Penn 64, (2) North Carolina 102, FINAL
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SHARECHAPEL HILL, N.C. -- End of game -- 3:20 2nd, 88-58 UNC -- Penn's defense has just fallen apart. The Quakers are missing shots too, and UNC has just had a huge run of dunks and layups, scoring 19 points in four minutes to up the lead to 30. 5:19 2nd, 79-56 UNC -- Now an even larger portion of the crowd has headed for the exits with a huge dunk by Wright off another steal. UNC's trap defense has just been too much for Penn to handle tonight. 7:56 2nd, 69-54 UNC -- I have always wavered on the NBA-college debate (which I like better) but one thing that college has going for it is the crowd is still into the game in a semi-blowout against an insignificant (to the fans) opponent. However, a number of people just left during this timeout, so maybe I'll take that back. But there certainly wouldn't bee this much cheering and intensity at this point of a similar Suns-Sixers game. 11:42 2nd, 64-47 UNC -- Play of the night just happened, when Hansbrough took a great pass from Frasor in transition, spun around Zoller and slammed it home, getting a huge roar from the crowd here. Regardless of whatever the final score ends up being, I think that this game will be very useful for both teams. Penn has done a number of things well against UNC and has identified some weaknesses that could be exploited by some better-disciplined teams. The Quakers have played a number of different in-game strategies, and this has been a good place to see what works and what doesn't, and this tape will likely be very useful down the road. 14:28 2nd, 60-42 UNC -- Turnovers and transition baskets (I feel like a broken record) have extended the UNC lead to 18. Penn is also up to seven fouls already, and this one is just about locked up. 15:05 2nd, 54-42 UNC -- Zoller has picked up his second and third fouls relatively quickly in this half, and UNC had scored 11 points in the first 2:20 of the half, pushing the lead to as many as 16. But Penn continues to hang around, keeping the game within a reasonable margin. 18:30 2nd, 45-33 UNC -- Danley played the last nine minutes or so of the first half without picking up his third foul, but it only took a minute and change for him to do that here in the second, and he is back on the bench. Halftime stats Jaaber leads Penn with 11 points on 5-of-8 shooting, while UNC is led by Hansbrough with 10, who is only shooting 3-of-9. Overall, the Quakers are shooting 56.5 percent from the field, 37.5 from three, and are only 1-for-2 from the line. The Heels are shooting 46.9 percent from the field, 3-of-6 from three, and 6-of-7 from the line. If Penn takes better care of the ball in the second half, the Quakers might have a shot, but they will have to play their best half of basketball to do it. Back with the second half shortly. Halftime, 39-30 UNC -- All things considered, Penn scoring the last five points of the half and settling down a bit has to be a positive going into the break. Back soon with halftime states. 3:56 1st, 35-22 UNC -- The Tar Heels are threatening to blow this game wide open, with hot shooting and more Penn turnovers. In the first seven minutes, the Quakers were up 18-8, and had their best strech of the season. In the last nine minutes, Penn has been outscored 27-4, and looks like a team that is completely overmatched. I'm not really sure whether UNC just didn't come out ready to play until they realized Penn was not a complete patsy, or whether Penn went all out and has already run out of gas against a far more athletic UNC team. 4:55 1st, 29-22 UNC -- If you had 15:05 until Glen Miller took his jacket off, then you win that pool. It came off a pretty stupid play by Tommy McMahon. Miller called a timeout when Penn had two seconds on the shot clock, McMahon took the inbounds pass, and then passed the ball to Kevin Egee, for a shot clock violation. McMahon is no longer in the game. 7:15 1st, 26-20 UNC -- UNC is on an 18-2 run and the pressure defense is just killing the Quakers, who are up to 10 turnovers and something like six turnovers in their last eight posessions. 9:50 1st, 19-18 UNC -- If you had nine minutes and 50 seconds until North Carolina took its first lead of the game, then I'd like to meet you. But the Quakers are starting to turn the ball over more, which is a big concern because it leads to UNC transition points, and Penn has already committed seven fouls so the Tar Heels will be shooting free throws for the rest of the half. 11:24 1st, 18-13 Penn -- The Quakers just had a 10-point lead, but a wide-open three and another long jumper have cut the lead in half. Penn continues to play strong defense, but the Tar Heels have started to figure out how to pass across the defense for open shots. Meanwhile, Roy Williams made a full five-man line change a few minutes ago, which prompted a huge ovation for Bobby Frasor, who had missed the last six games with an injury. I think Miller made the right response, putting in subs of his own as to not tire out the Quakers with the grueling pace of UNC. Meanwhile, the Quakers have to continue to make perfect passes, which they have so far, otherwise they will be smothered by the Tar Heels' pressure defense. 15:33 1st, 13-6 Penn -- Great start to this game for Penn. The Quakers have hit shots, made good passes, only turned the ball over twice, and have rebounded well and defended well. The only negative is Steve Danley's two very quick fouls that have landed him on the bench. But Brennan Votel made a nice move going at Tyler Hansbrough for a lay-in, and most importantly, Penn does not look at all intimidated by the Tar Heels.
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. -- Welcome to the Dean Smith Center, or "Dean Dome" as it is called around here for tonight's game between the Quakers and the No. 2 Tar Heels. Tip off is scheduled for 8 p.m. and the game will be telecast on ESPN. But if you can't get to a TV then check out The Buzz throughout the evening for updates. Here are the probable starters: Penn (6-5) No. 2 North Carolina (12-1)Cheesesteaks! Sorry, Bojangles! UNC's version of the Abner's promotion is one-dollar biscuits at Bojangles tomorrow morning. The crowd erupted when little-used senior Dewey Burke hit two threes in the final minute and change to put the Tar Heels over the mark.
Biggest two concerns for Penn coming into the game were turnovers and offensive rebounds. The Quakers have 15 turnovers (bad) and have surrendered seven offensive renounds on 17 missed shots (not so bad).
G- (2) Ibrahim Jaaber, Sr., 6-2, 170
G- (21) Brian Grandieri, Jr., 6-4, 190
F- (20) Tommy McMahon, So., 6-7, 210
F- (24) Mark Zoller, Sr., 6-7, 220
C- (3) Steve Danley, Sr., 6-8, 225
G- (2) Wayne Ellington, Fr., 6-4, 195
G- (5) Ty Lawson, Fr., 5-11, 193
F- (3) Reyshawn Terry, Sr., 6-8, 232
F- (34) Brandan Wright, Fr., 6-9, 205
F- (50) Tyler Hansbrough, So., 6-9, 245