There’s little question why North Carolina was ranked the No. 1 seed overall in the NCAA tournament: in their first two games they’ve outscored their opponents 221-150, looking more like an NBA team than a college one. Today’s victim was 9th-seeded Arkansas, which lost to the Tar Heels 108-77. Wayne Ellington was UNC’s high scorer of the day with 20 points.
Player-of-the-year candidate Tyler Hansbrough got to take it easy, and still scored 17 points. Arkansas leading scorer Sonny Weems had 19, but the forward only managed 8-for-20 shooting against UNC. The Tar Heels—playing just half an hour from home this week in Raleigh—will stay in-state for the Sweet Sixteen, as well. They’ll take on No. 4 seed Washington State in Charlotte next Thursday. (More North Carolina Tar Heels stories.)