UNC vs. Oklahoma State: Score and Reaction from Maui Invitational 2016

The North Carolina Tar Heels advanced to the finals of the 2016 Maui Invitational on Tuesday with a commanding 107-75 victory over the Oklahoma State Cowboys.

The No. 4-ranked Tar Heels moved to 6-0 with their first victory over a major-conference opponent of the season. The owners of the 1999, 2004 and 2008 Maui Invitational titles looked plenty comfortable in Maui, Hawaii, and shot 57.8 percent from the field and 47.1 percent from three-point range.

It was a balanced effort for the Tar Heels, as six players scored in double figures. Joel Berry II led the way with 24 points, five rebounds, four assists and three steals, while Justin Jackson added 22 points, eight boards and six assists.

North Carolina outrebounded the Cowboys, 47-31, and held them to 36.1 percent shooting from the field and 27.3 percent shooting from long range. It will now play for another Maui Invitational championship against Wisconsin on Wednesday.

North Carolina's athletic department shared the highlights on its YouTube page:

Oklahoma State dropped to 4-1 on the campaign but can take solace knowing Jawun Evans is capable of dominating at an individual level against elite competition. The talented guard was a one-man show at times for the Cowboys and finished with 30 points.

ESPN Stats & Info noted Evans has been one of the best scorers in the country this season:

Harold R. Kuntz of News on 6 in Tulsa, Oklahoma, compared him to another basketball superstar in the state:

Despite Evans' impressive play, Oklahoma State's uphill battle became even more difficult in the opening three minutes when starting forward Mitchell Solomon picked up two quick fouls. With the 6'9" big man on the bench, North Carolina jumped out to an 11-2 lead, and six of its points came in second-chance fashion.

John Helsley of the Oklahoman reacted to the Tar Heels' red-hot start:

North Carolina extended its advantage to 25-12 with a three from Berry II and 30-17 with a three from Jackson. It dominated on the inside in the early going but also hit four of its first five shots from downtown to essentially bury the Cowboys in the first half.

One of the only things that went wrong for the Tar Heels in the opening 20 minutes was foul trouble for Isaiah Hicks. He went to the bench with more than five minutes until halftime with his third.

North Carolina's first-half advantage ballooned to as many as 17 before Evans drilled a three-pointer to cut it to 51-38 by intermission. While his team was overmatched, Evans poured in 20 points in the first half alone and inspired this response from Jerry Meyer of 247Sports:

His offensive brilliance was the only reason Oklahoma State was still within striking distance after shooting 2-of-11 from long range in the first half. Mark Armstrong of ABC 11 in Raleigh, North Carolina, said, "Evans has not disappointed. One of those few ultra-talented guys you just have to hope misses."

The Tar Heels removed any doubt about the outcome by Oklahoma State's under-16-minute timeout with a 16-4 run to start the second half. Berry II connected on two threes during the span, including the one that made it 67-42.

SB Nation's CRFF summed things up from Oklahoma State's perspective:

To add insult to injury, Leyton Hammonds fouled out with 14:30 remaining.

Oklahoma State did battle back some with a 9-0 run to trim the deficit from 70-42 to 70-51. Six of the points in the burst came from Evans, but it was too little, too late for the Oklahoma State playmaker.

North Carolina responded with a 17-9 spurt of its own to build an 87-60 lead by the under-eight-minute timeout. At that point, the only drama remaining was whether the Tar Heels would reach the century mark with so many pieces contributing on the offensive side. 

The points continued to come with a three from Berry II and a dunk from Hicks. Andrew Carter of the Charlotte Observer praised the effort from the Tar Heels:

Kenny Williams got the Tar Heels to 100 with a three-pointer, and Carter said the fans were feeling right at home:

North Carolina put things on cruise control from there and finished the win.

What's Next?

North Carolina will play Wisconsin on Wednesday for the title, while Oklahoma State will face Georgetown in the third-place game.

The Cowboys can salvage their trip to Hawaii with a quality victory against the Hoyas that should prepare them for a Dec. 3 trip to Maryland. North Carolina will also be tested against the Badgers before a road game against Indiana on Nov. 30 and a home showdown with Kentucky on Dec. 17.

Each team will have opportunities to bolster their NCAA tournament resumes with those marquee nonconference battles in the coming weeks.

Postgame Reaction

Vashti Hurt of Carolina Blitz shared some of North Carolina coach Roy Williams' postgame thoughts:

Berry said, "Tonight we showed we have the team to compete against high-caliber teams," per Hurt.

The Tar Heels will need to play at a high level once again with a high-caliber Wisconsin team on the immediate docket.