CHAPEL HILL, N.C., Nov. 28 (UPI) -- The North Carolina Tar Heels dropped their third straight game to open a season for the first time since 1928 Wednesday night as 24th-ranked Indiana came into the Smith Center and made nine first-half three-pointers en route to a 79-66 victory in the ACC-Big Ten Challenge.
Despite a superb game by 6-11 senior forward Kris Lang, North Carolina (0-3) is off to its worst start in nearly three quarters of a century. The Tar Heels came out with tremendous emotion after home losses to Hampton and Davidson.
But the Hoosiers (4-1) took the lead for good at 3-2 on a three-pointer by Jared Jeffries and A.J. Moye followed by hitting consecutive long-range jumpers. A driving runner by Dane Fife gave Indiana an 11-2 lead just 3:35 into the contest.
Another three-pointer by Moye late in the period and two free throws from Tom Coverdale put the Hoosiers ahead, 40-30, entering the locker room.
After Jason Capel opened the scoring in the second half with a basket in the lane for the Tar Heels, George Leach had a pair of scores around Jeffries' layup on the break, pushing Indiana's advantage to 46-32 with 16:15 remaining.
North Carolina got no closer than eight the rest of the way as Indiana won for the seventh time in 11 all-time games between two of college basketball's most storied programs. Included in those seven victories was Indiana's 1981 national championship game triumph over the Tar Heels.
