LAHAINA, Hawaii - The North Carolina family has been a terrific support system for Buzz Peterson, Class of 1986. But when the clock is running, look out. It's a different story.

The 11th-ranked Tar Heels didn't pull any punches Tuesday, easily handling Peterson's Tennessee Vols 94-81 in the semifinals of the EA Sports Maui Invitational.

The outcome was bittersweet for both benches.

"Knowing Buzz like I do, that makes the victory not quite as big as it would be if it was somebody else,'' said North Carolina coach Roy Williams, whose Tar Heels (2-1) will face surprising Iowa (3-0) for the championship.

The Vols (1-1) return to the Lahaina Civic Center as well to hook up with No. 15 Texas (2-1) for the first time since 1960 in the third-place game.

Tip-off is 4:30 p.m. EST on ESPN2.

Peterson tried Tuesday to avoid thinking about not only the fact that Williams was on the other bench but that his primary Carolina mentors, Dean Smith and Bill Guthridge, were in the stands among the blue-clad UNC majority in the crowd of 2,400.

"They've all three been so helpful to me in my career,'' Peterson said. "You don't look at who's on the other side. You just go out and compete and shake hands when it's over.''

This one was essentially over by halftime.

The Tar Heels shot 65.4 percent en route to a 51-31 bulge at the break.

The second half was an exercise in watching the North Carolina lead expand (to as much as 23) and contract (to as little as 13).

"Coach Williams is a go-getter, a fighter,'' Peterson said. "They try to deliver that punch early.''

The defensive intensity the Vols showed in their win over Stanford on Monday wasn't up to par against the multi-talented Tar Heels, who ended up at 58.8 percent for the game.

Guard Rashad McCants torched the Vols for 27 points on 10-of-16 shooting. Forward Jawad Williams had 21 despite sitting out part of the first half with three fouls.

"When McCants gets it going, there's not many ball players in the country as talented as that young man,'' said Peterson.

"I think the first half,'' added Andre Patterson, "we came out a little tentative, a little nervous.

"We're a young team making strides to get better. We had a great game yesterday and I thought we played a great second half tonight offensively and defensively.

"That first half kind of killed us.''

Offensively, Tennessee was hamstrung by the absence of its inside game. The Vols' big men chalked up more than twice as many fouls (17) as baskets (7).

Brandon Crump fouled out with 7:03 to play, scoring only one basket in each half.

The upshot was that the Vols were almost totally dependent on their perimeter game for scoring.

Freshman Chris Lofton did his part, scoring 22 points on 8-of-12 shooting. He was 6-of-10 behind the experimental extended 3-point arc.

Scooter McFadgon added 16 and C.J. Watson 14, but they were a combined 6-of-24 shooting against relentless North Carolina pressure.

The Vols shot 43.5 percent, but the telling statistic was 11 assists versus 21 turnovers.

With UT leading 11-10, Carolina ripped off a 17-4 run during a Tennessee field-goal lull of 4:25.

That made it 27-15, Heels. The Vols got reorganized but only briefly.

From the 7:44 mark when Dane Bradshaw's driving basket cut the deficit to 33-23, UT scored on just three of its 17 remaining possessions of the half.

North Carolina made the Vols pay by doubling the margin by the break.

"We were down 20,'' said Peterson, "and we could have hung our heads but we didn't. We kept on fighting and that's something we could carry over against Texas.''

Speaking of Texas, it would be the perfect setting for Crump to break out of his early slump. The fifth-year senior from Houston knows the Longhorns well.

"I've been playing against Jason Klotz since the eighth grade,'' Crump said. "When I go home in the summer I always go up to Texas and play one on one so it's going to be fun.

"Stanley (Asumnu) was recruited by Texas so we're going to get up for them.''

Get up and stay up. Foul problems have kept Crump on the bench too many minutes both games in Maui.

"It's altering my game,'' he said. "I'm just getting little touch fouls, not hard ones. I've been in before so hopefully I can get out of it.

"I've got to start being more aggressive, especially on the offensive end, and demanding the ball.''

Maui Notebook: Faces spotted in the crowd Tuesday included Magic Johnson, David Robinson and golfer and Texas Longhorn fan Ben Crenshaw. Winning isn't cheap. Beating Stanford in the opening round meant UT fans had to pay $40 for tickets to the semifinals. Losers' bracket tickets were $10. At least five Vols have parents on the trip - Crump, Watson, Lofton, Bradshaw and Jordan Howell.

Mike Strange may be reached at 865-342-6276 or strange2@knews.com.