Zeller's double-double leads UNC to second-round win

GREENSBORO – Tyler Zeller looked around the Greensboro Coliseum with steely eyes while the Coliseum looked back at him.

The North Carolina big man just blocked two shots on the same possession, one after the other, but the look on his face more impressive. Zeller meant business.

“He’s definitely one of our most consistent players,” sophomore guard Reggie Bullock said. “He is bringing that every night and we just have to ride with him when he’s bringing that intensity.”

Bullock’s statement was especially true Friday evening, as the Tar Heels (30-5) slow-clapped their way to a 77-58 victory against Vermont (24-12). In the beginning of the game, when the clap was slowest and the Tar Heels struggled to hit shots, Zeller was one of the few producing well.

By halftime, Zeller had 15 of the Tar Heels’ 37 points and nine rebounds, all while fighting through double-teams.

As a 7-footer, Zeller had a five-inch advantage on Vermont’s Luke Apfield. To deal with that, the Catamounts sent an extra defender swarming his way whenever Zeller passed the ball.

It didn’t matter.

Zeller passed out, or beat each double-team before it ever reached him.

“One thing I think Z has gotten tremendously better at over the past year is learning how to read defenses,” Kendall Marshall said. “He does a tremendous job passing out of double-teams now, making a quick move if it needs to happen. That’s big for us moving forward, because of the talent he has and John (Henson) has and Harrison (Barnes) has down low, teams may try to double team us or double down.

“But if he’s able to look out of it the way he has lately, it’s going to be big for us.”

Zeller was 3-for-8 from the field and 9-for-10 from the charity stripe in the first half. The rest of his team made 9-of-21 shots from the floor.

The Tar Heels picked up their shooting in the second half, and Zeller only took one shot in the second half. He made it.

Zeller was efficacious on every side, corner and plank on the court. He finished the game with 17 points, 15 rebounds and four blocks. He also had a couple of assists and a steal.

“I think the biggest thing was they’re not used to playing bigs as big as us and quick as us, so it’s something we knew we had an advantage and we just tried to take advantage of it from the beginning,” Zeller said.

Sure Zeller’s chin could rest on most of the Catamounts’ heads, but he was relentless all the same.

And while Zeller didn’t make a huge impact scoring the ball in his 13 second-half minutes, his presence alone opened up things for his teammates. Barnes, James Michael McAdoo and Marshall all excelled, each finishing in double-digits.

Eventually the clap got rolling and so did UNC.

It all started with the senior.

“As a senior he’s always telling us, ‘Pick it up, we can’t keep playing like this,’” Bullock said. “He’s a senior, and he’s just telling us what to do. He’s been in this position before, he’s won a national championship and we’re just riding his coattails and listening to what he’s saying, because he’s been there before.”