Raleigh, N.C. — It was the NCAA Tournament, for sure. The big blue NCAA covered the middle of the court and Jim Nantz and Billy Packer were courtside, Packer with his glasses down his nose and his left index finger on his chin as he evaluated play.

But North Carolina’s game with Mount St. Mary’s Friday felt less like a game in March and more like watching the Harlem Globetrotters.

You knew who was going to win. But you were there for the show.

And the show, for sure, was entertaining. Carolina won 113-74 in a game that would have been worth extra biscuits if played at the Smith Center. It was the most points UNC has scored in NCAA play since beating Loyola 123-97 in 1988.

On Friday, the Tar Heels (33-2) scored 60 points in the first half alone as Mount St. Mary’s (19-15) decided to run with Carolina.

“We like it when teams run with us,” UNC point guard Ty Lawson said. “It gives us an opportunity to score.”

And score they did, as there were stretches when the Tar Heels were downright dazzling. Wayne Ellington shot with such an effortless stroke that you were surprised when the ball grazed the rim. On one fast break, he grabbed the rebound and wooshed down-court with a long, powerful stride that set up a transition basket by Deon Thompson. The only thing Ellington didn’t do was dribble at half-court like Curly Neal and then do the fake water trick.

Thompson and Alex Stephenson, the matching power forwards who orbit Tyler Hansbrough, snatched rebounds and attacked the basket throughout.

And Hansbrough himself had another ferocious game, playing with the resolve he showed when he hit for 32 at N.C. State on Feb. 20.

The Mountaineers double-teamed him aggressively, sometimes forcing him to snap passes out, but he often powered to the basket and pushed up attempts that found the rim and rolled in. On one basket in the first half, Hansbrough missed a shot, snared the rebound with such force the muscles on his arms seemed to bulge like a cartoon figure, then gathered himself and powered up for another basket.

The mood in the arena was decidedly different than when UNC visited N.C. State and Wolfpack students greeted

Hansbrough with a T-shirt comparing his bulging eyes to a muppet. The sellout crowd, as expected, was packed with light blue, and Carolina quickly turned the RBC Center into a routine night at the Smith Center. Many UNC fans were relatively quiet, rising only once in the first half as the Carolina score rushed toward 60.

“I prefer the Dean Dome, but it was good to have the crowd here,” Hansbrough said. “But I don’t think anything compares to the Dean Dome, to be honest with you.”

Mount St. Mary’s played the part of the Washington Generals ably, keeping the pace quick and the play entertaining. A rowdy group of fans in Section 105 stood throughout the first half and rejoiced when the Mountaineers’ points.

There were some moments, too.

Guard Chris Vann _ ooh! _ hit a long jump shot.

Two Mount St. Mary’s made quick tip passes that _ ahh! _ led to a Sam Atupem basket.

Jeremy Goode _ wow!_ fired in a gorgeous three-pointer.

But it was all like throwing pebbles at waves. When Mount St. Mary’s cut the score to 41-33, Carolina pushed the Mountaineers aside with seven straight points.

Stepheson scored when Carolina moved the ball adroitly after Hansbrough was caught in a double-team.

Hansbrough flashed across the lane, caught the ball and scored.

Ellington dropped in a three-pointer over an outstretched hand like he was finishing a layup.

Hansbrough and Lawson each finished with 21 points, Ellington had 16 and Deon Thompson, who has struggled with a left knee injury and who had a poor ACC Tournament, had 16.

UNC coach Roy Williams loved the way his team finished the first half strong and then pulled away in the second.

“We were just more gifted and talented,” he said. “That’s what it comes down to.”
Sure enough, that was the bottom line.

Carolina bolted into the second round and plays Sunday in the RBC Center at 5:20 p.m.