Nov. 12, 2009

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CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - NCAA Division I newcomer North Carolina Central University stayed close with nationally-ranked North Carolina in the first meeting between the two men's basketball programs on Wednesday night, but the Tar Heels pulled away for an 89-42 victory over the Eagles during the 2K Sports Classic benefitting Coaches vs. Cancer in Chapel Hill, N.C.

NCCU (0-1) connected on back-to-back three-pointers by C.J. Wilkerson and Vincent Davis to pull to within two points at 19-17 at 12:25 of the first half. To that point, the Eagles had made 7-of-10 field goal attempts, topped by Wilkerson's nine points.

During the next eight minutes, however, NCCU missed all six shots from the floor and committed eight turnovers, while the Tar Heels scored 21 unanswered points for a 40-17 advantage.

Dwayne Sims ended the drought for the Eagles by nailing a three-pointer with 4:05 left before intermission, but North Carolina tallied the last 11 points of the opening stanza to claim a 51-20 cushion at halftime.

No. 6/4 North Carolina (2-0) was never threatened in the second half, as the Tar Heels led by as much as 52 points (89-37, 1:17) before winning by a 47-point margin.

"We are not happy," first-year NCCU head coach LeVelle Moton said. "There is no moral victory in that we played close in the first 10 minutes. We came here to win a game. Anything short of that and we are disappointed.

"I thought we played well the first 10 minutes, but the last 30 minutes was not North Carolina Central basketball," said Moton.

Wilkerson, a junior college transfer from Oxford, N.C., topped the Eagles with 16 points. Sophomore transfer T.J. Granger, NCCU's main post presence at 6-8, 270 pounds, picked up his third personal foul midway through the first half and fouled out with 2:17 remaining in the contest and eight points to his credit.

North Carolina senior Marcus Ginyard scored a game-high 17 points, followed by Deon Thompson with 13 points and Tyler Zeller with 12 points.

North Carolina used its size advantage to dominate the boards, out-rebounding the Eagles 46-24. The Tar Heels also shot a blistering 59.3 percent (35-of-59) from the field, compared to just 25.5 percent shooting (14-of-55) by the visiting Eagles.

Up next for NCCU, the Eagles travel to Florida to face the Miami Hurricanes on Saturday at 4 p.m.