Neuigkeiten » -foot junior Thomas Welsh (11.2 and 8.5 rebounds

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. -- Justin Jackson buried shot after shot from behind the arc in the best performance of his career for No. 7 North Carolina. Coach Roy Williams didnt have much to feel good about otherwise.Jackson matched his career high with 27 points and hit a career-best seven 3-pointers to help the Tar Heels beat Davidson 83-74 on Wednesday night, though they struggled both to slow down high-scoring Wildcats guard Jack Gibbs and find much of a rhythm with top point guard Joel Berry II sidelined by a sprained left ankle.Well its been a lot of fun watching this basketball team at certain times this year, Williams said. It was not fun tonight.The Tar Heels (9-1) didnt get in any kind of groove offensively, with the 6-foot-8 Jackson largely carrying the offense on a night when they got little production from the front line. He had shot 30 percent from 3-point range through his first two seasons and was up to 35 percent coming in before matching his previous high of four 3s by halftime.Confidence and stepping into it -- I think thats all it was, Jackson said. I knew I had to step up more but then whenever I got my shots, I just stepped into it like it was another shot.But UNC shot just 38 percent, while only Isaiah Hicks (13 points) and reserve Luke Maye (career-high 10 points, all before halftime) reached double figures.Gibbs -- ranked seventh nationally by averaging 23.3 points -- finished with 30 points for the Wildcats (5-3), who trailed by 16 midway through the second half before making a late push to get within three in the final 2 minutes.But Kennedy Meeks answered with two free throws, then Hicks followed with two more after getting a big rebound in traffic with 52 seconds left to help UNC hang on.They made some good plays, they got some key rebounds, Gibbs said of the final minutes. Theyve got athletes and sometimes its tough to get those rebounds. Down the stretch, they made the plays and we didnt.BIG PICTUREDavidson: Gibbs is the kind of scorer that can scare any opponent when he gets hot, while Peyton Aldridge (22 points) provides his own matchup troubles. And with a veteran coach like Bob McKillop, this is the kind of team that scares big-name teams come tournament time.I loved the way they fought, McKillop said.UNC: The Tar Heels got a glimpse of life without arguably their top player in Berry. Nate Britt got the start and had six assists but missed all eight of his shots, while Seventh Woods and Stilman White (career-high six points) saw plenty of minutes at the point. But the Tar Heels missed Berrys finish-through-contact toughness, leadership and scoring ability.DEFENSIVE HELPGibbs and Aldridge combined to make 17 of 35 shots, with Gibbs hitting five 3-pointers.As teammates, we `ve got to do a better job of helping off and helping out on players like Gibbs, Meeks said. Like (Williams) probably said in the press conference, either were going to be a mediocre team or were going to be a good team. Weve got to decide before its too late.CONFETTI?The game was 5 seconds old when there was a brief stoppage due to falling confetti-like material fluttering to the court from the rafters of the Smith Center. Arena staffers swept it up and the game resumed within a minute or two.Team spokesman Matt Bowers said at halftime it was believed to be pieces of a padding used to absorb leaks near the ceiling.UP NEXTDavidson: The Wildcats get a 10-day break before playing their fifth power-conference opponent this year, facing No. 3 Kansas on Dec. 17 in Kansas City, Missouri.UNC: The Tar Heels begin a two-game set with Southeastern Conference opponents, first by hosting Tennessee on Sunday before facing No. 6 Kentucky on Dec. 17 in Las Vegas.---Follow Aaron Beard on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/aaronbeardap---More AP college basketball at http://collegebasketball.ap.org and http://www.twitter.com/AP-Top25Bulls Jerseys Outlet . Defencemen Drew Doughty, Shea Weber and forward Ryan Getzlaf also scored for the Canadians, who started their gold-medal defence 2-0. Goalie Roberto Luongo, getting the call in place of Game 1 starter Carey Price, was solid when needed in making 23 saves for the shutout. 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"It just felt like it was my time to move on," she said in a phone interview from her hometown of Burlington, Ont.LOS ANGELES -- Following up consecutive Sweet Sixteen appearances with the programs fourth losing season since John Wooden was hired in 1948 doesnt cut it at UCLA.Coach Steve Alford found that out real quick.With fans irate after a 15-17 finish and no postseason invite, Alford returned a one-year contract extension he signed after his first season. He also wrote an apology letter to the fans.Coach Wooden raised the bar at UCLA; theres expectations, he said. When you dont meet or come close to those expectations, there are going to be consequences. I want the fans to know there is frustration on our part just as much if not even more so. Just letting them know we care.Then Alford went out and recruited the best class hes brought to Westwood since arriving in 2013.Lonzo Ball is the headliner, a 6-foot-6 guard from nearby Chino Hills who led his high school to a California state title and undefeated season. Balls arrival should allow Bryce Alford, the coachs son playing his final season, to shift to the 2 spot and allow Ball to focus on ball-handling duties.T.J. Leaf is the other prized recruit. Like Ball, the 6-9 forward was also a McDonalds All-American who scored 3,022 points in his prep career in El Cajon in San Diego County.Bring what you brought out of high school to Westwood, the elder Alford has told his newcomers. Thats why youre here, and thats what we need out of you as a team.The Bruins were picked to finish third in the Pac-12 by the media. They were 6-12 last season and had the 10th-worst defense in the league, allowing 76.7 points a game. Blending newcomers Ball and Leaf with the veterans and improving the defensive play will be Alfords top priorities as he seeks to engineer a quick fix that gets the Bruins back to the NCAA Tournament.ddddddddddddUCLA opens the season at home against Pacific on Nov. 11. The Bruins play five games at home in the first month of the season and make the short trip to Orange County for the Wooden Legacy tournament over Thanksgiving.Their non-conference schedule is highlighted by a trip to Kentucky on Dec. 3 and a week later Michigan visits Pauley Pavilion.Here are some things to watch this season with the Bruins:RETURNING STARTERS: Besides the younger Alford, the Bruins return three other starters from last season: senior guard Isaac Hamilton (16.8 points per game), 7-foot junior Thomas Welsh (11.2 and 8.5 rebounds) and sophomore guard Aaron Holiday (10.3), who could slide into a sixth-man role with Balls arrival. That gives UCLA the second-most returning scoring in the Pac-12 behind Stanford.3-POINT LAND: UCLAs returning players shot a combined 37 percent from 3-point range last season and took 93 percent of the teams total 3-point attempts. Their top long-range shooter was Holiday, who hit 42 percent from beyond the arc. Hamilton was also efficient, shooting 38 percent from 3-point range.BIG IKE: Ike (say EE-kay) Anigbogu, a 6-10, 250-pounder from nearby Corona could play his way into a prominent role as a freshman. He rounds out the touted trio that Alford landed, all of whom are from Southern California.BETTER START: The Bruins will look to set a winning tone in their first game after being upset in overtime by Monmouth in last seasons opener, one of a handful of embarrassing losses to start a season. They also lost openers in 2009 and 2011 under Ben Howland and 2002 under Steve Lavin. ' ' '