December 16, 2006

Associated Press
Rivals.com College Basketball

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - Brandan Wright had 21 points and nine rebounds to lead No. 3 North Carolina past North Carolina-Asheville 93-62 on Saturday.

Tyler Hansbrough and Wayne Ellington each scored 15 points for the Tar Heels (8-1), who had no trouble winning their fifth straight game. Reyshawn Terry added 13 points and six rebounds in a balanced effort against an overmatched opponent from the Big South Conference.

Bryan Smithson scored 20 points to lead the Bulldogs (4-6), who fell to 0-44 against Atlantic Coast Conference opponents.

North Carolina, which hadn't played for a week while in exams, used a 22-1 run to take a 19-point lead midway through the first half. That lead grew to as many as 35 points late, with the Tar Heels cracking the 90-point mark for the sixth time this season.

Wright - a 6-foot-9 freshman - had 15 points in the opening half, helping the Tar Heels lead by as many as 22 points before taking a 56-39 lead. He did it with the kind of all-around game that has made him one of the nation's top freshmen.

He scored North Carolina's first basket on a jumper that bounced around the rim before dropping through, followed by a hanging layup over three defenders - including 7-6 center Kenny George - while drawing the foul. He also had three dunks and hit all five of his free throws in the half.

He had plenty of help for the game from fellow rookies Ellington (two 3s, four assists) and Ty Lawson (six points, eight assists). Hansbrough finished with seven rebounds, while Terry hit all three of his 3-point attempts.

North Carolina came out of halftime with another burst that drained the last drama from the game, getting a 3-pointer and a dunk from Terry followed by a three-point play from Ellington to make it 67-41 with 16:21 left.

Still, it wasn't enough to keep coach Roy Williams completely happy. With his team holding a huge lead, Williams screamed at his team to "Pass the ball!" after a ragged stretch. Then, after Danny Green traveled while trying to turn a steal into a basket on a 1-on-3 break, Williams chewed out his team during a timeout.

For more coverage of the North Carolina Tar Heels, check out CarolinaBlue.com.