Ginyard, No. 6 North Carolina roll past NC Central 89-42 in 2K Sports Classic

By AARON BEARD , Associated Press

Last update: November 12, 2009 - 5:51 AM

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - Marcus Ginyard matched his career high with 17 points to help No. 6 North Carolina beat North Carolina Central 89-42 on Wednesday night in the 2K Sports Classic.

Deon Thompson scored 13 for the Tar Heels (2-0), who broke it open with 21 straight first-half points. North Carolina shot 69 percent in the opening half and 59 percent for the game, dominating the transitional Division I Eagles from nearby Durham in the first meeting between the schools.

The game marked the coaching debut for LeVelle Moton at Central, where he ranked third on the school's career scoring list. He inherits a team coming off a 4-27 season.

C.J. Wilkerson led the Eagles (0-1) with 16 points, though they shot just 26 percent.

North Carolina, which beat Florida International in Isiah Thomas' college coaching debut Monday night, will step out of the Classic to benefit Coaches vs. Cancer with a weekend home game against Valparaiso on Sunday, then travel to New York to face Ohio State in the event next week.

The Tar Heels did the expected to the overmatched Eagles, dominating the boards (46-24) with their bigger front line and showing more signs of the defensive improvement coach Roy Williams has said this group has the potential to make. In fact, after the Eagles started 7 for 10 from the field to trail just 19-17 with 12 1/2 minutes left in the first half, North Carolina stepped up its pressure and held them without a point for more than 8 minutes.

From there, the Tar Heels got their transition game going to put the game away — and Ginyard had one stretch during that 21-0 run that indicated he's all the way back from the left foot injury that kept him out almost all of last season.

The fifth-year senior knocked down a jumper off a kickout pass from Ed Davis, then stole the ball and dunked in transition and followed that with another dunk off a turnover. Then, after assisting on Leslie McDonald's transition layup, Ginyard hit a layup off a feed from Tyler Zeller to end the run and make it 40-17 with 4:25 left before halftime.

Ginyard finished 7 for 10 from the field to go with two rebounds, three assists and three steals in 23 minutes.

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