Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Basketball / UNC-Chapel Hill Tar Heels roll past Chaminade in Maui opener
Posted by Rob Harrington @Rob_Harrington on Tue, Nov 25, 2008 at 7:03 PM
The No. 1 North Carolina Tar Heels continue to aspire toward the heights reached by the 2005 team. That outfit won the 2004 Maui Invitational en route to capturing the national championship the following spring, and this year's Heels aim to punctuate their Thanksgiving week in similar fashion at the 2008 Maui event.
As the top seed of the eight-team, three-day tournament, UNC feasted on host team Chaminade 115-70 on Monday night. The Silverswords — a Division II program not to be confused with the numerous elderly men who attend the Lahaina tournament each year — are the annual patsy of their own event, but given the amount of money they rake in for that privilege, no pity is warranted.
Well, maybe a little. After a couple minutes of ragged play, UNC pieced together its most impressive stretch of the season offensively. Even without Tyler Hansbrough, who sat out with an ankle injury, the Heels used their superior size and athleticism to ring up points in easy fashion.
The Silverswords spent a lot of time admiring the back of Ty Lawson's jersey, as the junior point guard blew by his opponents in transition to score 19 points on 7-9 shooting, while also handing out six assists against no turnovers. As a tandem, Lawson and freshman backup Larry Drew II contributed 13 assists and just one giveaway.
That efficiency extended into the frontcourt, where junior forward Danny Green scored a career-high 26 points to accompany seven rebounds and three assists. After a few quiet games to begin the year, Green finally showed the offensive spark the team had begun to rely upon late last season.
UNC's semifinal test figures to be significantly more difficult. The Tar Heels battle Oregon on Tuesday night, a club that pummeled Alabama 92-69 in the opening round. If they win, the Heels will play for the title on Wednesday night against either Texas or Notre Dame.
Here's a link to the box score.
- To create paragraphs in your comment, type <p> at the start of a paragraph and </p> at the end of each paragraph.
- To create bold text, type <b>bolded text</b> (please note the closing tag, </b>).
- To create italicized text, type <i>italicized text</i> (please note the closing tag, </i>).
- Proper web addresses will automatically become links.
Latest in Triangle Offense
-
The Galaxy's not so far, far away: Carolina RailHawks deactivates Dynamo 3-1, will host MLS champs next Wednesday in U.S. Open Cup
The RailHawks advances to the third round of the U.S. Open Cup and hosts the L.A. Galaxy May 29.
- May 22, 2013
-
Carolina RailHawks goes down to Atlanta Silverbacks 2-0 for RailHawks' first loss of season
Despite the loss, the RailHawks reaches the midpoint of the NASL Spring season atop the league standings.
- May 18, 2013
-
Shake-up unfolding in NASL front office staff, per internal league memo
The changes, which will all take effect this month, include a new Director of Operations and Director of Communications.
- May 17, 2013
- More »
More by Rob Harrington
-
Su casa es mi casa: Blue Devils torch UNC in Chapel Hill
One team took the court prepared to compete and the other simply did not.
- Mar 10, 2013
-
Is college basketball getting worse? and other thoughts on a changing game
With nothing much going on besides a UNC-Clemson scrap down and Duke getting floor-rushed yet again, two of your basketball scribes email some thoughts...
- Mar 1, 2013
- More »
