take control. Picking on a season-long weakness for the ninth-seeded Wildcats, North Carolina shot 11 of 21 from three-point range while getting outrebounded 37-28. JayVaughn Pinkston had 20 points and Darrun Hilliard scored 18 for Villanova. After UNC took a seemingly comfortable 65-56 lead on Hairston's three-pointer and McAdoo's jumper, Ryan Arcidiacono answered with Villanova's second three-pointer, cutting the lead to 65-59. But Marcus Paige dropped in a short jumper and put the Tar Heels on top 67-59 before a media timeout with 3:03 to go. A pair of foul shots by Arcidiacono, James Bell's three-pointer and Pinkston's two free throws sliced the lead to 67-66. Paige then drilled a three and Hairston completed a three-point play a little later.

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