Stanford shows a ‘lack of intensity’ in loss at No. 7 North Carolina

Recommended Video:

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — Stanford couldn’t keep pace Monday in a 90-72 loss to No. 7 North Carolina. Head coach Jerod Haase thinks he knows why.

“I told the guys, I’m not worried about mistakes,” Haase said. “What I am worried about is any lack of intensity. You could see that in the pace of their cuts. You could see that in how they get open. ... You can see that when they hit the paint and they’re not looking for a teammate. So I would say I could sense that early.”

UNC’s Kenny Williams scored 12 points after starting the season by missing his first 10 shots, and the Tar Heels dominated the first half.

It was a rough start for the Cardinal (2-1), enough so that Haase burned a timeout after barely 2½ minutes.

“My goal going into this game was just to see our guys compete,” Haase said. “Offensively and defensively, especially in the first half, I didn’t feel that we did.”

Williams spent two games missing shot after shot in an unusually cold stretch for North Carolina’s senior starting guard and top defensive player.

He tried not to get too frustrated and kept believing the next ones were sure to fall — until they finally did against Stanford.

It was a good sign for Williams, whose 0-for-10 shooting start through two games included missing all eight of his three-point tries. It was an odd stretch for someone who had improved to a 40 percent three-point shooter last season,

He scored on a layup in less than 90 seconds against Stanford, then followed with a three a few minutes later.

“It was a big relief,” Williams admitted.

“I wasn’t doing anything different to my shot,” he said. “... It just wasn’t going in. And that happens sometimes. At some point, it would fall in again.”

KZ Okpala scored 16 points to lead the Cardinal.

Aaron Beard is an Associated Press writer.