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Nov. 18, 2007

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CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) -- Tyler Hansbrough had 27 points while Danny Green scored 15 to lead No. 1 North Carolina past Iona 107-72 in its home opener on Sunday.

Wayne Ellington added 14 for the Tar Heels (2-0), who never trailed and quickly turned the game into a display of the all-around attack that has made them an early favorite to win the national championship. Five UNC players scored in double figures.

Dexter Gray scored 18 points to lead the Gaels (0-3).

North Carolina was coming off a 72-68 win over Davidson, an NCAA tournament team from last season that provided a tough test to open the season. But there was little drama here, except perhaps for how quickly the Tar Heels would hit the 100-point mark with Roy Williams' fast-paced attack.

The 6-foot-9 Hansbrough, the leading vote-getter on The Associated Press' preseason All-America team, finished 8-for-12 from the field and 11-for-15 from the line with nine rebounds. That included one dazzling stretch that began when he threw down a one-handed slam in transition after a turnover despite being fouled by the 6-foot De'Shaune Griffin.

Hansbrough missed the free throw, but ran down the loose rebound on the right side and fired up another shot. He missed again, but stepped inside a defender to tip it in for a 71-34 lead with 16:17 left -- a stretch that had the Smith Center's blue-clad crowd roaring with delight.

Hansbrough was pulled from the game with the Tar Heels leading 85-49 with about 9 minutes left.

North Carolina also found success from behind the arc, an area regarded by many to be one of the Tar Heels' biggest weaknesses. North Carolina hit six straight 3-pointers during a first-half spurt to build a 19-point lead with about 7 minutes left, then increased the margin to 52-26 at the break.

The Tar Heels knocked down 10 3s for the game and reached the 100-point mark on Marcus Ginyard's driving layup with 4:17 left.