UNC Basketball: Tar Heels dominate Northern Iowa in second half
UNC allows just 16 second half points, pulls away from Northern Iowa
North Carolina lost a shocker to Northern Iowa last season without starting point guard Marcus Paige. On Wednesday night, there was no surprise ending and very little drama throughout.
Four Tar Heels scored in double-digits against the Panthers led by Kennedy Meeks’ 18 points. UNC’s leading scorer Justin Jackson scored 12 points and Joel Berry II and Isaiah Hicks both added 11.
UNI stayed close in the first half, down just seven points at the break. The first 20 minutes of the game were highlighted by sloppy play and poor shooting with neither team playing particularly well.
Dec 21, 2016; Chapel Hill, NC, USA; Northern Iowa Panthers forward Klint Carlson (2) drives to the basket as North Carolina Tar Heels forward Kennedy Meeks (3) defends during the first half at Dean E. Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Rob Kinnan-USA TODAY Sports
The Tar Heels began the second half with more intensity though, effectively turning what had been a close game into a complete blowout.
UNC was leading 23-22 with 4:07 left in the first half when the Tar Heels went on a 62-20 run and shot 60 percent from the floor for the remainder of the game. They also held UNI to 26 percent shooting, including seven percent from three-point range, en route to a 52-16 drubbing in the second half.
11 Tar Heels got into the scoring column and the team shot 52.3 percent overall. UNC hit 7-of-19 three-point attempts and connected on 10-of-16 from the free-throw line.
It was a nice way for the Tar Heels to bounce back after a tough loss to Kentucky on Saturday. Now 11-2 on the season, North Carolina prepares to play their final non-conference game against Monmouth before beginning ACC play at Georgia Tech on New Year’s Eve.
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