Maybe Tar Heel hoopsters just aren't that good

After losing to Minnesota in the Puerto Rico Tipoff tournament, North Carolina perhaps could point to a flukish poor shooting night but what's the excuse for turning right around and losing 72-65 to Vanderbilt?

The Tar Heels expended a lot of energy coming from 14 points down in the first half to take a one-point lead midway through the second half. But with the score tied at 51, Vanderbilt reeled off eight straight points while the Heels went scoreless over more than three minutes.

Carolina never could catch up again. Once again UNC had shooting woes hitting just 40.7 percent from the field (including just three of 11 from the arc). Both teams were sloppy as the Heels committed 22 turnovers while the Commodores committed 21.

But Vanderbilt scored 12 more points than the Heels from the three-point line and three more points from the free throw line. That's 15 points UNC had to make up from the field and the Heels didn't shoot well enough to do that.

Tyler Zeller led Carolina with 20 points while Harrison Barnes scored 11 and Reggie Bullock got 10. Carolina, which falls to 2-2, hosts UNC-Asheville Tuesday night.