CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – An early second half run switched momentum and No. 6 North Carolina went on to a 77-61 win over Gardner-Webb Friday night at the Dean E. Smith Center.
Gardner-Webb (0-3) gave the Tar Heels trouble throughout the first half with a strong defensive effort, holding a lead for more than five minutes and trailing just 30-27 at the break.
North Carolina (3-0) seized control of the game out of the locker room, going on a 9-0 run quickly as Gardner-Webb started the opening moments with four straight misses and two turnovers. Armando Bacot's follow shot with 16:31 to play in the game put the Tar Heels up 39-27 at forced GWU head coach Tim Craft to call a timeout to settle his team.
Gardner-Webb got into the bonus, and to the line, to halt the run – ramping up the defensive effort again to hold the Tar Heels without a field goal for nearly three minutes. Five Justin Jenkins free throws trimmed the lead to 44-39 with 11:57 to play in the game.
The Runnin' Bulldogs got the lead back down to four on a Nate Johnson trey, but North Carolina knocked down a pair of threes – one by Andrew Platek and a transition bomb from Anthony – and a pair of Anthony free throws sparked a run that put the Tar Heels up 58-47 with 7:57 remaining.
Eric Jamison snapped a 2:29 scoring drought for Gardner-Webb with a free throws to get the lead back to 58-48 and scored on a jump hook next time down for a 58-50 score. Nate Johnson pulled GWU within 58-52, before Anthony drilled a deep, contested three late in the shot clock to put North Carolina up 62-52 with 5:48 left.
Anthony's proved to be a decisive bucket, as North Carolina kept a comfortable working margin the rest of the way.
Gardner-Webb shot 36.8 percent from the floor (21-of-57) and made a season-high 14-of-18 from the free throw line against the much taller Tar Heels.
Jose Perez led the way with 12 points, five assists and five rebounds. Nate Johnson and Justin Jenkins each scored 11 points, with Johnson overcoming another tough shooting night from the perimeter with strong defensive play. He finished with five rebounds and three steals in that end of the floor.
Eric Jamison added nine points and freshman standout Kareem Reid came alive off the bench with a season-high eight points, two rebounds and a pair of impressive blocks in 16 minutes.
North Carolina finished at 45.6 percent from the floor (26-of-57), bolstered by a 50-percent effort in the second half.
Anthony led all scorers with 28 points, knocking down 11-of-13 free throws and 7-of-17 shots from the floor. Classmate Armando Bacot added 12 points and 11 rebounds – as the two freshman were the lone Tar Heels in double figures.
North Carolina held a 44-23 edge on the glass, scored 18 points off of turnovers and had a typical edge on the offensive glass and second chance points.
Gardner-Webb will remain on the road next week, flying to Wichita State for a Tuesday night game as part of the stateside portion of the 2019 Cancun Challenge. GWU will play at South Carolina next Friday night in Columbia, S.C.
