It was a team win, a team blowout. Fourteen North Carolina players scored, with six in double figures, as the Tar Heels wore out Tennessee Tech 108-58 in Chapel Hill. (11/16)
With the game in control after a 17-2 run that put the Heels up by 25 in the first half, the largest cheers came late in the game with the subs in. Freshman Leaky Blake drained a three from the left corner to get the Heels within a point of the century mark. And then Brandon Huffman slammed home a one-handed dunk to make it 101-54 to send the crowd into a frenzy.
Local Bojangles stores offer a buy one, get one free biscuit on days after the Tar Heels score 100 points. For some unknown reason, that really fires up the fans. They also like to see rarely used players score. Walker Miller scored on a half hook and K.J. Smith, son of Tar Heel great Kenny Smith, went in for a fastbreak dunk to finish up the scoring.
The player of the game may have been a player who wasn't one of the six in double figures. Seventh Woods scored just seven but he dished out eight assists and didn't commit an turnover.
"We've got a lot of guys who can score," Woods said. "If I get them the ball, I have a good chance at getting assists."
It was the no turnovers that fired up UNC coach Roy Williams, who mentioned it early in his news conference.
But Coach Williams expected a big win. "We're more blessed so we should win this kind of game," he said of the game against 0-4 Golden Eagles. "But I'm pleased with the way we played."
He wasn't pleased with the way the Heels played against Stanford, particularly on defense. Except for one practice since then, all the practice time was devoted to defense.
"We've got to get better on defense," Woods said. "We're not close to our peak - we've got a lot to learn. Even in a game like this we had some mental breakdowns in the second half."
That said, the Tar Heels forced 22 turnovers and came away with 16 steals. Defense helped UNC get 29 fastbreak points, the most the Tar Heels have had in a game in three years.
Everyone contributed - there were 55 bench points - but six scored in double figures, led by senior Luke Maye, who scored 15 points in just 20 minutes of play. Sterling Manley was next with 13 points. Freshman Coby White scored 11 while Cameron Johnson, Nassir Little and Kenny Williams added 10 each.
The Tar Heels, now 4-0, host Saint Francis Monday night.
Box score
UNC's Seventh Woods puts the MoJo on a defender. (UNC Sports Information photo)
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