CHAPEL HILL, N.C. ? Tyler Hansbrough scored 25 points to lead No. 1 North Carolina to a 90-61 rout of Kent State on Wednesday night.
Wayne Ellington and Ty Lawson both had 17 points for the Tar Heels (14-0), who never trailed during their final nonconference tuneup before Atlantic Coast Conference play starts Sunday at No. 19 Clemson, pulling away late for their fourth straight victory by at least 25 points.
Despite being without three members of the rotation, North Carolina displayed enough depth to extend its best start since opening with 17 victories a decade ago. The Tar Heels also matched their longest winning streak under coach Roy Williams – whose 2004-05 team won 14 straight on its way to the school’s last national championship.
Hansbrough was 11-for-11 from the free-throw line in his seventh straight 20-point game for the Tar Heels.
North Carolina shot 52.3 percent and made 17 of its 20 free throws.
No. 11 Indiana 79, Iowa 76
Iowa City, Iowa – Freshman Eric Gordon scored 25 points, D.J. White had 16 points and 15 rebounds, and Indiana held off a furious late rally by Iowa in the Big Ten opener for both teams.
Jamarcus Ellis added 15 points for the Hoosiers (12-1), who won their eighth straight.
No. 13 Pittsburgh 96, Lafayette 75
Pittsburgh – Keith Benjamin and Tyrell Biggs, playing much more for Pittsburgh with two starters injured, led a second-half comeback, and the Panthers withstood Lafayette’s three-point shooting show. Benjamin scored 20 points and Biggs and Sam Young both had 19 to help the Panthers (12-1) bounce back from an 80-55 loss at No. 20 Dayton.
No. 18 Mississippi 86, Alabama A&M 50
Oxford, Miss. – David Huertas scored 17 points and No. 18 Mississippi won its school-record 13th straight game. The Rebels (13-0) opened the game with a 13-0 run and led the Bulldogs (3-7) by as many as 28 points late in the first half.
No. 20 Dayton 83, Akron 81, 2OT
Dayton, Ohio – London Warren scored six points in the second overtime, including a big free throw, to lead Dayton. The Flyers (12-1), who entered the Top 25 for the first time this season on Monday, extended their winning streak to 11 games. With four seconds remaining in the second overtime, Warren hit a free throw to give Dayton an 82-79 lead.
No. 23 Rhode Island 94, Fairleigh Dickinson 63
South Kingstown, R.I. – Jimmy Baron scored 22 points to lead five Rhode Island players in double figures, and the Rams extended their winning streak to nine games. Rhode Island (14-1) is off to its best start since 1946-47, and remains undefeated at home this season.
No. 25 Wisconsin 70, Michigan 54
Ann Arbor, Mich. – Reserve freshman Jon Leur scored a career-high 25 points, and Marcus Landry added 15 to lift Wisconsin over Michigan in the Big Ten opener for both teams.