North Carolina To Continue PK80 Play In Oregon As They Take On Portland
North Carolina will now tip-off the PK80 in Oregon against Portland who is a member of the West Coast Conference after playing the first two games of the tournament in Chapel Hill against Bucknell and than on the road in California at Stanford.
Carolina plays the University of Portland in the first round of PK80 on Thanksgiving Day (Thursday, Nov. 23) at the Moda Center, the NBA home of the Portland Trailblazers and former Tar Heel national champion Ed Davis.
• This is the first time UNC and Portland have played in men's basketball.
• This is the second time in four games dating to last season the Tar Heels have played a member of the West Coast Conference. UNC defeated Gonzaga in the 2017 national championship.
• The Tar Heels are coming off a 96-72 win at Stanford on Nov. 20. Joel Berry scored a game-high 29 points and Kenny Williams scored all of his career-high 20 in the first nine minutes and three seconds. "according to http://www.goheels.com/news/2017/11/22/mens-basketball-tar-heels-vs-portland-thursday-to-start-pk80.aspx
• PK80 is a Nike-sponsored event to honor Phil Knight's 80th birthday.
• UNC is competing in the "Victory" bracket. The Tar Heels will play either Arkansas or Oklahoma on Nov. 24 and Connecticut, DePaul, Michigan State or Oregon on Nov. 26.
• UNC's next home game is Nov. 29th against Michigan in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge. "according to http://www.goheels.com/news/2017/11/22/mens-basketball-tar-heels-vs-portland-thursday-to-start-pk80.aspx
Carolina is 6-0 in Oregon with all six games played in Portland's Memorial Coliseum.
• Carolina went 3-0 and won the Far West Classic in both 1967-68 and 1976-77.
• In 1967, the fifth-ranked Tar Heels beat Stanford, Utah and Oregon State. In 1976, ninth-ranked UNC defeated Oral Roberts, Oregon and Weber State.
• Charles Scott was the Far West Classic MVP in 1967; Walter Davis won the award in 1976. "according to http://www.goheels.com/news/2017/11/22/mens-basketball-tar-heels-vs-portland-thursday-to-start-pk80.aspx
UNC scored a season-high 96 points.
• Carolina made a season-high 11 three-pointers (made six in each of the first two games).
• Carolina scored a season-high 25 points off turnovers and a season-high 18 second-chance points.
• Carolina has won 10 consecutive games against Pac-12 opponents and is 11-1 against Pac-12 teams under head coach Roy Williams
• Junior guard Kenny Williams scored a career-high 20 points (previous 19 vs. Radford on 12/4/16) and made a career-high six three-pointers (five vs. Radford).
• Williams scored all 20 of his points in the first 9:03 as UNC built a 26-11 lead. He scored UNC's first 14 points on four threes and a layup to give UNC a 14-11 lead at the 14:28 mark.
• Williams made six threes in the first half. That is the most threes ever by a Tar Heel in a first half and equals the second-most threes in a half by a Tar Heel. They are the most in a half since WayMost Threes in a Half by a Tar Heel
7 – Wayne Ellington vs. Miami (2nd half), 1/17/09
6 – Kenny Williams at Stanford (1st half), 11/20/17
6 – Danny Green vs. UNC Asheville (2nd half), 11/30/08
6 – Hubert Davis at Florida State (2nd half), 2/27/92
Wayne EllingAfter hitting his sixth three-pointer with 10:57 to play in the first half, Williams attempted two field goals the rest of the game (a three-point attempt with 7:07 to play in the first half and a two-point attempt with 7:43 to play in the game). He had two assists in the second half (three for the game) and took a charge in both halves.
• Williams scored in double figures for the third time in as many games this year. Prior to this year, he had not scored in double figures in consecutive games as a Tar Heel.
• Williams is 10 for 16 from three-point range this year (.625).
• Joel Berry scored a game-high 29 points (18 in the first half, 11 in the second). It was his second-highest scoring output as a Tar Heel and his 14th career 20-point game,
• Berry was 5 for 11 from three-point range. This was the sixth time in his career he made at least five threes.
• Berry has 1,233 career points. He passed the following Tar Heels in career scoring at Stanford: Sean Maye , James Worthy, Harrison Barnes, Joe Wolf and James Michael McAdoo. He is 53rd in UNC history.
• Berry attempted 11 threes. The only game in which he launched more was the 2017 national title game vs. Gonzaga when he attempted 13 (also tried 11 at Virginia Tech as a sophomore). It was the fourth time in his career he attempted 19 shots from the floor.
• Luke Maye had a game-high nine rebounds and had a career-high five assists. This was the second consecutive game Maye set a career-high in assists (had four vs. Bucknell).
• Freshman Garrison Brooks , Brandon Huffman and Sterling Manley combined for 15 points, 13 rebounds and 12 fouls in 33 minutes.
• Huffman scored a season-high eight points and had a season-best five rebounds.
• Senior walk-on Aaron Rolhman scored his first field goal as a Tar Heel. "according to http://www.goheels.com/news/2017/11/22/mens-basketball-tar-heels-vs-portland-thursday-to-start-pk80.aspx
GAME TWO – CAROLINA 93, BUCKNELL 81
•Luke Maye led UNC in scoring for the second time in as many games with 20 points, Theo Pinson scored a career-high 19 and had six assists, Joel Berry returned to the lineup and had six assists, and freshman Sterling Manley had a double-double in just 17 minutes to lead UNC to a 93-81 win over defending Patriot League champion Bucknell.
• Carolina led 43-27 with 4:25 to play in the first half and by nine at the break, but the Bison pulled within a point with 12:41 to play in the game. Maye hit a pair of free throws, then a three-pointer to push the lead back to six. Bucknell did not cut the lead to less than four the rest of the game.
• Manley (10), Maye (8) and Pinson (6) combined to score 24 of UNC's next 28 points after Bucknell narrowed the lead to 59-58.
• It was UNC's 20th home win in a row.
• Carolina's bench out-scored the Bucknell reserves by 12 (26-14) and UNC won by 12.ton made seven in the second half vs. Miami in 2009. "according to http://www.goheels.com/news/2017/11/22/mens-basketball-tar-heels-vs-portland-thursday-to-start-pk80.aspx
As North Carolina's last game they handled Stanford in California.
Joel Berry II had no intentions of repeating his poor shooting performance from the last game. "according to http://goheels.com/news/2017/11/20/mens-basketball-tar-heels-win-at-stanford.aspx
Berry scored 29 points, Kenny Williams posted career highs with 20 points and six 3-pointers, and No. 9 North Carolina beat Stanford 96-72 on Monday night in a matchup of Roy Williams against his former player-turned coach, Jerod Haase. "according to http://goheels.com/news/2017/11/20/mens-basketball-tar-heels-win-at-stanford.aspx
"I just wanted to bounce back from not shooting as well last game," said Berry, who shot 1 for 11 last week against Bucknell. "That's why when I hit the shots I was just smiling just because I expected to hit those shots." "according to http://goheels.com/news/2017/11/20/mens-basketball-tar-heels-win-at-stanford.aspx
Luke Maye added 12 points, nine rebounds and five assists for the defending champion Tar Heels (3-0), who improved to 11-0 against the Cardinal.
Reid Travis scored 21 points to lead Stanford (3-2), while Isaac White added 20. "according to http://goheels.com/news/2017/11/20/mens-basketball-tar-heels-win-at-stanford.aspx
Second-year Cardinal coach Haase played for 15th-year UNC coach Williams at Kansas and also coached under him at North Carolina from 2003-2012. They were all smiles together in recent days leading up to the sold-out, nationally televised game and reunion at Maples Pavilion. "according to http://goheels.com/news/2017/11/20/mens-basketball-tar-heels-win-at-stanford.aspx
"It was a lot of personal things today. This was an emotional day for me, this morning talking about Jerod," Roy Williams said. "It was emotional when I got up on the bench and started down here and then I saw Jerod. I don't think I looked at him a single time during the game." "according to http://goheels.com/news/2017/11/20/mens-basketball-tar-heels-win-at-stanford.aspx
Berry shot 10 for 19 with five 3-pointers and Williams went 7 of 11 and 6 for 8 on 3s. Williams made North Carolina's first five field goals on seven shots as the rest of the team missed its initial six attempts until Brandon Huffman's dunk at the 12:54 mark of the first half. "according to http://goheels.com/news/2017/11/20/mens-basketball-tar-heels-win-at-stanford.aspx
After falling behind 11-6, the Tar Heels answered with a 24-4 run to take control and led 50-36 at halftime. "according to http://goheels.com/news/2017/11/20/mens-basketball-tar-heels-win-at-stanford.aspx
Stanford was picked to finish fifth in the Pac-12 and held its first four opponents to an average of 67 points while scoring 75.3. The Tar Heels topped 90 points for the second time in three games. "according to http://goheels.com/news/2017/11/20/mens-basketball-tar-heels-win-at-stanford.aspx
"Once the game starts I do think I kind of lose myself in the game and Coach Williams probably does, too," Haase said. "Having Carolina in the building is a special deal." "according to http://goheels.com/news/2017/11/20/mens-basketball-tar-heels-win-at-stanford.aspx
Stanford is short-handed as Dorian Pickens and Marcus Sheffield nurse foot injuries, putting three freshmen in the starting lineup. "according to http://goheels.com/news/2017/11/20/mens-basketball-tar-heels-win-at-stanford.aspx
Berry and Williams shouldered the load after the North Carolina bench contributed 26 points in a 93-81 victory against Bucknell last Wednesday. "according to http://goheels.com/news/2017/11/20/mens-basketball-tar-heels-win-at-stanford.aspx
MISSED FREE THROWS
Stanford's struggles at the free-throw line contributed to the Cardinal losing this one.
His team down 55-44, Travis missed two free throws with 16:09 remaining in the game, Theo Pinson immediately hit a jumper on the other end, and Stanford wound up 17 for 28 (60.7 percent) from the line. "according to http://goheels.com/news/2017/11/20/mens-basketball-tar-heels-win-at-stanford.aspx
BIG PICTURE
North Carolina: Berry shot 1 for 11 his last game. ... The Tar Heels hadn't visited Stanford since Dec. 3, 1983, earning an 88-75 victory in the championship game of the Stanford Invitational despite Michael Jordan fouling out in just eight minutes and scoring four points in Dean Smith's 500th win. ... UNC improved to 2-0 in games vs. Stanford at Maples Pavilion. " according to http://goheels.com/news/2017/11/20/mens-basketball-tar-heels-win-at-stanford.aspx
Stanford: The Cardinal faced their first ranked opponent after going 0-8 in such games last season. No. 3 Kansas also is on the schedule for a Dec. 21 game at Sacramento's second-year Golden 1 Center. Haase dropped to 2-17 against ranked opponents as a coach. He is one of only three to play for Williams and later coach against him. Williams is now 3-1 coaching against Haase — previously at UAB — while also having coached against former players Wes Miller and Rex Walters. ... This marked the first men's basketball sellout at 7,233-seat Maples since Oregon's visit on March 1, 2015. "according to http://goheels.com/news/2017/11/20/mens-basketball-tar-heels-win-at-stanford.aspx
As for Portland's last game, they defeated traditional NAIA power Oregon Tech by an 86-59 margin in non-conference men's basketball action before 1,541 fans Sunday night at the Chiles Center. The Pilots were tested early, but pulled away late in the first half and never looked back. "according to http://portlandpilots.com/news/2017/11/19/mens-basketball-pilots-down-oregon-tech-in-mens-hoops-action.aspx
The Pilots (2-1) would lead by as much as 30 points late in regulation and were able to get all 12 active players into the game. "according to http://portlandpilots.com/news/2017/11/19/mens-basketball-pilots-down-oregon-tech-in-mens-hoops-action.aspx
Redshirt sophomore Josh McSwiggan led the way with 16 points and seven rebounds, while freshman Tahirou Diabate added 13 points and six rebounds to lead the Pilots. Junior Rashad Jackson scored all 13 of his points in the second half. "according to http://portlandpilots.com/news/2017/11/19/mens-basketball-pilots-down-oregon-tech-in-mens-hoops-action.aspx
The Pilots shot 48 percent from the field and limited the Hustlin' Owls to just 27 percent overall. Portland drilled 9-of-22 three-pointers, while OIT finished at 4-of-25 from long range. "according to http://portlandpilots.com/news/2017/11/19/mens-basketball-pilots-down-oregon-tech-in-mens-hoops-action.aspx
Portland jumped out to an early 21-10 lead to open the game, but the Owls used a 12-2 run capped by a Will Swank three-pointer to close the gap to 23-22. The Pilots responded and consecutive three-pointers by freshmen Marcus Shaver Jr. and JoJo Walker pushed the margin back to double figures. The Pilots would lead 41-26 at the half. "according to http://portlandpilots.com/news/2017/11/19/mens-basketball-pilots-down-oregon-tech-in-mens-hoops-action.aspx
The second half opened with a 9-3 UP run with Diabate scoring all nine of the points, highlighted by a steal and dunk for a 50-29 lead. OIT pulled within 53-34 on a layup by Quim Vallve, but D'Marques Tyson answered with a Pilot three-pointer and the margin stayed over 20 the rest of the way. "according to http://portlandpilots.com/news/2017/11/19/mens-basketball-pilots-down-oregon-tech-in-mens-hoops-action.aspx
Senior center Philipp Hartwich blocked four more shots and has 14 through three games. He became the third player in school history to pass 100 career blocked shots (101) and is now two shy of second place and 20 shy of the program record.
Portland's they have a record of 2-1 and are coming off a win over Oregon Tech. "according to http://portlandpilots.com/news/2017/11/19/mens-basketball-pilots-down-oregon-tech-in-mens-hoops-action.aspx
Tip-off is set for 2:30pm. The game will be televised on ESPN. "according to http://goheels.com/schedule.aspx?path=mbball