Santa Barbara, CA -- (Sports Network) - North Carolina senior forward Tyler Hansbrough, who missed the first two games of the season, started Friday night when the top-ranked Tar Heels beat UC-Santa Barbara, 84-67.

Hansbrough, who scored 13 points and added seven rebounds, missed the first two games, wins against Penn and Kentucky, due to a stress reaction condition in his right shin.

The reigning national player of the year had not missed a game during his three years at North Carolina prior to this season, but had been sidelined since the last week of October with the injury.

The Poplar Bluff, Missouri native averaged 22.6 points and 10.2 rebounds last year, leading the Tar Heels to a school-record 36 victories and a Final Four appearance.