UNC defeats Wyoming 76-63 behind strong second-half rebounding
The North Carolina men’s basketball team improved after halftime to beat Wyoming 76-63, extending its home winning streak to 21 games.
North Carolina held off Wyoming 76-63 on Tuesday, improving to 3-0 on the season. The Heels turned a close first half, in which they trailed 31-29, into a decisive victory after out-rebounding the Cowboys in the second half, 20-18.
Wyoming dominated the boards early, securing 60 percent of its missed shots in the first half and establishing a 25-15 rebounding edge. Their offensive rebounding rate fell sharply after halftime, yielding only four second-chance opportunities.
UNC’s rebounding surge was led by Sayon Keita, who recorded a career-high eight rebounds along with 13 points and six blocks, and Maximo Adams, who contributed nine rebounds and 11 points off the bench. Terrence Brown improved his shooting and defensive effort in the second half, finishing with 14 points and five rebounds.
Isaiah Denis, used increasingly as a point guard, added 14 points, a plus-13 rating and just one turnover in 20 minutes.
"Our primary ball-handlers are Neo Avdalas and Isaiah Denis, and they’ve taken great care of the ball so far this year," head coach Michael Malone said in pregame comments on the Tar Heel Sports Network.
The win marked UNC’s 600th game at the Smith Center, where the program now holds a 510-90 record and a 21-game home winning streak, the fifth-longest in the arena’s history. The Heels will return to the Smith Center on Friday to face Georgia, which is also unbeaten at 3-0.