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University of North Carolina Athletics
Friday, November 10
Chapel Hill
7:00 PM
North Carolina
1-0
86
vs
69
Northern Iowa
0-1
1
2
F
Northern Iowa
31
38
69
North Carolina
45
41
86
Luke Maye scored a career-high 26 points with 10 rebounds.
Photo by: Jeffrey A. Camarati
Tar Heels Down UNI, 86-69, To Open 2017-18
November 10, 2017 | Men's Basketball
by Aaron Beard, Associated Press
CHAPEL HILL—Luke Maye knocked down outside jumpers, hit the glass and scored inside — even throwing in a nifty spin move on a post bucket — for the best scoring performance of his career.
The 6-foot-8 junior had 26 points and 10 rebounds to help the Tar Heels beat Northern Iowa 86-69 in Friday night's season opener, a fast start for a one-time reserve now thrust into a leading role for the reigning national champions.
"Whether I score 26 or whether I score two, it's not going to make a difference to me," Maye said. "I just want to go out there and play my best and help my team do the best we can."
Big men Kennedy Meeks, Isaiah Hicks and Tony Bradley Jr. are gone from last year's title winner, leaving behind Maye and an inexperienced crop of big men.
Maye has already proven he can handle the biggest of moments, with his last-second jumper to beat Kentucky in the NCAA Elite Eight standing as the biggest moment of last year's tournament. Now he needs to prove he can do it more consistently in a minutes-rich and every-night role.
"When Luke was torching us in every practice ... I knew at some point he was going to explode," senior Theo Pinson said. "And I told people before this season started: 'Luke Maye is going to shock everybody.'"
Maye made 11 of 16 shots, including two 3-pointers, in 28 minutes.
"He's quick to shoot it and he's got no fear," Northern Iowa coach Ben Jacobson said, adding: "Tonight we had a couple where we didn't give him much space ... and he made 3s."
Freshman Garrison Brooks added 14 points for the Tar Heels, who didn't have Final Four Most Outstanding Player Joel Berry II and Pittsburgh graduate transfer Cameron Johnson due to injuries.
Regardless, the Tar Heels shot 50 percent and blew open a 14-point halftime lead to as many as 31 points late.
Spencer Haldeman had 15 points to lead Northern Iowa, which had upset the top-ranked Tar Heels at home in November 2015. But the Panthers never came close to duplicating that magic.
Haldeman had 15 points to lead Northern Iowa, which had upset the top-ranked Tar Heels at home in November 2015. But the Panthers never came close to duplicating that magic.
BIG PICTURE
Northern Iowa: The Panthers are picked to finish second in the Missouri Valley Conference, but this game just got away from them. Northern Iowa relied on the 3-point shot and made 13 of 28, though it got nothing inside the arc and only got to the foul line nine times.
UNC: The Tar Heels were down two likely starters for this one, so it was an encouraging start to earn a drama-free win with Maye shining in his first game in a leading role after his time as a reserve. Most notably, freshman Jalek Felton started at the point with Berry out, while Seventh Woods (nine points) had some good moments. Brooks also started alongside Maye up front as the Tar Heels look for reliable production on the interior from one of their young big men.
UP NEXT
Northern Iowa: The Panthers host Alcorn State on Monday.
UNC: The Tar Heels host Bucknell on Wednesday.
CHAPEL HILL—Luke Maye knocked down outside jumpers, hit the glass and scored inside — even throwing in a nifty spin move on a post bucket — for the best scoring performance of his career.
The 6-foot-8 junior had 26 points and 10 rebounds to help the Tar Heels beat Northern Iowa 86-69 in Friday night's season opener, a fast start for a one-time reserve now thrust into a leading role for the reigning national champions.
"Whether I score 26 or whether I score two, it's not going to make a difference to me," Maye said. "I just want to go out there and play my best and help my team do the best we can."
Big men Kennedy Meeks, Isaiah Hicks and Tony Bradley Jr. are gone from last year's title winner, leaving behind Maye and an inexperienced crop of big men.
Maye has already proven he can handle the biggest of moments, with his last-second jumper to beat Kentucky in the NCAA Elite Eight standing as the biggest moment of last year's tournament. Now he needs to prove he can do it more consistently in a minutes-rich and every-night role.
"When Luke was torching us in every practice ... I knew at some point he was going to explode," senior Theo Pinson said. "And I told people before this season started: 'Luke Maye is going to shock everybody.'"
Maye made 11 of 16 shots, including two 3-pointers, in 28 minutes.
"He's quick to shoot it and he's got no fear," Northern Iowa coach Ben Jacobson said, adding: "Tonight we had a couple where we didn't give him much space ... and he made 3s."
Freshman Garrison Brooks added 14 points for the Tar Heels, who didn't have Final Four Most Outstanding Player Joel Berry II and Pittsburgh graduate transfer Cameron Johnson due to injuries.
Regardless, the Tar Heels shot 50 percent and blew open a 14-point halftime lead to as many as 31 points late.
Spencer Haldeman had 15 points to lead Northern Iowa, which had upset the top-ranked Tar Heels at home in November 2015. But the Panthers never came close to duplicating that magic.
Haldeman had 15 points to lead Northern Iowa, which had upset the top-ranked Tar Heels at home in November 2015. But the Panthers never came close to duplicating that magic.
BIG PICTURE
Northern Iowa: The Panthers are picked to finish second in the Missouri Valley Conference, but this game just got away from them. Northern Iowa relied on the 3-point shot and made 13 of 28, though it got nothing inside the arc and only got to the foul line nine times.
UNC: The Tar Heels were down two likely starters for this one, so it was an encouraging start to earn a drama-free win with Maye shining in his first game in a leading role after his time as a reserve. Most notably, freshman Jalek Felton started at the point with Berry out, while Seventh Woods (nine points) had some good moments. Brooks also started alongside Maye up front as the Tar Heels look for reliable production on the interior from one of their young big men.
UP NEXT
Northern Iowa: The Panthers host Alcorn State on Monday.
UNC: The Tar Heels host Bucknell on Wednesday.
Team Stats
UNI
NC
FG%
.418
.500
3FG%
.464
.333
FT%
.667
.857
RB
29
37
TO
14
7
STL
2
8
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
14
FGM
5
3FGM
0
FTM
4
Pts
10
FGM
3
3FGM
2
FTM
2
Pts
9
FGM
3
3FGM
0
FTM
3
Players Mentioned
G
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/ Men's Basketball
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/ Men's Basketball
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/ Men's Basketball
F/G
/ Men's BasketballG
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