Off the cuff: After seeing 32 three pointers go up and only nine free throws attempted, this doesn't seem like a Carolina basketball team. But that might be the identity of this particular team.
The problem with shooting teams is that eventually you'll be cold against a good team and lose. The Tar Heels, so far at least, don't shoot well from the free throw line - averaging just over 50 percent - so maybe it's good they don't get to the line a lot.
Still, you've got to figure that this team is going to need some strong inside play from James Michael McAdoo, Joel James and somebody else - Desmond Hubert or Brice Johnson - to have a chance at winning the ACC regular season or tournament title, and going deep in the NCAA tournament.
After the game, Coach Williams expressed shock that Maryland was leaving the ACC and didn't seem too pleased about it. He indicated that if Maryland doesn't want to be in the ACC, then he doesn't want them to be in the ACC.
Tar Heels 95, Mississippi State 49 Three-point barrage continues in Maui
North Carolina shot 15 of 32 from beyond the three-point line to open the Maui Invitational with a 95-49 shellacking of Mississippi State. (11/19)
It marked the first time since 1996 that Mississippi State has scored below 50 points in a game.
The Tar Heels nearly got to 50 in the first half when P.J. Hairston banked in a 60-footer at the buzzer to make it 49-17 at the break.
Hairston had four three pointers on his way to 18 points. But it was Leslie McDonald who poured in six three pointers to lead the Tar Heels with 21 points. Those two contributed greatly to Carolina's 51 points off the bench.
Three starters scored in double figures led by Reggie Bullock, who was four of five from beyond the arc, with 16 points. James Michael McAdoo, who scored 10, has made it to double figures in all four of Carolina's games. Dexter Strickland, who led Carolina with six steals and five assists, also scored 10.
The Tar Heels started the game on a 9-0 run, highlighted by a Bullock three and a Desmond Hubert dunk.
A Strickland steal and dunk put the Heels up 26-6 just eight minutes in. The Tar Heels held Mississippi State without a field goal for eight minutes in the first half.
UNC outscored MSU 16-4 over the last five minutes of the first half.
The two teams played even, 21-21, over the first 15 minutes of the second half but McDonald banged in three threes in less than two minutes to give Carolina its biggest lead at 91-42.
"We made shots today," UNC coach Roy Williams said. "We got everybody involved."
Ten players saw at least 10 minutes of action with McAdoo having the most minutes at just 23.
"It was a much easier day for us just because the ball was going in the basket," Williams said. "I've said for a long time that we are a good shooting team. We just didn't shoot it the first couple of times out."
The Tar Heels, 4-0, play Butler in the Maui Invitational Tuesday night at 8 p.m.
