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Off the cuff: If Reggie Bullock plays like he did against Tennessee State, the Tar Heels are going to be hard to beat. He had been struggling. He got 23 points in only 18 minutes and didn't turn the ball over while dishing out a couple of assists and coming up with a steal.

It was fun to see a walk-on, David Dupont, drain a three to get the Tar Heels over the century mark. It has always been big at Carolina for subs to do well at the end of games and to get to the 100-point mark. But this business about biscuits has gotten a bit out of hand. As I remember, when it started, Hardees or Bojangles gave out free biscuits the day after Carolina got to 100 points. Now, Bojangles just sells you two sausage biscuits for a dollar. You can get that with a coupon or on a regular special. It was a big deal to reach 100, especially with subs in the game, before the biscuit idea came about and it will be big after the biscuit obsession ends... if it ever does. Besides, the last time I tried getting the special, they didn't know what the heck I was talking about. Come up with something different students and announcers.

Tar Heels 102, Tennessee State 55
Heels move to 4-0 in impressive style

North Carolina played its best basketball of the young season by hitting outside shots, scoring down low, playing tough defense and by being unselfish with the basketball. As a result the Tar Heels blasted Tennessee State 102-69. (11/22) Click here for a photo gallery.

Reggie Bullock came off the bench for a career-high 23 points, including seven of eight three pointers. Meanwhile Kendall Marshall dished out 15 assists to become the only Tar Heel to ever have three games of 15 or more assists.

The team had a combined 32 assists, the most since getting 41 against Manhatten during the 1985-86 season.

Carolina got the lead up to 16 points in the first half at 33-17 but Tennessee State's Kenny Moore got hot from beyond the arc (he had four threes for the game) and the lead was cut to just 37-33.

But the Tar Heels went on a 14-4 run to go up 51-37, and the lead never got into single digits again. A slew of fast break dunks late in the first half and early in the second half highlighted the game.

It was a stark constrast to the Mississippi Valley State game two days earlier when the Heels couldn't buy a basket from outside.

"Everything looks better when the ball goes in the basket," UNC coach Roy Williams said. "I really believe we have good shooting from the 3-point line with Harrison [Barnes], Reggie [Bullock], P.J. [Hairston], and I really think it's important for us to have that as part of our game."

Coach Williams said he was going to challenge Bullock to play like that every game. "He had four threes against Boston College (last year), and then the next game he wasn't as good," he said. "You can't be up and down. You have to be consistent with it and that's what I'm going to challenge him with."

Joining Bullock in double figures were John Henson and Harrison Barnes, who had 16 each, and Tyler Zeller who scored 12.

The Tar Heels play South Carolina in Las Vegas late Friday night.

Boxscore


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