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CHAPEL HILL – On a night that was supposed to be about lunchpails, and hard hats, North Carolina’s skill, speed and skill won out, as the Tar Heels exploded early in a 100-92 victory over 10th-ranked Tennessee on Wednesday night at the Smith Center.
Carolina scored 61 points in the first half spreading the wealth and doing whatever it wanted against a Volunteers’ team that entered the game No. 1 in the nation in adjusted defensive efficiency.
UNC’s lead grew to 24 in the second half before a big push by the Vols, who cut it to seven points before UNC spurt moved the sore to 92-77. Yet, Tennessee cut the margin to 92-86.
The Volunteers then had three cracks at perimeter shots that would have cut the margin to five points with a minute left, but missed each, and RJ Davis salted it away at the free throw line.
The No. 17 Tar Heels improved to 6-1 while Tennessee dropped to 4-3.
*Box score below.
1st Half
TV TO – UNC 13, Tennessee 10 with 14:54 left in the half
TV TO – UNC 23, Tennessee 12 with 11:59 left in the half
TV TO – UNC 41, Tennessee 21 with 7:55 left in the half
TV TO – UNC 52, Tennessee 33 with 3:56 left in the half
HALFTIME: UNC 61, Tennessee 39
*UNC 3-for-7 from 3 before first TV timeout. All seven attempts were catch-and-shoot, which is an important element to the Heels' perimeter shooting.
*11 of UNC's first 15 FG attempts from 3-point range. ALL catch-and-shoot shots.
*UNC scored on 18 of its first 21 possessions, averaged 1.952 points per possession in that stretch.
*UNC 16-for-28 from the floor but Tennessee is 15-for-25 with 3:56 left in the half.
*UNC hit its first 16 free throw attempts.
*The half closed with Cormac Ryan hitting 2 of 2 free throws for a 61-39 lead.
2nd half
TV TO – UNC 73, Tennessee 52 with 15:42 left
TV TO – UNC 81, Tennessee 65 with 11:23 left
TV TO – UNC 84, Tennessee 74 with 7:42 left
TV TO – UNC 92, Tennessee 80 with 3:58 left
FINAL: UNC 100, Tennessee 92
*Both teams started the second half shooting 5-for-7. UNC opened a 68-44 lead, with 23 points being its largest margin to that point.
*Elliot Cadeau feed to RJ davis for a 3 to make it 81-65 was his ninth assist against zero turnovers, and he was scoreless at the time.
*As UNC was missing 9 of 10 shots, Tennessee was hitting 11 of 14, cutting the lead to 82-764 with 8:42 left.
*The Vols cut the margin to 84-77 before UNC scored eight consecutive point pushing the lead to 92-77.
Final: UNC 100, Tennessee 92
