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University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
Texas A&M
Tar Heels Upend Texas A&M, 96-62, For Third Straight Win
December 30, 2001 | Men's Basketball
Dec 30, 2001
By JOHN MARSHALL
Associated Press Writer
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - Jason Capel had 22 points and 16 rebounds as North Carolina beat Texas A&M 96-62 Sunday night for its third straight victory.
North Carolina (5-5) has won three straight 39 times since 1990, including an 18-game winning streak last season, but this one was a little unexpected after the Tar Heels opened the season 0-3 and had home losses to Hampton and Davidson.
Texas A&M, which had not played since a 76-61 loss to Louisiana-Monroe on Dec. 22, has lost six of seven after opening the season 5-1. The Aggies (6-7) shot less than 40 percent (35) for the fifth time in eight games, and were just 1-for-20 from 3-point range.
North Carolina's Jawad Williams had 15 points - two on a rebound slam that brought the crowd to its feet in the second half - after scoring a career-high 20 against North Carolina A&T on Thursday.
Capel was 8-for-11 from the floor for his third straight game with 20 or more points.
North Carolina, which shot 28 percent from 3-point range in its first seven games, is 35-for-73 in its last three after hitting 9 of 22 against Texas A&M. The Tar Heels shot 54 percent overall for their third straight game over 50 percent.
North Carolina missed four of its first five shots, but Brian Morrison hit a 3-pointer shortly after entering the game and Kris Lang had a 3-point play inside during a 15-2 run that put the Tar Heels up 22-12 with 12:34 left.
Morrison was 3-of-5 from 3-point range and had all of his 13 points in the first half as the Tar Heels built a 45-33 lead.
Lang didn't start after missing two games with a strained knee ligament, but had 13 points in 15 minutes wearing a heavy brace on his left knee.
Texas A&M had just two turnovers in the first half, but had two in the first 90 seconds of the second, including one pass that went off the forehead of Andy Slocum. The Aggies had nine turnovers overall.
North Carolina was 5-of-8 during a 15-4 run to open the second half, then extended the lead to 70-41 on a breakout dunk by Capel with 13:01 left.
Texas A&M leading scorer Bernard King, who didn't start because of a strained groin, had eight points on 4-of-14 shooting. Daryl Mason led the Aggies with 14 points and Slocum added 11 points and nine rebounds.
