CHAPEL HILL, N.C. ? Stuck in traffic and fuming, Rashad McCants kept control of his emotions. He did the same later when North Carolina coach Roy Williams told him he wouldn’t be starting.

“To me, it was just focusing on the task at hand, and that was to win the game,” McCants said.

He bounced back from that brief benching to score 19 points, and Sean May led the way with 20, helping No. 4 North Carolina beat Vermont, 93-65, Tuesday night.

Jawad Williams added 15 points, and Raymond Felton had 10 for the Tar Heels (9-1), who have won nine straight since an opening loss at Santa Clara. Felton had seven assists and joined Jackie Manuel with four steals.

After arriving late, McCants’ punishment was not starting for the first time this season, but he only missed about 41/2 minutes before he left the bench. He made a three-pointer about 90 seconds later, and he and North Carolina were on their way.

It reminded Roy Williams of a time Michael Jordan was tardy to a Tar Heels’ game because of traffic, and he made a point of telling that to McCants.

“That made him very happy,” Williams said. “It’s not a big deal. He’s already missed time on the court, it’s over and done with. I was very pleased with how he handled it.”

The Catamounts (3-3) gave No. 2 Kansas University quite a scare last month, eventually losing by seven points, but they never had a chance in this one. They closed to 20-17 midway through the first half before the Tar Heels closed with a 23-5 run, and the margin reached 82-40 before Roy Williams starting pulling the starters.

“Fortunately, our young kids played good at the end to make it somewhat respectable,” Vermont coach Tom Brennan said. “Humility is good for the soul. There’s no free lunch — we all know that’s how it works — and today the check came. And we tipped well, we tipped very well.”

North Carolina's Rashad McCants, left and Sean May, right, put pressure on Vermont's Taylor Coppenrath in the second half of the Tar Heels' 93-65 victory. McCants started Tuesday's game in Chapel Hill, N.C., on the bench, punishment for being late -- due to traffic -- to the game.

No. 13 Gonzaga 83,

E. Washington 70

Spokane, Wash. — Adam Morrison scored 25 points, and the Bulldogs beat Eastern Washington for the 19th straight time. Ronny Turiaf added 17 points and seven rebounds for Gonzaga (9-1), which won its sixth straight.

No. 14 Arizona 105, Manhattan 75

Tucson, Ariz. — Salim Stoudamire matched his career-best with seven three-pointers and had 23 points for the Wildcats. Stoudamire was suspended for Saturday’s win at Marquette because of his pouting in the previous game against Utah, when he was held scoreless for the third time in his 101 college games and took a career-low one shot.

No. 16 N.C. State 72,

BYU 61

Provo, Utah — Julius Hodge scored 22 points, and Tony Bethel added 15 as the Wolfpack bounced back from their first loss of the season.

No. 18 Louisville 80,

IUPUI 60

Louisville, Ky. — Freshman Juan Palacios had career-highs of 25 points and 10 rebounds, and the Cardinals overcame two key injuries in the first round of the Billy Minardi Classic. Taquan Dean added 20 points, and Larry O’Bannon had 14 for the Cardinals (7-2), who played without Ellis Myles and Otis George.

No. 23 Michigan State 76, UCLA 64

East Lansing, Mich. — Paul Davis scored 18 points, and the Spartans (7-2) had a big run in each half in winning their fourth straight.