University of North Carolina Athletics
Barksdale, Heels Ready For Michigan State
December 18, 1999 | Women's Basketball
Dec. 18, 1999
LaQuanda Barksdale has steamrolled through the competition lately, and, having enjoyed a week of rest, 10th-ranked North Carolina hopes to do the same Sunday when it faces Michigan State in the second game of the ACC-Big Ten Challenge at Lambo Arena in Myrtle Beach, S.C.
No. 9 Penn State meets Clemson in the tourney opener.
The Tar Heels (7-2) have had the last week off for finals after Barksdale led them to a pair of easy wins.
The junior forward had a career-high 31 points and 18 rebounds in a 74-55 win over Georgia Southern on Dec. 7, then racked up 29 and 19 in a 77-58 rout of Radford four days later. Those performances earned her Atlantic Coast Conference Player of the Week honors.
"LaQuanda Barksdale doesn't care if we're playing the No. 1 team in the nation or a team we're supposed to beat by 50 points," said North Carolina coach Sylvia Hatchell. "She always plays the same: steady, consistent, with everything she's got."
North Carolina has rolled to three straight victories since losing to then-No. 6 Notre Dame on Dec. 4.
The Tar Heels should receive a good test from the Spartans (8-1), whose only loss was to the Fighting Irish on Dec. 11. Michigan State, however, has lost its last 12 games against ranked foes, dating to a win over then-No. 25 Portland in the opening round of the 1997 NCAA Tournament.
The Spartans bounced back from the recent setback against the Irish with an 83-68 home win over Dayton on Friday. Senior guard Maxann Reese scored a team-high 24 points in that win and leads Michigan State with 16.3 per game.
She is complemented by a pair of strong forwards in Becky Cummings and Kristen Rasmussen, who combined for 39 points and 26 rebounds in Friday's victory. Cummings averages 16.0 points and 7.2 rebounds, while Rasmussen contributes 13.6 and 10.2 boards per game.
North Carolina has won the only two meetings between these teams, including an 81-71 overtime triumph in the second round of the 1997 NCAA Tournament.
