NCAA Tournament: No. 2 North Carolina Outlasts No. 15 Long Island, 102-87

It wasn’t always as easy as a 15-point win should be, but North Carolina defeated Long Island University, 102-87, in the Tar Heels’ debut in this year’s NCAA tournament. The loss by the Blackbirds snaps the nation’s longest active winning streak.

Three players scored more than 20 points for UNC: Tyler Zeller (32), John Henson (28) and Harrison Barnes (24). In a kind of odd symmetry, three Long Island players fouled out. The Blackbirds also had three players hit double digits in Julian Boyd (18), C.J. Garner (16) and Jamal Olasewere (15).

The first half of the North Carolina-Long Island game seemed like one run after another. UNC took a 14-5 lead to begin things, Long Island eventually went on a run to tie things at 33, then the Tar Heels scored 13 points to 2 for the Blackbirds to take an 11-point lead. The margin held until halftime, with North Carolina going into the locker room up 53-42.

Leading the Tar Heels: John Henson, with 20 points, and Harrison Barnes, with 14. Jamal Olaswere was the only Long Island player in double digits, with 11 points. Overall, North Carolina made 52.8 percent of their field goals, whether you want to credit the Tar Heels’ shooting or the Long Island defense for that. The Tar Heels also held a 23-16 edge in rebounds at the half.

On paper, it’s one of the biggest mismatches in the 2011 NCAA Tournament Bracket: No. 2 North Carolina vs. No. 15 Long Island is the quintessential first round game (in the NCAA Tournament’s Second Round, I guess?) pitting a college basketball blue-blood against an upstart with a fraction of the talent. But then, isn’t throwing away the paper half the fun of March Madness? Bet on this game being one of the best in the early goings of the 2011 NCAA Tournament schedule when it takes place on Friday, March 18 at 7:15 p.m. on CBS. Can the Blackbirds give Jim Nantz and Clark Kellogg a classic?

Star Watch: Kendall Marshall is the key to North Carolina’s success. He’s very much a distributor at the point guard position, but his keen eye and expert passing skills have already separated him as a rare freshman floor general. If he can help the Heels handle what is sure to be a breakneck pace at some point, North Carolina will win comfortably.