WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - After trailing by as many as 27 points in the first half, the Eastern Kentucky men's basketball team fought back to within four before falling 86-65 to top-seeded North Carolina tonight in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament. The 2007 OVC Champions conclude the season with a 21-12 mark while North Carolina improves to 29-6.

Junior Darnell Dialls led Eastern Kentucky with a season-high 17 points, 13 coming in the second half, including his first-ever three-point field goal. Freshman Adam Leonard added 14 points and a team-best three steals.

North Carolina outrebounded the Colonels 38-16, including 11 offensive, but committed 22 turnovers to Eastern's 16. The Tar Heels finished the night 37-of-57 (.649) from the field with a 6-of-13 performance from three-point range.

The Tar Heels jumped to a quick 7-0 lead after the Colonels missed their first two shots and turned the ball over on back-to-back possessions but Rose connected on a three-point field goal to get Eastern Kentucky on the scoreboard with 17:15 on the clock.

North Carolina built a 17-3 advantage, hitting eight of their first nine shots, before taking their first 20+ point lead (26-6) at the 12-minute mark.

With 8:46 remaining, the Tar Heels took their largest lead of the half (27) off a three-point field goal from Ty Lawson but Eastern Kentucky responded with six unanswered points to ignite a 15-4 scoring run. During the six-minute span, the Tar Heels turned the ball over five times and managed to get off just two shots.

At the 2:45 mark, Rose's third three-pointer of the half set the score at 43-29 before the Colonels narrowed the deficit to 12 (47-35) at the break.

Eastern Kentucky scored the first seven points of the second half, cutting its deficit to single digits (39-47) off a Mascoll fast-break dunk, before a reverse lay-up from Rose got the Colonels within four just prior to the first media timeout.

North Carolina rattled off seven straight, restoring its double-digit lead before Eastern senior Michael Brock nailed a four-foot jumper to end the Colonels' drought.

Behind a 12-6 run, the Tar Heels extended their advantage to 15 points before going ahead by as many as 26 in the closing minutes of the game.

Sophomore Tyler Hansbrough recorded a double-double with 21 points and 10 rebounds while Reyshawn Terry tallied 18.