Charlottesville, VA (Sports Network) - Tyler Hansbrough scored 23 points and pulled down seven rebounds to lift fifth-ranked North Carolina to a 75-74 victory over Virginia.

Wayne Ellington tallied 19 points and Deon Thompson scored 12 for the Tar Heels (23-2, 8-2 ACC), who again played without point guard Ty Lawson due to a sprained ankle.

Marcus Ginyard, who sprained his right ankle in a 103-93 double-overtime win over Clemson on Sunday, started and had seven points for the Tar Heels, winners in five of their last six contests.

"It's tough for us," Hansbrough said of the injuries. "We didn't know if Marcus was going to play. It just showed some toughness for us. A lot of guys stepped up and I hope we will keep on playing this way whenever we get Marcus 100 percent and Ty back."

Sean Singletary scored 27 points and had seven assists for the Cavaliers (11-12, 1-9), who have lost 10 of their last 11 games. Calvin Baker had 10 points. Virginia's seven game losing streak is the longest since 2002-03.

"I think it shows that we can play with any team in the country, no matter who they are," Singletary said. "We just have to do it on a more consistent basis and get over that hump, like I have been saying."

Baker's three-pointer had the Cavaliers within 73-71 with 51.7 seconds left, but Hansbrough responded with a hook shot at the other end.

Singletary's three made it a one-point game with 8.2 seconds left, but Ellington missed the front end of a 1-and-1 for UNC with 2.9 seconds remaining. However, the Cavaliers were unable to corral the loose ball as time expired.

Quentin Thomas' three-pointer expanded the Tar Heels to a 20-7 lead midway through the first half, but Virginia rallied with an ensuing 16-4 spurt, capped by a pair of Singletary free throws.

The Tar Heels scored the final eight points of the half for a 38-31 lead.

Virginia got within 60-59 with 7:11 remaining on a Laurynas Mikalauskas layup, but the Cavaliers were never able to go ahead in the second half.