Every time Tyler Hansbrough caught the ball in the post, Kentucky's players swarmed around him, swatting at the ball.

The North Carolina big man did not retaliate to the bruising. He responded at the free-throw line.

Hansbrough made 10 of 12 free throws as the Tar Heels (No. 2 ESPN/USA Today, No. 1 AP) capitalized on Kentucky's 25 fouls and beat the Wildcats 86-77 on Saturday, their fourth straight win in the annual matchup between college basketball's winningest programs.

"I've never coached a player who takes as much physical abuse as he does," North Carolina Coach Roy Williams said of his star. "He's a bull in the china shop, and all those pieces of china like to hit back."

The Tar Heels are off to a 7-0 start for the first time under Williams and the first time since the 1998-99 squad began the season 8-0. Kentucky is now 4-2 under new Coach Billy Gillispie.