Julie Jacobson / AP

North Carolina's Marcus Ginyard drives against Ohio State's Dallas Lauderdale. Ginyard and the Heels won Thursday's game, 77-73.

updated 1:00 a.m. ET Nov. 20, 2009

NEW YORK - There was so much to talk about after No. 6 North Carolina held on for 77-73 victory over No. 15 Ohio State in the 2K Sports Classic semifinals Thursday night.

There was the Tar Heels’ big early lead that dwindled to two points in the final minute, something that can happen even to a sixth-ranked team early in the season. There was the exceptional defensive job by Marcus Ginyard on Ohio State’s Evan Turner, something that has become common for a player considered one of the top stoppers in the country. There was coach Roy Williams’ halftime rant directed at Ginyard, something that never happens.

“I chewed his rear end out probably the hardest I’ve ever got on him,” Williams said of the fifth-year senior. “If I’m going to chew him out, it scares the dickens out of the rest of the team. He’s one of my pets.”

The one-way halftime discussion worked as North Carolina was in control until the final minute.

“That was the worst I can remember,” Ginyard said of Williams’ yelling session. “But he was right. If I’m going to be a leader of this team I have to play better, and I did in the second half.”

Ginyard finished with 13 points and was 3 of 5 from 3-point range. But it was his defense on Turner that made the difference in the win that sent the Tar Heels (4-0) into Friday night’s championship game against Syracuse, which beat No. 13 California 95-73 in the tournament the benefits Coaches vs. Cancer.

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“No question, I take challenges like tonight very personally, and I get really excited about facing players like him,” Ginyard said of Turner, who had a triple-double in Ohio State’s opening win over Alcorn State with 14 points, 17 rebounds and 10 assists. He matched that feat against the Tar Heels, but it was a lot different as he finished with 23 points, 11 rebounds and 10 turnovers.

The 6-foot-7 junior swingman, who had 17 rebounds in each of the first two games, couldn’t go anywhere on the court without Ginyard, who missed most of last season with a stress fracture in his left foot.

Turner’s time was limited as well by foul trouble, and his second personal was an offensive drawn by Ginyard.

“It was a rough night, obviously,” Turner said. “I’m bumped and bruised and I’ll be back tomorrow.

“It was a rough first half, rough first 30 minutes of the game. They did a great job, and we just got to bounce back.”

Deon Thompson had 15 points and 12 rebounds for the Tar Heels, who led by 19 points with 10:23 to play.

The Buckeyes (2-1) finally started hitting from the outside at the same time the Tar Heels starting missing free throws, and Ohio State was within 75-73 on a 3 by Jon Diebler with 11 seconds left.

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