Heels roll in Maui opener

Largely considered the biggest upset in college basketball history in 1982 Chaminade defeated Virginia 77-72.

Monday there would be no repeat performance against the No. 1 North Carolina men's basketball team.

Danny Green led the Tar Heels with a career-high 26 points in a 115-70 romp against their host in the opening round of the EA Sports Maui Invitational.

Green went 11-of-17 from the floor — plus seven rebounds three assists and two blocks — and was one of four Tar Heels who hit double digits. Three others had nine points.

One was freshman Ed Davis who got his first career start in the game going 4-for-6 from the floor and pulling down eight rebounds even recording three blocks.

Tyler Hansbrough who got his first start of the season Friday sat out again to rest the stress reaction in his right shin.

Coach Roy Williams said Friday after the game against the University of California at Santa Barbara that he probably wouldn't play Hansbrough in Maui at least not three days in a row.

But Hansbrough wasn't even needed against the Division II Silverswords who played only seven players and suffered their second-worst loss in program history.

Monday's was the first official game of Chaminade's season.

Thirteen Tar Heels saw action Monday night — and all of them scored at least four points — and freshman Justin Watts offered his first significant contribution with nine points four rebounds an assist and a steal in 11 minutes.

The Tar Heels shot 60.8 percent on the night including 45.5 percent from behind the 3-point line.

But the Tar Heels struggled from the free throw line — after finishing 22-of-31 Friday against UCSB North Carolina went only 9-of-17 Monday not quite 53 percent.

The Silverswords were held to only 28.6 percent in the first half — eight converted baskets of 28 attempts — 41.7 percent in the game and had 24 turnovers in the game to the Tar Heels' seven.

Shane Hanson Chaminade's leading scorer with 15 points went only 5-for-17 — his only made baskets were five of his 12 attempted 3-pointers. Hanson led five Silverswords players in double digits.

UNC will play the winner of the Alabama-Oregon game in the semifinals Tuesday.

Earlier Monday Notre Dame and Texas both rolled in their opening games in the Invitational.



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