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Carolina Downs Miami 98-82
Hansbrough scored a season-high 35 points, including 27 in the second half, to lead the Tar Heels to a comfortable win against the Hurricanes.
Posted — UpdatedBy Mason Kelley
MIAMI — After North Carolina’s two-point home loss to Maryland Saturday, coach Roy Williams didn’t sound any alarms.
He gave his team the day off Sunday and, after watching film, felt his team went through two spirited practices before its game Wednesday against Miami at the BankUnited Center.
Williams chose to look at the “big picture” and his team responded, pulling away late for a 98-82 victory.
“We had two really good days of practice and I think it showed the way we played out there today,” Williams said.
The Tar Heels now have an eight-day break before they play host to Boston College on Jan. 31.
“It’s an excellent time (for a break),” center Tyler Hansbrough said. “I’m glad we finished it with a win. We’d be really struggling if we lost.”
Miami (14-4, 1-3 ACC) came off a two-point overtime loss to N.C. State and kept the game close against the Tar Heels early.
But, after spending the last two ACC games “living on the edge,” Ty Lawson and Tyler Hansbrough helped push North Carolina to safer ground.
Lawson, a sophomore, got things started, pushing the tempo and making smart decisions. He scored 15 of his
23 points in the first half.
“Nobody I’ve ever had has ever pushed the ball faster on the dribble than Ty does,” said Williams, who compared his point guard to former Kansas standout Adonis Jordan, Jacques Vaughn and Kirk Hinrich.
With the Hurricanes trailing by just four and the clock winding down in the first half, Lawson went the length of the floor and flipped the ball toward the rim with Jack McClinton draped all over him.
His shot went in and he sunk the free throw to give Carolina a 47-40 lead and some breathing room at halftime.
“Carolina, they play the way I want to play, get up and down and score a lot of points,” said Lawson, who also had 10 assists and five rebounds. “That was a big thing when I picked to come to Carolina.”
Hansbrough took over in the second half, scoring 27 of his season-high 35 points. He added eight rebounds and hit 15-of-16 free throws.
“I’m happy with that as long as they’re good shots,” Hansbrough said. “Ty, with his penetration, did a lot of things for me.”
UNC (19-1, 4-1), ranked No. 4 in the ESPN/USA Today poll and No. 5 in the AP top 25, improved to 11-2 all-time against Miami.
“I think they’ve got great ingredients,” Williams said of Miami. “McClinton, he’s really a load.”
The Tar Heels were worried about McClinton coming in, but Marcus Ginyard held the Miami’s junior guard to just three points in the first half.
“I just tried to make him do things he’s not comfortable doing,” Ginyard said.
McClinton finished with 11 points, while Lance Hurdle led the Hurricanes with 20. Raymond Hicks led the Hurricanes in the first half with 14 points and finished with 17. Deon Thompson (10) and Wayne Ellington (12) also scored in double figures for the Tar Heels.
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