UNC-UVA: Wahoos All Tyed Up By Heels

No. 6 NORTH CAROLINA 83, VIRGINIA 61—UNC (15-2, 1-2) went back to the basics last night to stop a surprising two-game ACC losing streak by once again effectively utilizing the talents of Tyler Hansbrough and Ty Lawson.

Both did what they do best as North Carolina was simply too much for Virginia. Hansbrough went to work inside drawing fouls, and Lawson forced the pace, freeing up himself and others for better offensive opportunities.

Hansbrough scored 28 points, Lawson had 19 with nine assists, and the Tar Heels forced the pace as they have in the past. Plain and simple, Lawson, Danny Green, and Wayne Ellington are all more effective in a fast-paced game.

Psycho T drew double coverage all game and made just six field goals, but he went to the line 17 times and made 15. He also had 12 rebounds, while Lawson was 3-for-3 on three-pointers. The Wahoo faithful complained loud and long about the fouls on Hansbrough. Hansbrough’s 28 points moved him past Christian Laettner into sixth place on the ACC's all-time scoring list.

With Lawson running the show with precision, the Tar Heels had 21 assists on just 27 field goals, accomplishing another goal that emerged after the losses to BC and Wake Forest.

"We had a discussion," said Danny Green, who scored 13 points. "One of the main reasons we were turning the ball over was either carelessness or selfishness."

UNC continues to shoot poorly though, making only 27 of 64 shots for 42.2 percent. The Heels only shot 14 threes (making five for 35.7 percent), which is their normal average, back down from the 22-plus they fired up in back-to-back losses to Boston College and Wake Forest.

The Cavs, on the other hand, were much worse, making only 25 of 82 shots (30.5 percent). They were downright miserable from behind the arc, launching 27 three-pointers and making just four of them for a 14.8 percent clip.

Virginia (7-7, 1-2) was led by Jamil Tucker with 12 points and Calvin Baker and Mike Scott with 11 each, but got a subpar effort from scoring leader Sylven Landesberg. He missed eight of his nine shots and had two points, 16.5 below his average.

The Heels had not started an ACC season 0-3 since the 1996-97 season.

(Photos by Steve Helber/Associated Press)