TEMPLE OWLS | 67
#1 UNC TAR HEELS | 91
Big-Time Player:
Kennedy Meeks
25 points (10-17), 11 rebounds, 3 blocks
25 points (10-17), 11 rebounds, 3 blocks
Surprise Player:
Nate Britt
15 points (5-8, 3-4 3's), 2 assists
15 points (5-8, 3-4 3's), 2 assists
C'mon Man Player:
Justin Jackson
4 points (2-7, 0-3 3's), 2 rebounds
4 points (2-7, 0-3 3's), 2 rebounds
The North Carolina Tar Heels (1-0) upended the Temple Owls (0-1) Friday night in the Veterans Classic at the United States Naval Academy, 91-67.
Junior Kennedy Meeks dominated in the paint, grabbing 11 rebounds and netting a career-high 25 points. Meeks was joined in double-figures by Brice Johnson, who also put up double-double figures with 16 points and 10 rebounds.
While Meeks and Johnson put up very strong numbers, Justin Jackson struggled the entire night. Jackson only converted on 2-of-7 shots, including missing three attempts behind the arc. He only pulled down 2 rebounds, but rest assured, the real Justin Jackson will show up. The sophomore was picked as one of the top 10 high-impact sophomores by Sports Illustrated, and there is no doubt he will perform to that expectation as the season goes on.
Joel Berry II, the typical Tar Heel sixth-man, helped fill the starting role that the highly talented, yet injured Marcus Paige would usually play. Theo Pinson joined Berry in the starting North Carolina backcourt.
Berry and Pinson proved that the Tar Heels will do just fine while Paige's right hand heals for at least three weeks. Along with junior Nate Britt, the trio sank all of North Carolina's seven three pointers and combined for ten assists.
Britt came off the bench, but still managed to score in double-figures with 15 points, which is exciting coming from a guy that averaged just over 5 points per game in his first two seasons. The junior was almost perfect from three-point range only missing 1 of his 4 attempts beyond the arc.
From the looks of how Berry, Britt, and Pinson performed, the Tar Heels should not have any problem while Paige recovers from his injury. It will be fun to watch which one of them steps up in these next three weeks in hopes of earning that fifth starting spot.
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| #0 Nate Britt Courtesy: J.D. Lyon Jr. (goheels.com) |
From the looks of how Berry, Britt, and Pinson performed, the Tar Heels should not have any problem while Paige recovers from his injury. It will be fun to watch which one of them steps up in these next three weeks in hopes of earning that fifth starting spot.
The Tar Heels played up to their preseason No. 1 ranking and will look to continue their winning ways when they host Fairfield, Sunday at 4 PM. That game will be televised on ESPNU.
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