Having already stopped Wofford (0-2) after the Terriers twice pulled the game within three points, the No. 1 Tar Heels needed something big.
So Nate Britt stole the ball, made a basket and repeated — extending the Tar Heels’ lead to 64-50. The two buckets fueled an 14-8 run for the Tar Heels (3-0), as UNC rolled to a 78-58 win over Wofford on Wednesday evening at the Smith Center.
Despite the UNC’s slow start, Coach Roy Williams said he was much more impressed with the team’s overall effort this game compared to Sunday’s against Fairfield.
UNC outscored Wofford 50-18 in the paint but shot just 1-for-9 from the 3-point line.
Throughout the game, UNC looked like the more dominant team — but Wofford continued to make tough shots, especially in the first half. And minutes before halftime, the Terriers were shooting better than 50 percent from the field.
But UNC gradually locked down the Terriers’ attack. Wofford ran the shot clock down on most of its possessions, forcing the Tar Heels to focus on playing defense.
And with strong performances from Kennedy Meeks and Brice Johnson, UNC’s renewed focus helped it overcome its shaky start.
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