Tar Heels Start Season With Win Over Penn 86-71

Posted Nov 16, 2008
Freshman Tyler Zeller scored 18 points Saturday to help top-ranked North Carolina beat Pennsylvania 86-71 despite playing without reigning national player of the year Tyler Hansbrough. Deon Thompson added 17 points for the Tar Heels, who led by double figures much of the day yet had trouble putting together a game-sealing run without their injured star senior roaming the paint. North Carolina was also without fellow senior Marcus Ginyard. (Tar Heel Blue)

Related: Basketball, Basketball Recruiting

Armando Bacot uses NIL money to open new business
Now entering his first season with Israeli Premier League squad Maccabi Tel Aviv, Armando Bacot is also thriving as a business owner. Recently, Bacot announced...
Thu Aug 20, 2026

Michael Jordan's 1998 NBA Finals Game 3 Jersey Hits Auction
Immortalized in The Last Dance, the 1998 NBA Finals were the culmination of one of the greatest dynasties in sports history and marked Michael Jordan's...
Thu Aug 20, 2026

Video: Locked On Tar Heels - UNC Frontcourt Trio Cleared To Play!
UNC Basketball scores a huge offseason win as Sayon Keita, Alexandros Samodurov, and Cameron Fens all receive eligibility clearance. Suddenly, Coach Michael Malone’s frontcourt depth...
Thu Aug 20, 2026

Michael Malone’s first non-conference basketball schedule features plenty of challenges
Coach Michael Malone’s first North Carolina basketball team will get early measuring sticks before ACC play begins, with a non-conference schedule that mixes exhibition tune-ups...
Thu Aug 20, 2026