RALEIGH, N.C. -- Players for top-seeded North Carolina knew they had to make the second half count Thursday.

They did so in what became a sterling second-half stretch against Florida Gulf Coast.

The Tar Heels went on a riveting run to begin the second half, and they dismissed thoughts of an historic upset on the way to posting an 83-67 victory in the NCAA Tournament's first round Thursday night at PNC Arena.

"The mood was very disappointing," North Carolina forward Brice Johnson said of halftime. "We needed to get that bad taste out of our mouth and just come out and play."

Johnson scored 18 points and blocked eight shots, and guard Joel Berry had 14 points for the Tar Heels, who led by only one point at halftime and didn't want to become the first No. 1 regional seed to ever lose to a No. 16 seed.

"It was highly disappointing how we played that first half," Tar Heels forward Isaiah Hicks said.

North Carolina, which is the top seed in the East Region, also received 12 points apiece from forwards Justin Jackson and Hicks and 10 points from guard Marcus Paige.

North Carolina (29-6) will face ninth-seeded Providence in Saturday's second round of the East Region.

Johnson, whose blocked shots set a school record for an NCAA Tournament game, set the tone with energized plays at both ends of the court in the opening minutes of the second half.

"That's what I do," he said. "I had to let it go. I decided I had to do what I can. We did come out better."

Guard Christian Terrell scored 15 points to lead Florida Gulf Coast, which won two nights earlier in a First Four game against Fairleigh Dickinson. Forward Antravious Simmons had 14 points, and forward Marc-Eddy Norelia chipped in with 10 points for the Eagles (21-14).

"We were excited (because) we played a good half," Terrell said. "We just needed to keep up the intensity."

The Tar Heels burst out after halftime, going on a 13-3 run in less than three minutes to stretch their lead to 54-43.

"Playing from behind was pretty hard to do," Norelia said.

The spurt was extended to 34-12, so North Carolina was up 75-52 with seven minutes left.

"That was one of the worst halves we played all year long," said North Carolina coach Roy Williams, who picked up his 66th career NCAA Tournament win to move one ahead of his mentor, Dean Smith, and into second place all-time. "But the first 10 minutes of the second half, we were very, very good."

The Tar Heels, playing about a half-hour drive from their Chapel Hill campus, received a huge ovation when the regulars were removed with 57 seconds left and the outcome in hand.

The Eagles, who are the only No. 15 seed ever to advance to the Sweet 16 (three years ago), were unable to repeat their underdog magic.

"They were everywhere on the court (in the second half)," Terrell said. "They seemed to block everything."

North Carolina clung to a 41-40 halftime lead after holding an 11-point edge in the first half.

Florida Gulf Coast was bolstered by 60 percent shooting (15-for-25) in the first half, benefitting from several plays on what appeared to be defensive breakdowns.

The Eagles suffered from 10 first-half turnovers, with the Tar Heels converting on several of those when they build the double-figure margin.

North Carolina made only two of 12 shots from the field to end to the first half, allowing the Eagles to climb back into it.

NOTES: North Carolina holds a No. 1 regional seed for the 15th time, marking the most of any school. ... The Tar Heels have been in the East Regional for 14 of their 18 Final Four seasons. ... North Carolina has been sent to NCAA Tournament play in Raleigh six times. ... Florida Gulf Coast has four consecutive seasons of 21 or more victories. ... Florida Gulf Coast coach Joe Dooley is a former coach at East Carolina, so this this was a bit of a homecoming for him.