COLLEGE BASKETBALL: No. 1 UNC routs Fairfield

North Carolina opened up the season with a win over Temple on Friday and then ended the week defeating Fairfield in Chapel Hill on Sunday. “Confidence does a lot of things for you….”

UNC still played a pretty solid game, but they are going to show the most growth once Kenny Britt or Joel Berry is able to understand the problem, find a solution and settle the team down so that they can solve it together without Roy Williams calling a time out. Petersen scored 14, and Bando scored 18 making her the leading scorer for the Ducks.

The Tar Heels made only 2 of 13 shots from 3-point range in the first half and finished 8 of 23 for the game.

“I think Nate is becoming a leader on our team as far as getting us back into the game, knocking down big-time threes for us”, Meeks stated.

UNC led 40-32 at halftime and didn’t put the game away until the final 10 minutes against the Stags (0-2), who hit 10 3-pointers that kept them hanging around longer than expected.

Nico Clareth led Siena (0-2) with 21 points, while Marquis Wright added 17.

The game was part of the Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame Classic, though it wasn’t part of the event’s elimination rounds.

Fairfield: Tyler Nelson was the only other player to reach double figures with 10 points….

Fairfield (0-1) dropped their opener to Yale 70-57 and drew the short straw having to play UNC in their second game. Much like the game against Clemson three weeks ago, the Tar Heels got off to a fast start while the Hurricanes came out completely flat. Forward Jonathan Kasibabu fouled out with 6:02 remaining after collecting 10 rebounds without scoring.

The Badgers looked like a different team offensively after hitting less than 36 percent of their shots from the field and 64 percent from the free throw line and allowing Western IL to shoot 54 percent from the field in Friday night’s loss. It became the Tar Heels’ focus for each one week of prep to make historical past. Jillian Alleyne posted her first double double of the year with 12 points and 13 rebounds. Brice Johnson was the most impressive rebounder on defense and the Heels noticeably missed Johnson when he had to leave the game for foul trouble.