Nov 22, 2008 - 2:33 AM
1 shoutSANTA BARBARA, California (Ticker) -- Tyler Hansbrough made his season debut and had 13 points and seven rebounds as top-ranked North Carolina posted an 84-67 victory over pesky Santa Barbara on Friday.
Ty Lawson led six Tar Heels in double figures with 19 points and Wayne Ellington added 17 for North Carolina (3-0), which will participate in the Maui Invitational next week.
Last season's consensus National Player of the Year, Hansbrough returned after missing the first two games of his collegiate career with a stress reaction in his right shin. He shot 2-of-8 from the floor but made 9-of-10 from the foul line in 25 minutes.
With "The Thunderdome" rocking on every possession, Santa Barbara hung tough early on.
Paul Roemer made a pair of 3-pointers during an 11-0 run and the Gauchos held a 27-22 lead with 8:31 left in the first half.
Lawson answered with consecutive shots from the arc of his own and North Carolina established control with a 13-0 burst to take a 35-27 lead with five minutes left in the half. The Tar Heels carried a 45-37 advantage into the locker rooms.
A 7-0 burst early in the second half extended North Carolina's lead to 60-48, but Santa Barbara cut the deficit back down to seven on Sam Phippen's jumper with 10:53 remaining.
That would be as close as the Gauchos could get as the Tar Heels put the game out of reach with another 7-0 run late in the second half, giving North Carolina a 76-59 bulge with 2:32 remaining.
Deon Thompson had 12 points and 10 rebounds, Danny Green scored 11 and freshman Ed Davis added 10 for the Tar Heels.
North Carolina outrebounded Santa Barbara, 40-28, and forced 21 turnovers.
James Nunnally scored 22 points to lead Santa Barbara (1-2), which played a home game against the No. 1 team for the first time since 1991. Jesse Byrd was the only other Gauchos player in double figures with 12 points.
From the Bleachers
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North Carolina(1) 84, UC Santa Barbara 67 Final
cohoe
Why did scoring show Ty Zeller making 2 pointer?
Nov 22 12:18 AM -
NORTH CAROLINA: 84
UC SANTA BARBARA: 67
Final
Nov 22 12:05 AM -
North Carolina(1) 67, UC Santa Barbara 55 2nd Half - 7:27
RUWTbot
Took away 127 roots
Nov 21 11:44 PM -
North Carolina(1) 67, UC Santa Barbara 66 2nd Half - 7:27
RUWTbot
Added 127 roots (Upset)
Nov 21 11:43 PM -
NORTH CAROLINA: 45
UC SANTA BARBARA: 37
Halftime
Nov 21 10:55 PM
