University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
Gardner-Webb
No. 2 North Carolina Dominates Gardner-Webb, 103-50
November 19, 2006 | Men's Basketball
Nov. 19, 2006
Box Score |
Quotes |
Photo Gallery 
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) -Freshman Brandan Wright scored 21 points to lead No. 2 North Carolina to a 103-50 rout of Gardner-Webb on Sunday.
Freshman Wayne Ellington added 19 points and preseason All-American Tyler Hansbrough added 18 for the Tar Heels (3-0), who shot 53 percent and reached triple digits for the second time this season.
It was just the kind of performance coach Roy Williams was hoping for after his Tar Heels struggled four days earlier against Winthrop, falling behind by 12 before rallying for a closer-than-expected 73-66 win. Afterward, Williams challenged his team to play with more intensity.
Almost from the opening tip of this one, the Tar Heels proved they got the message. They opened with an 11-2 spurt, took a double-figure lead after barely four minutes and then used several spurts to build a 38-point halftime lead and overwhelm the outmanned Runnin' Bulldogs.
Chris Gash led Gardner-Webb (0-3) with 14 points and Takayo Siddle added 10.
The Tar Heels made sure they wouldn't need another buzzer-beater to beat Gardner-Webb, which committed 17 of its 21 turnovers during an atrocious first half and lacked the manpower to stop North Carolina from scoring seemingly at will.
Exactly one year earlier, North Carolina needed a 3-pointer from David Noel with 1.8 seconds left to defeat Gardner-Webb 83-80 after the Runnin' Bulldogs rallied from an 11-point second-half deficit.
No drama was necessary this time, not after the Tar Heels' smothering first half.
Wright had 12 points and Ellington 11 by halftime, and North Carolina led 57-19 at the break after shooting 58 percent and holding the Runnin' Bulldogs to less than 27 percent shooting. The Tar Heels also used spurts of 11-0, 19-3 and 17-4 during the first 20 minutes to take control.
North Carolina improved to 73-2 in its last 75 home openers.
