No. 23 North Carolina 89, North Carolina-Asheville 47

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Posted 5:03AM on Thursday, December 29, 2005

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) Freshman Danny Green had 15 points and 11 rebounds to lead a balanced effort in No. 23 North Carolina's 89-47 win over North Carolina-Asheville on Wednesday night. Reyshawn Terry, Tyler Hansbrough and Marcus Ginyard each added 14 points for the Tar Heels (7-2), who bounced back from last week's loss at Southern California with an easy win against a Big South Conference opponent. Hansbrough also had eight steals, tying a Smith Center record and finishing one shy of tying the school's single-game record set by Derrick Phelps in 1992. Oliver Holmes scored 16 points for the Bulldogs (2-7), who suffered their fourth lopsided loss to an Atlantic Coast Conference team this season. The Tar Heels hadn't played since a 74-59 loss at USC on Dec. 21, a game in which the Tar Heels shot 25 percent and was outscored 44-24 in the second half. Afterward, coach Roy Williams said the Trojans were the more aggressive team and described his team's performance as ``a total breakdown ... at both ends of the court.'' On Wednesday, the Tar Heels were clearly the aggressors from the tip. They set the mood on the game's first possession by hitting the glass for three offensive rebounds to set up Ginyard's jumper. They also played swarming, trapping defense that shut down the Bulldogs in the opening minutes and quickly drained any bit of drama out of this one. The Tar Heels jumped to a 22-point lead just 10 minutes in, and increased that first-half margin to as much as 47-11 on an alley-oop dunk from Bobby Frasor to Terry with 4:08 left in the half. By halftime, eight Tar Heels had scored and North Carolina had shot 53 percent to take a 53-20 lead in a period filled with easy baskets in transition and off turnovers. Eleven of North Carolina's 19 first-half field goals were layups and five were dunks, which helped energize a rather sedate holiday-break crowd. Even more impressive was the Tar Heels' defense. They constantly harassed ballhandlers out beyond the 3-point arc, holding UNC-Asheville to nine first-half field goals and forcing 22 turnovers with 15 steals five from Hansbrough. The Bulldogs managed just about their only offensive highlight when Holmes hit a halfcourt runner at the halftime horn. Terry bounced back nicely from the USC loss. The junior went scoreless in 17 foul-plagued minutes after averaging 14 points in the first seven games, but had a much easier time Wednesday with the exception of bricking a breakaway dunk late in the first half. David Noel added 13 points for the Tar Heels, who held Asheville to 30-percent shooting and forced 29 turnovers. It was the last scheduled ACC matchup of the season for the Bulldogs, who are coached by former N.C. State player and assistant coach Eddie Biedenbach. Asheville opened the season with an 80-52 loss at Georgia Tech followed by a 79-63 loss at Wake Forest. The Bulldogs also lost to N.C. State 86-56 two weeks ago. (Copyright 2005 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)