UNC pre-game observations: Tyler, fish and floppy hats

LAHAINA, Hawaii — Thoughts on the Maui Invitational, hours before UNC's opening game:

• If Tyler Hansbrough doesn't play against Chaminade tonight (this afternoon here) — and he probably won't — it's not because of his "tweaked" ankle, sustained in yesterday's practice. It's because coach Roy Williams continues to be worried about his star player's "stress reaction," and because it simply makes sense. No disrespect to the Silverswords, but they are a Division II team, and the Tar Heels are going to need the services of Hansbrough more in the finale on Wednesday, when they could face top 10 foes such as Texas or Notre Dame, than in the opener.

• If you go out to eat anywhere in Maui, you start to learn an awful lot about fish. Take the opakapaka (say it three times fast, it's fun), for instance. It's back on local menus just in time for the Maui Invite for the first time in at least six months. Why? The flaky white swimmer had been overfished.

• Look for guard Bobby Frasor to get his swish going tonight. The senior has only made 2 of his first 14 shots, so he's due.

• It would be easy to pick out the players around the team hotel, even if you didn't just figure that they were the tall, athletic-looking dudes. The were all given floppy Gilligan-style hats embroidered with an "EA Sports" logo by the tournament. Hansbrough made quite a picture when he showed up to do some interviews yesterday, what with his hat, shorts and large sunglasses. Incognito, he was not.