UNC versus Arkansas tournament notes

Posted Monday, March 24, 2008

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Raleigh, NC - The Carolina Tar Heels scored the first nine points, led 51-26 at halftime and shot 68 percent for the game. They became the first team to score 100 points in their first two NCAA games since Loyola Marymount did it against New Mexico State and Michigan in 1990. Wayne Ellington scored 20 points, Ty Lawson had 19 points and seven assists and the Tar Heels raced to a double-digit lead in the first 5 minutes of the blowout.

Sonny Weems scored 19 for Arkansas (23-12), which never got closer than 21 after halftime.

The win was the 47th NCAA Tournament win in Roy Williams's career, tying John Wooden for third place alltime.
Ty Lawson and Quentin Thomas combined for 21 assists and zero turnovers in the two games in Raleigh. Lawson had 11 assists and Thomas added 10.
Alex Stepheson scored in double figures in both games (12 vs. Mount St. Mary's and 10 vs. Arkansas). This is the first time in his career he's scored in double figures in back-to-back games.
Deon Thompson scored 31 points in the two games in Raleigh (15 vs. Mount St. Mary's and 16 vs. Arkansas). That is the highest two-game scoring total in his career. His previous best was 27 points vs. Miami and Boston College in Jan. 2008. Thompson made all eight field goal attempts vs. Arkansas. His previous best shooting day was 8 for 10 vs. Boston College on Jan. 31, 2008.
Carolina had a season-high 28 assists and was +21 in assist/error (the best ratio of the season). The previous best ratio was Friday vs. Mount St. Mary's, when the Tar Heels were +16 (25/9).
Carolina had seven turnovers vs. the Razorbacks, marking the first time this year UNC had fewer than 10 turnovers in consecutive games. UNC had nine vs. Mount St. Mary's.
Tyler Hansbrough recorded his 18th double-double of the season and the 34th of his career with 17 points and 10 rebounds.
Carolina shot 73.5 percent from the floor in the second half, a season high for any half (previous was 73.3 in the second half vs. Old Dominion in Las Vegas in November).
Carolina shot 60.6 percent against Mount St. Mary's and 63.6 vs. Arkansas, the first time UNC has shot 60 percent or better in consecutive games since 2005 (60.0 percent at Virginia on Jan. 29, 2005, and 60.0 percent vs. NC State on Feb. 3, 2005).
Carolina has now shot 60 percent or better from the field in the second half in four of its last eight games and 50 percent from the better in the second half in eight of the last 10 games.
Marcus Ginyard tied his career high with six assists.