Heels cruise in exhibition

Staff photo by Robert Willett

CHAPEL HILL — So this is what North Carolina would have looked like had Tyler Hansbrough gone pro early. Good thing Ty Lawson, Wayne Ellington and Danny Green didn’t.

With the reigning National Player of the Year on the bench until at least the end of this week because of a stress reaction in his right shin, his veteran teammates led the top-ranked Tar Heels to a 102-62 exhibition victory Saturday night over UNC Pembroke.

Ellington — one of a trio of Tar Heels who “tested the NBA waters” but opted to return — led UNC with 16 points. Green also added 16. Lawson chipped in 14 points, 5 assists and 6 steals.

With two starters and two reserves sitting on the end of the bench in suits —Hansbrough (shin), Marcus Ginyard (foot), Michael Copeland (knee) and freshman Justin Watts (who hyperextended his leg in practice this week) — Carolina didn’t look its sharpest from the outset.

Freshman Tyler Zeller started in place of Hansbrough and Green started in place of Ginyard, and the Braves took advantage of the shuffle, shooting to an 8-2 lead. Carolina, as should be expected with so much depth and experience, sped back, though. The Tar Heels led 20-19 when they took control, reeling off 17 straight points — led by a transition dunk and three-pointer by Ellington, and fed by a couple of steals from Lawson.

Leading 44-25 at halftime, UNC dominated the second half.

Senior Bobby Frasor also played in front of a crowd for the first time since he tore a ligament in his knee last December, and finished with 9 points on three three-pointers.

The game the first time Hansbrough has watched UNC – instead of playing for it — since he was in the stands in St. Louis in 2005, cheering the Tar Heels as they beat Illinois for the national championship. He was a high school senior at the time.

UNC opens the regular season next Saturday against Penn at the Smith Center.