CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - Talk about a workout. Illinois Sen. Barack Obama, a basketball fan who takes to the court to stay in shape, got a run for his money on Tuesday during a scrimmage with the University of North Carolina Tar Heels.

The U.S. presidential candidate, 46 and 6′2″, played ball with students half his age and seemingly twice his height in an early morning match-up that sent him off to the sidelines for a break halfway through the game.

“These guys are a lot better than me,” he breathed to reporters while jogging down the court after one play.

Yes they are. But the lanky candidate, dressed in sweats, managed a few nice passes and a lay-up that looked like it should have made it in.

“Thought I had that one!” he winced after missing the shot.

The famous powerhouse college team did not exactly give the man who would like to be the next U.S. president a break, but Obama did his best to keep up and had a smile on his face throughout.

The bright side? At least he wasn’t bowling…

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Photo credit: Reuters/Frank Polich (Obama plays basketball in Indiana last week)