Hansbrough goes for 31 as Heels pull away from Pack for 93-76 win

North Carolina

Hansbrough goes for 31 as Heels pull away from Pack for 93-76 win

By Sam Rosenthal

Jan 31, 2009

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The game after Tyler Hansbrough’s streak of 55 straight games scoring in double figures ended, the reigning National Player of the Year started a new streak with 31 points and led his No. 5 Tar Heels over the N.C. State Wolfpack, 93-76.

Hansbrough scored 20 of his 31 points after halftime and shot 12-of-17 for the game. He added six rebounds, six-of-seven free throws, and even a three-pointer toward the finish the main force inside for Carolina, which outscored State in the paint, 46-16.

“Their bigs outplayed us – that’s it,” State coach Sidney Lowe said after the game. “They were tough inside, scoring the ball inside. We had a lot of opportunities ourselves, inside, especially in that first half. We just couldn’t convert. It wouldn’t go in for us.”

The Wolfpack trailed for most of the game but also kept it close, particularly in the first half. State opened the game well and battled UNC toe-to-toe for most of the first frame, but a 17-9 Carolina run to close out the half gave the Heels their largest lead to that point, 43-31.

UNC (19-2, 5-2 ACC) built its lead up to 18 points to start the second half, but State made a series of semi-runs when it seemed like the game might be out of reach. Still, the Wolfpack (11-8, 2-5) never inched closer than seven points away from the Tar Heels.

“In the second half, when they cut it to seven or eight or whatever it was, we kept coming back and scoring two or three times in a row,” UNC coach Roy Williams said. “Then they’d cut back to seven or eight, then we’d get two or three scores in a row.”

State’s Courtney Fells shined in the second half – after scoring two points in the first 20 minutes, he finished with 22 points on nine-of-15 shooting (eight-of-11 in the second half). But Hansbrough and the Heels proved too strong inside, too fast in transition, and too balanced on offense for State to overcome.

“You like to look down (at the stat sheet) and see five guys in double figures, even though I was wondering if (Fells) was going to make every shot for them in the second half,” Williams said. “But it was a very good win for us on the road.”

Based on Lowe’s comments, State took some positives away from the game, albeit in defeat. Lowe praised his team’s fight in cutting the lead under 10 a few times in the second half.

He said the key sequence occurred after Fells hit a three-pointer to make the score 60-52, UNC. Carolina failed to score on its next possession, and State exited a time out at 11:53 in the second half with a chance to cut the deficit to five or six points.

But Brandon Costner took, as Lowe put it, “a step-back three, a bad shot,” early in the shot clock, and UNC sped the ball ahead to Danny Green on the other end, who knocked down his three-point attempt and returned Carolina’s lead to double-digits.

“That started their run,” Lowe said. “(Coming out of that time out), I thought we had the momentum in our favor … But we couldn’t continue that. They took the momentum back in their favor.”

Green said the Heels expected State to keep popping up off the canvas. “They’re gonna’ fight, they’re gonna’ keep coming back, they’re not gonna’ give up. Especially in a game like this – it’s a rivalry game,” he said. “That’s why we tried to keep our poise, and we tried to keep pushing it and stay mentally focused.”

According to Williams, UNC put together a solid effort on defense – something he often scrutinizes. “(State is) a difficult team to guard because their big guys can shoot it from so deep,” Williams said. “Almost every time down the court you have a mismatch problem, but I thought our kids, after the first five minutes, played really hard.”

Maybe the Heels played a bit too hard, as they kept trying to score with the game in hand and reserves in the game. That resulted in the Pack’s Ben McCauley delivering a hard foul to UNC’s Mike Copeland, who reacted so strongly that Williams pulled his player from the game (both received technical fouls).

Afterward, Williams apologized to Lowe, and McCauley apologized to Williams. “(McCauley) said, ‘I’m sorry,’” Williams said. “And I said, ‘Don’t say that, you’re playing hard, and let it go at that.’ But (Copeland) shouldn’t have reacted like that.”

But the not-so-lovers’ spat detracted only slightly from the stars of the game – Fells for State in the second half, and Hansbrough for Carolina all game.

“I thought Courtney Fells was outstanding for us,” Lowe said after the game.

As for Hansbrough: His double-figure scoring streak ended Wednesday night against Florida State, when foul trouble limited his playing time, and he only managed eight points. His 31 points today continued his strong play in the RBC Center, where Carolina’s big man has now played against State for the last time. He averaged 26 points and eight rebounds for his career at N.C. State in four games.

“He was much more active today, he was more into it,” Williams said of Hansbrough. “I figured he would be because he was disappointed in his play the other night. And he was really very intense out there today.”

Most Recent Comments

RE: Hansbrough goes for 31 as Heels pull away from Pack for 93-76 win

A win over the Wulfies right now is not a quality win. It is an expected win. Had State had a better record or had beaten their out of conference teams, then it could be considered quality.

RE: Hansbrough goes for 31 as Heels pull away from Pack for 93-76 win

I was at the game and it was almost exactly how i expected it would go (minus the ending). I was surprised the holes let my pack hang in there as long as they did. They came within 7 or 8 points a few times in the second half. Hansborough was a workhorse and had the game that he needed after his performance at FSU. I think the refs did a decent job all the way around. Being there, it was obvious that NC State couldn't match the speed and intensity of UNC but a lot of that has to do with herb's recruits still in syd's system who are too slow. I'm excited to see the development of Mays and Tracey Smith who should turn into very productive players in the future.

As for the last play. I believe Ty Lawson did that a few years ago when UNC won in the RBC Center. My take on it is this: NC State had basically given up the last 5 seconds. They had respect not to try and foul and prolong a game that was already over. Every athlete knows that if you are winning by a respectable amount with seconds left, you hold the ball. McCauley wasn't going to let that happen on his home court his senior year. It was, without a doubt, a hard foul but I would expect Hansborough to foul one of our players hard if they tried to dunk the ball with 5 seconds left and a big lead. True sportsmanship would be to hold the ball and I believe everyone that's played any basketball knows this. It doesn't matter if you are a sub or if you're a four year starter. It's universal.

If you want an actual example of disrespect. Just go to our free expression tunnel and look at the carolina blue painted over Kay Yow's mural. It's a shame that these things are the focal points of the media when it should be about Carolina's quality win.

RE: Hansbrough goes for 31 as Heels pull away from Pack for 93-76 win

Two things about UNC / NC State yesterday. State should have not ran off Herb Sendek. He has a top twenty basketball team in Arizona. Also, when non starters get in the game, they are trying to score to get in the box score. They have been sitting on the bench the whole game and when they finally get in, they want to play basketball no matter the score. Copeland had a lane to the basket so he tried to score. No fault in that but a fault in his reaction to McCauley. He should have just laughed at him.

RE: Hansbrough goes for 31 as Heels pull away from Pack for 93-76 win

Two Time National Player of The Year! Its just a matter of time.

mr. hasbrough

never dought him he is the man

WRAL Sports Fan

North Carolina