CARMICHAEL ARENA/CHAPEL HILL UNC returns to the court tonight looking to extend a little hot streak, and for the first time in a while the No. 25 Tar Heels will be heavily favored.
- Photo courtesy UNC athletics
- UNC center Chay Shegog
The opponent is ACC cellar-dweller Boston College (5-14, 0-6), coached by Sylvia Crawley who was the center on the 1994 NCAA champions. Her assistant is Stephanie Lawrence Yelton, who had the most important assist in Tar Heel history when she threw the pass for Charlotte Smith’s game-winning shot for that national title.
UNC (14-5, 4-2) has won two straight road games coming into the contest, having beaten Virginia Tech before an emotional victory at N.C. State on Sunday.
And the Tar Heels keep the momentum going, rolling to a 77-46 victory.
The game is never close.
UNC scores the first 14 points, five from Candace Wood, and is up 36-16 at halftime.
The biggest lead is 33 points, on a Whitney Adams layup from Shannon Smith to make it 66-33 with 6:21 to play.
Chay Shegog leads the Tar Heels with 16 points, followed by Krista Gross and She’la White with 11 points each. Waltiea Rolle also has a season-high nine points and freshman Adams a season-high seven points. Tierra Ruffin-Pratt adds a solid line with 12 rebounds and a career-high five blocks to go along with six points.
Shegog now has 1,158 career points, tying Crawley for 29th on the Tar Heels’ all-time list.
Shayra Brown led the Eagles with 17 points, followed by Kerri Shields with 12.
The Tar Heels shoot 44.1 percent to 25.9 for the Eagles, outrebound them 53-36 and commit 19 turnovers to 25 for BC.
They said it …
UNC coach Sylvia Hatchell: “We’re getting better because we’ve finally got all these folks healthy. We’re improving. A lot of teams right now are trying to maintain. But we’re working and getting better and that will continue. (Ruffin-Pratt) is setting a lot of tone with her defense. That’s why I call her the ‘Secretary of Defense.’”
BC coach Sylvia Crawley: “This game was a little fast and a little physical for some of our players, and they’ve got to get tougher. Carolina has had a lot of injuries and was just kind of down for a while. Now that they’ve gotten some of their players back, I think this (UNC) is a really good ball team.”
Shegog: “I’m happy. Obviously (Crawley) was a great player here. … We’ve really come together lately. The team and the coaches have spent a lot of time together after the little slump. We just regrouped and stayed focused and got back on track.”
Ruffin-Pratt: “They told me I did a little bit of everything. My career high in blocks! … I’m not 100 percent (following shoulder surgery). I have some pain, but it’s nothing I can’t play through. My shoulder is fixed.”
What does it all mean?
That the Tar Heels are on the winning track again, and that the Eagles are going to need to get going to avoid a winless ACC season.
Stars of the game
1. Shegog.
2. Ruffin-Pratt.
3. Gross.
Play of the game
Danielle Butts’ 3-point play to make it 27-11 with 6:11 left in the first half.
Streaks
UNC: Won 3.
BC: Lost 7.
Series
UNC leads 6-1.
Up next
UNC at Wake Forest, Sunday, 2 p.m.
BC vs. Miami, Sunday, 5 p.m.
