A mad North Carolina team, still smarting from a loss Tuesday to Butler, lit into Chaminade, going on an early 16-2 run and never looking back in a 112-70 romp in the third place game for the Maui Invitational. (11/21)

The Tar Heels got the message from Coach Roy Williams about coming out with intensity. Against Butler, Carolina scored just 18 first-half points. Against Chaminade, Carolina scored 62 first-half points.

“Last night’s game had a great affect on how we played today,” said Williams, who added that that they were mad about the way that played against Butler.

“They caught us on a bad night for them,” he said of Chaminade.

In the first half, UNC had runs of 16-2, 14-5 and 11-1 en route to a 62-33 halftime advantage. Carolina popped in nine of 12 three-point attempts in the half.

The Tar Heels certainly responded well from their loss to Butler. But, then again, Carolina could beat Chaminade by double figures on a bad night. So, I’m not sure what the Maui Invitational tells us about the Heels.

The biggest story might be that Coach Williams indicated that he likes the way the Heels play when they go with a shorter lineup. That means more time for P.J. Hairston and J.P. Tokoto and less time for Desmond Hubert and Joel James.

For more on the game, please click here.