The Sports Xchange
Dec 6, 2017
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. -- Six Tar Heels scored in double figures, led by reserve guard Jalek Felton with 15 points, as No. 11 North Carolina overwhelmed visiting Western Carolina in a 104-61 rout on Wednesday night at the Smith Center.
Kenny Williams poured in 13 points and Luke Maye and Joel Berry both scored 12 for the Tar Heels (9-1). North Carolina reserves Andrew Platek (11) and Brandon Robinson (10) also contributed.
Maye, who pulled in 12 rebounds, has six double-doubles this season.
North Carolina, which shot 56.9 percent from the field, won its fourth game in a row in an eight-day period. The Tar Heels shot 16 of 22 on 3-point attempts.
Deriece Parks' 13 points and Marc Gosselin's 10 points paced Western Carolina, which has been blown out by three ranked opponents this season. The Catamounts (3-7) also lost at Cincinnati and at Minnesota.
The Tar Heels shot 64.3 percent from the field, including 8 of 11 on 3-pointers, in building a 53-26 halftime lead.
Western Carolina scored the game's first five points before North Carolina racked up the next 13. The Tar Heels were up 25-8 midway through the first half and then took off on a 20-0 run.
The Tar Heels hadn't had such a spurt since last year's home romp past North Carolina State.
Western Carolina forward Mike Amius, whose dunk in the final seconds provided the winning points against Appalachian State earlier in the week, didn't score until a dunk about four minutes into the second half.
NOTES: This marked only the second meeting between the teams, with North Carolina winning in January 1957 when it was ranked No. 1. That game was in Cullowhee, a home game for Western Carolina. ... The Catamounts fell to 3-33 all time against current members of the Atlantic Coast Conference. ... Former North Carolina F Jackson Simmons was recognized before the game. He is the director of basketball operations for Western Carolina. ... North Carolina announced that backup G Seventh Woods has a stress fracture in his right foot, and he will be out indefinitely. This was the third consecutive game he missed. ... Western Carolina is home Friday night against Southern Wesleyan. North Carolina is off until a Dec. 17 visit to Tennessee.