CHAPEL HILL — First-year Monmouth coach King Rice always felt comfortable playing at North Carolina’s Smith Center. The Tar Heels made sure he felt right at home there as a coach, too — even as they gave his Hawks their latest lopsided loss.

No. 5 North Carolina routed Monmouth 102-65 on Sunday for its 26th straight victory at the arena where Rice spent four seasons as a point guard, erasing a record that two of his assistants had a hand in setting.

“When I walked in yesterday — and I’ve been in here a million times — I swear it seemed bigger,” Rice said. “I was always so comfortable in here and, just, yesterday it kind of hit me when we walked in.”

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