GREENSBORO, N.C. --- Midwest Region top seed North Carolina wasn't exactly sparkling in its 77-58 victory over 16 seed Vermont on Friday at the Greensboro Coliseum. But UNC didn't have to be anything other than decent enough to advance, and that's exactly what happened.
UNC was once again without 6-foot-10 forward John Henson, and at times it showed, as freshman James Michael McAdoo was heavily involved in a series of poor offensive possessions. But the Heels eventually wore down Vermont physically and mentally and pulled away for a win that looked easier by the final margin than it really was.
Carolina improved to 30-4 and advanced to take on No. 8 seed Creighton on Sunday. Vermont finished its season 24-12.
Here are both teams' grades for their performances Friday:
Vermont offense: The Catamounts had some nice possessions, especially in the first half. They got into the teeth of UNC's defense and got off some quality looks, converting enough to make things a bit interesting for a while. But in the second half, Vermont really struggled. It converted 25 of 63 shots (39.7 percent) overall, including 3-18 (16.7 percent) from beyond the arc. Grade: C.
UNC offense: Dreadfully inefficient for the first 28 minutes of the game, Carolina got it going late to pull away and build a final score that wasn't indicative of how the Heels actually played. At one point early in the second half, UNC had four assists against nine turnovers. UNC shot 41.5 percent (27-for-65) overall, including 5-18 (27.8 percent) from 3-point range and finished with 14 assists and 11 turnovers. Grade: C-.
Vermont defense: The Catamounts actually did a nice job of doubling down on UNC's Tyler Zeller, but he was just too long and gifted for them to stop. Their zone slowed the Heels and made them look indecisive at times. In the end, however, UNC was just much more talented. Grade: B-.
UNC defense: Carolina wasn't exactly dialed in on every possession, but it didn't play matador defense, either. Vermont made some nice plays, and when UNC buckled down at Roy Williams demonstrative urging it shut down the Catamounts. Grade: C.
Vermont intangibles: Vermont looked loose and played living in the moment. That's what some of these early games are all about. That's also why the Catamounts were able to take advantage of some of Carolina's lethargy. Playing a top-seeded UNC team along Tobacco Road as a 16 seed isn't an easy task, but these kids handled it well. Grade: A.
UNC intangibles: Survive and advance. That's what the tournament is all about. Top seeds don't have to play real well in opening games in order to advance, and the Heels essentially did enough to move on, even though they were outrebounded 42-37. When they were heavily challenged by Williams, they responded. Grade: C.
