HAPEL HILL, N.C. — Ty Lawson scored 22 points to help No. 1 North Carolina beat North Carolina-Asheville 116-48 today despite playing without national player of the year Tyler Hansbrough.

Danny Green added 18 points for the Tar Heels (7-0), who had an easy time staying unbeaten heading into their matchup with fifth-ranked Michigan State this week in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge. North Carolina shot 57 percent, led 53-19 at halftime and cracked the 100-point mark with about 5 minutes left.

Jason Ridenhour had eight points and six rebounds for the Bulldogs (3-3), who led 6-2 early before the Tar Heels kicked into gear and sprinted far out in front. UNC-Asheville shot 27 percent for the game, including 3-for-18 from 3-point range.

The Tar Heels didn't miss Hansbrough, who sat out as a precaution as he continues to recover from a preseason injury to his right shin. The senior was coming off a 34-point performance against Notre Dame in the championship of the Maui Invitational, but spent this game watching from the bench while wearing his pregame warmups.

Hansbrough has yet to play in a home game this year, sitting out the first two here against Pennsylvania and Kentucky.

His absence allowed the Tar Heels to show off their depth yet again, whether it was Lawson cracking the 20-point mark in the Smith Center for the first time in his career or Deon Thompson's latest solid performance up front with 17 points and nine rebounds.

Green certainly made things interesting, hitting his first six 3-point attempts of the second half to charge up a holiday weekend crowd. The last one of that burst came from several steps behind the arc for an 82-32 lead with 11 minutes left, and had the crowd playfully yelling "Shoot!" as he brought the ball across midcourt in transition on the ensuing possession.

Green obliged but missed, ending a run that had even coach Roy Williams chuckling during a timeout a short time later.

Freshman Ed Davis started in Hansbrough's place and finished with 13 points and 10 rebounds, while Wayne Ellington also had 13 points as 12 players scored for the Tar Heels.

It ended up being the biggest margin of victory and highest scoring output for North Carolina under Williams, surpassing a 57-point win against Cleveland State in the 2005-06 season and a 115-point performance against George Mason in 2003-04.