Zwikker’s Wingspan Causes USC to Fold

Serge Zwikker boosted No. 14 North Carolina with career highs of 22 points and 20 rebounds Friday night in a 99-84 victory over USC in the first game of the Harris Teeter-Pepsi Challenge.

Zwikker, the lone senior on a starting lineup that features one freshman and three sophomores, made his biggest impact on the offensive end, where he had 11 rebounds and 16 points off second chances.

North Carolina (4-1), the tournament’s five-time defending champion, also got 24 points and 12 rebounds from Antawn Jamison.

The Tar Heels advanced to today’s title game against either South Carolina or North Carolina Charlotte.

Stais Boseman led USC (2-1) with a career-high 26 points. The Trojans, 0-5 against North Carolina, also got a career-high 24 points from Jaha Wilson.

Due in large part to the 7-foot-3, 273-pound Zwikker and the 6-foot-8 Jamison, the Trojans struggled inside against North Carolina, which had a 52-37 rebounding advantage.

Zwikker, whose previous career bests were 19 points and 12 rebounds, had 16 points and 11 boards by halftime. All eight of his baskets were from 10 feet or closer, and six came after Zwikker had gotten an offensive rebound.

Zwikker made an 8-foot baseline jumper and a pair of follow shots as the Tar Heels overcame a 31-29 deficit and took a 45-41 lead by halftime.

There were some tense moments two minutes into the second half after the Trojans’ Ken Sims drew a charge from Ademola Okulaja on a North Carolina fast break and both players crashed to the floor.

USC’s Gary Williams rushed up to the players and tried to pull Okulaja off Sims, and a brief shoving match ensued. Both coaches ran onto the floor to help the referees restore order, and Williams was assessed a technical. The Tar Heels’ Shammond Williams made one of the two free throws to increase North Carolina’s lead to 54-45.

The Tar Heels stretched it to 87-72 on a foul-line jumper by Vince Carter with 4:45 remaining, and USC was unable to cut its deficit to single digits the rest of the way.