Notes from Chapel Hill

• TWEET
• SHARE
• SHARE

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. -- For a 34-point underdog, Penn put together quite a performance tonight at the Dean Dome. If you didn't get a chance to watch the game on television or listen to Brian Seltzer's radio call, here are a few quick reactions to what was a very encouraging performance by the Quakers.

• After the game, Roy Williams referred to Tyler Bernardini as an "all-world" player against UNC. The assessment isn't too far off. Though Glen Miller spoke more humbly about the sophomore sharpshooter, the numbers don't lie. For the second season in a row, Bernardini torched the Tar Heels from the perimeter, draining key shots with amazing consistency. When he had an open look, he simply did not miss. But Bernardini also demonstrated a real ability to create shots for himself. In the last minute or so of the game, Bernardini shook off two Carolina defenders from just inside the three-point line and knocked down an off-balance jumper as he tried to draw a foul. Unfazed by the big moment and always willing to take the open shot, Bernardini has the potential to be a very special, once-in-a-decade kind of a player for Penn if he continues to progress at this pace.
• I was a little curious to see what the dynamic would be like with both Zack Rosen and Harrison Gaines on the floor at the same time. Again, the answer was encouraging. First of all, Gaines looked much improved offensively. He was much smarter in his shot selection than we all remember from last season, and he had several impressive takes to the basket, including one great spin move into a jumpshot, which he canned. Rosen's line, 0-6 from the field, belies how well he ran the offense when he was out on the floor. Simply put, he is the true point guard that Penn has been seeking for years. Though his three-pointers didn't fall, he showed tremendous quickness, deft ball-handling skills, and good dribble penetration, along with a solid understanding of Penn's motion offense. He acted as a solid leader out on the floor, directing traffic and trusting the system. He had a beautiful spin move on a dribble drive of his own, kicking the ball out to Bernardini for an open three -- one of his five assists. He did throw the ball away a few times, but for his first career game -- against Carolina, no less -- he really delivered. Defensively, he had an impressive steal as Carolina tried to beat Penn in transition in the first half and was generally helpful in slowing the Heels' deadly transition game throughout the night.
• Senior Kevin Egee stepped up several times tonight for the Red and Blue, despite fouling out early on in the game. In the first half, he dribbled straight at Carolina's big men and jumped over two defenders to convert an acrobatic layup. He also knocked down a few big threes to keep Penn in it. He needs to cut down on the fouls, but he definitely provided a nice spark for the Quakers off the bench.
• The big question for Penn is in the paint. Cameron Lewis got the start, but he played only six minutes. After the game, Miller insisted it was his decision to keep him out of the game -- Lewis was not injured in any way. Brennan Votel played well in Lewis' place and seems to have developed a pretty soft touch on his jumpshot. He also showed some range, hitting a three in the second half. Jack Eggleston was scrappy on the boards, pulling down 12 rebounds, but his interior defense needs work, as does Votel's. Then again, they probably won't have to go up against anyone as tough as Deon Thompson or Tyler Zeller too often, if at all, for the rest of the season.
• The other freshmen played, well, like freshmen, but not much else could have been expected. Mike Howlett adds size in the paint, but he's still certainly a work in progress. He never seemed to get comfortable after bricking his first shot almost immediately upon entering the game for the first time. Larry Loughery didn't add much at all, except for a flagrant foul late in the game that drew a chorus of boos from the Dean Dome. In limited action, Rob Belcore drained his only attempt, a three-pointer, which is exactly what he was brought in to do. His role should increase as the season progresses.
• Finally, though Roy Williams and Glen Miller tried to downplay it, Eggleston told me bluntly that a Tyler Hansbrough-less UNC team was a significantly weaker one. Without Hansbrough in the paint, Penn wasn't too severely outmatched on the glass, preventing the Heels from getting out in transition as much as they usually do. It was the transition game that killed Penn last year.

Penn will take on Drexel on Tuesday morning at the DAC. Speaking about the early start, Bernardini joked that his pre-game meal will be a McGriddle before walking over to the gym. The breakfast of champions.