Heels respond, Cruise By 57

PARADISE ISLAND, BAHAMAS - Sophomore forward Isaiah Hicks led three Tar Heels in double figures with 19 points and the University of North Carolina shot 61 percent from the floor in a 109-52 win over the Bahamas All-Stars in a men's basketball exhibition game on Saturday.

Freshman Justin Jackson and senior Desmond Hubert added 16 and 12 points, respectively, for the Tar Heels, who split a pair of exhibition games in the Summer of Thunder Tournament played in Nassau.

Eight different Tar Heels scored seven or more points. Hicks was 8 of 14 from the floor, Hubert made all six of his field goal attempts and Jackson shot 7 for 9.

Carolina got off to a fast start by making its first six shots from the floor and led 14-10 before going on a 16-0 run that quickly extended the lead to 20 points. Six different Tar Heels scored in the 16-point run. Hubert and Hicks each had four points in that stretch.

The Tar Heels led 32-12 after one period and 50-20 at halftime. UNC made 15 of 19 shots from the floor in the first quarter (.789) and was 23 of 38 (.605) in the opening half.

Forward J.P. Tokoto scored eight points and Marcus Paige and Brice Johnson each scored six in the opening quarter.

Carolina out-scored the All-Stars, 18-8, in the second quarter. Hicks scored nine of his 13 first-half points in the stanza and Jackson added seven.

"Our guys knew we played poorly yesterday and they came out with much better focus," says UNC head coach Roy Williams. "We didn't finish last night the way we wanted to, but today we were much more in tune with what we wanted to do. We were much better defending on the ball, were more unselfish with the ball and our shots went in the basket, which was also a product of better passing."

Johnson, who was limited to just seven minutes on Friday night due to a sprained ankle, started and played seven early minutes but did not play in the second half for precautionary reasons.

Carolina, which went 3 for 25 from the FIBA-length three-point line in Friday's loss to the Providence Storm, connected on 7 of 13 from beyond the stripe today. Paige was 3 for 3, and freshmen Joel Berry, Theo Pinson, Jackson and senior Luke Davis each made one.

UNC had a tremendous size advantage and out-rebounded the All-Stars, 53-19. The All-Stars shot 30 percent from the floor on 21 of 70 shooting. Abel Joseph scored 16 and Dionte Smith added 12 to lead the All-Stars in scoring.

The Tar Heels return to Chapel Hill on Monday and begin classes on Tuesday. The 2014-15 season begins with "Late Night with Roy" on Friday, October 3.

SCORING TOTALS

North Carolina (109)

Isaiah Hicks (19), Justin Jackson (16), Desmond Hubert (12), Marcus Paige (9), J.P. Tokoto (8), Jackson Simmons (8), Joel Berry II (7), Theo Pinson (7), Brice Johnson (6), Joel James (5), Kennedy Meeks (5), Nate Britt (4), Luke Davis (3)

Bahamas All-Stars (52)

Abel Joseph (16), Dionte Smith (12), David Taylor (8), Kevin Hinsey (7), Roosevelt Whylly (5), Devon Ferguson (4)