The Democratic presidential candidate scrimmaged with the UNC Tar Heels at the Dean E. Smith Center.

In the early morning work-out, the senator dodged elbows, sprinted all out and zigged and zagged with his competition -- much like a politician on the campaign trail.

Only hours after trying to score big political points in front of thousands at a Smith Center rally Monday night, Obama suited up in black sweat pants and a gray T-shirt hoping to make a few more points on the hardwood.

But overcoming the likes of Tyler Hansbrough, the national collegiate player of the year, proved difficult for the 46-year-old presidential hopeful.

With more than a dozen members of the national press corps and several local TV crews watching on the sidelines, Obama took on the tough center, but missed to a resounding "ooh."

"I thought I had one over the national player of the year," the candidate said.

Obama kept up with the run-and-gun pace for at least five minutes before benching himself. When he got back in the game, Coach Roy Williams, who was watching from a chair on the sidelines, called out: "You guys are leaving the next president of the United States wide open."

Before hitting the hardwood, Obama toured the Coach Bill Guthridge Locker Room with Williams and his wife Wanda.

Reporters were not permitted to get close enough to Obama and Williams to hear their conversation or to ask them questions.

Obama spent the night in Chapel Hill following a rally late Monday at the Smith Center. He was scheduled to speak this morning at the Joel Coliseum Annex in Winston-Salem, before heading to a town hall meeting this afternoon in Hickory.