CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) — Backup guard Cade Tyson scored a season-high 23 points and made five 3-pointers in the Tar Heels’ 93-67 victory over La Salle on Saturday.
Tyson shot 9-for-14 overall, including 5 for 10 on 3-pointers. He was averaging 2.7 points through UNC’s first nine games.
RJ Davis scored 13 points, Seth Trimble had 10 points, eight rebounds and four assists, and Ven-Allen Lubin had 10 points for North Carolina (6-4).
North Carolina shot 58% in the second half and 54% overall despite unimpressive 3-point shooting (10 for 31) and poor free-throw shooting (11 for 23).
Demetrius Lilley had 16 points for La Salle (6-5) and Eric Acker had 13 off the bench. The Explorers shot 36% for the game.
La Salle took an early 8-2 lead before a 16-0 run gave North Carolina a 10-point lead with 12 minutes left in the first half. About five minutes later, Davis hit a 3-pointer that gave the Tar Heels a 27-16 lead and they led by double digits for the rest of the game.
Davis made three free throws, a layup and a 3-pointer in an 8-0 run that gave North Carolina a 23-point lead with 16 minutes remaining. Several minutes later Tyson hit a layup and a 3-pointer in a 7-0 run for the Tar Heels’ largest lead, 78-45, with 8 1/2 to go.
New Tar Heels football coach Bill Belichick spoke to the crowd at halftime.
North Carolina leads the series with La Salle 3-1. They last met in 1988.
North Carolina has a couple of high-profile nonconference games remaining before Christmas: versus Florida on Tuesday and against UCLA on Dec. 21. Both games are at neutral sites.
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