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Off the cuff: Those Tar Heel fans who were clamoring to change the style from big guys dominating the post to guards dominating the perimeter may wish for at least a little balance.

You can get beat by outside shooting or post play. The last two days, Carolina got beat in the paint with opponents outscoring them 96-40. Of course some of that was penetration from perimeter players.

Carolina's Brady Manek, brought in as the face of the new style, (biig guys who can shoot from outside) did his part with six threes and 24 points but the Tar Heels still lost.

The game has indeed changed with the emphasis on threes but I can't help but wonder if an inside-game dominate Tar Heel team would have won these two games in the Hall of Fame Tip Off Tournament.

This Tar Heel team could be great but they are going to have to defend better, take care of the basketball and hit outside shots (all the while holding their own inside) in order to be great.

Tennessee 89, Tar Heels 72
Volunteers dominate Tar Heels

North Carolina ran into an angry Tennessee team that was humiliated by Villanova the day before as the Volunteers dominated the Tar Heels 89-72 in the Hall of Fame Tip Off Tournament Sunday. (11/21)

The Tar Heels hung tough in a loss to Purdue, who went on to win the tournament, but didn't seem to have that same fight against Tennessee, who handled Carolina down low in the paint by a 54-22 score.

"I was excited to see our response to yesterday," UNC coach Hubert Davis said. "Our energy and effort wasn't there. Tennessee was better than us."

The game was still close in the first half but Tennessee hit six of their last seven baskets of the half to take a 39-32 advantage into the lockerrooms.

The lead quickly increased in the second half as the Vols opened it up, 56-41, in the first five minutes of the second half.

Over the last five minutes of the first half and the first five minutes of the second half, Tennessee outscored the Tar Heels by 13 points.

"The way we played today is not Carolina basketball," Coach Davis said. "And it's not an example of how good this team can be.

While the Vols led by as many as 20 points, UNC's Brady Manek kept it from being even more embarrassing as he hit six of Carolina's 10 threes for a game-high 24 points.

Armando Bacot had a solid game for the Heels as he had 16 points and 12 rebounds. R.J. Davis and Caleb Love both shot poorly but still managed 14 and 12 points respectively.

Four Tennessee players scored in double figures, led by Zakai Zeigler's 18 points.

The Tar Heels, now 3-2, return home to play UNC-Asheville Tuesday.

Box Score

Armando Bacot managed a double double with points and rebounds in the loss to Tennessee. (UNC Sports Information photo by Maggie Hobson.)

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