No. 1 UNC Eeks Out W in Opener

No. 1 North Carolina narrowly avoided joining the ranks of powerhouse programs upset by small schools, with a 72-68 win over Davidson. Wayne Ellington led the Tar Heels with 20 points and several key plays down the stretch to secure the victory. Stephen Curry paced with Wildcats with 24 but his team shot just 4-of-22 from 3-point range, reports the AP.

The Tar Heels lead 38-31 at the half but they went cold to start the second, especially Tyler Hansbrough. The preseason All-American scored 14 and grabbed 14 rebounds for the game, but had just 2 points and 3 boards in the second half. Davidson’s schedule doesn’t get much easier, as they play No. 2 UCLA and No. 13 Duke in December.