UNC men's basketball leads Florida State, 50-41, at halftime

The No. 11 North Carolina men's basketball team leads No. 9 Florida State, 50-41, at halftime in the Smith Center. Here are some things you missed from the first 20 minutes of action.

Fast start

For the second home game in a row, the Tar Heels shot out of the gates. Against N.C. State on Sunday, UNC jumped out to a 26-4 run in the game's first eight minutes. 

North Carolina continued that trend against the Seminoles, opening the contest on a 14-5 run.

But, unlike against the Wolfpack, the Tar Heels could not hold off FSU forever. The Seminoles clawed back and eventually took the lead with 7:38 left in the half. 

North Carolina took the lead back and carried it into the locker room, but it probably won't be able to run away from Florida State like it did against N.C. State earlier in the week.

Hot Hicks

Florida State is ranked second in the country in average height, meaning UNC's bigs needed to be ready to battle all game. 

Senior forward Isaiah Hicks got the message in the first half, playing arguably his best stretch of the season against the Seminoles. 

On several occasions, Hicks drew his defender out of the paint and then drove by him using his quickness. He didn't always finish, but he did draw a handful of fouls and was 7-of-8 from the free throw line in the first half. 

Hicks picked up two fouls in the period, but his 13 first-half points helped UNC enter the half with the lead.

Missing Bradley

First-year Tony Bradley isn't playing today, and UNC has definitely felt his absence. 

Without many big bodies down low, North Carolina often had to rely on a lineup featuring Luke Maye at power forward. Maye had an abysmal first half, picking up two fouls and, at one point, turning the ball over on three straight possessions.

Late in the first half, UNC turned to a super small lineup with Hicks, Maye and Kennedy Meeks on the bench with two fouls each. 

As a result, Justin Jackson slid to the four and Theo Pinson to the five. Florida State recognized this and fed 7-foot-1, 304-pound Michael Ojo on its next possession. 

@jbo_vernon

sports@dailytarheel.com