No. 4 North Carolina beats No. 16 Wisconsin 71-56 in Maui
LAHAINA, Hawaii (AP) -- Kennedy Meeks had 15 points and a career-high 16 rebounds, Joel Berry II scored 22 points and No. 4 North Carolina ran away from No. 16 Wisconsin 71-56 on Wednesday night to win its fourth Maui Invitational title.
The long, athletic Tar Heels (7-0) ran roughshod through the deep Maui field, so good in the semifinals that Oklahoma State coach Brad Underwood called them the "best team in the country."
North Carolina looked the part again in the title game, dominating Wisconsin (4-2) at both ends of the court.
The Tar Heels held the Badgers to 38 percent shooting and harassed their leading scorer, Bronson Koenig, into a 1-for-13 night.
And there's this: After their three previous three Maui titles, the Tar Heels went on to win two national championships and reach the Final Four the other time.