University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
George Mason
Women's Hoops Capitalize on Mistakes, Beat George Mason
June 21, 1999 | Women's Basketball
December 29, 1998
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) - No. 6 North Carolina tuned up its four-guard offense Tuesday night against George Mason.
Even if it sputtered a bit, the Tar Heels' transition game was good enough to motor by the Patriots 100-62.
North Carolina coach Sylvia Hatchell thought her Tar Heels "did some things better than we did against Alabama."
That included their 38-for-76 shooting and a fast tempo to keep George Mason off balance almost all night.
"One of the biggest things in our favor right now is that we're able to dictate the flow of the game," Hatchell said. "And we're shooting the ball better, because we've finally been able to get into the gym and work a lot on that lately."
Six Tar Heels scored in double figures, and all but one shot 50-percent or better from the floor.
Chanel Wright and Jackie Higgins scored 14 points apiece, while LaQuanda arksdale and Juana Brown each had 13 each. Yanick Clay added 12 and LaQuana Dawkins 10 for North Carolina (14-1).
Following on the heels of a 66-57 setback to Virginia Tech, George Mason's loss was its second straight to a ranked opponent. The Patriots face Old Dominion on Sunday.
"With all due respect to Virginia Tech, there's a world of difference between just being in the Top 25 and being a Top-10 team," George Mason coach Debbie Tanneyhill said. "I'd sure like to see the five teams that are ranked ahead of them (North Carolina)."
George Mason (3-6) was led by Jasmine Goffe's 18 points and eight rebounds. The Patriots were held to 19-for-60 shooting from the floor and committed 27 turnovers.
"We threw a lot of different things at them to try and keep them from establishing any sort of offensive flow," Hatchell said. "George Mason is a good team that will hang with you the whole way, if you let them."
Barksdale scored all of her 13 points in the first half and Higgins had 11 as North Carolina started out with a 16-2 lead and then rolled to a 51-25 margin by the break.
George Mason made just eight of its first 32 shots and went without a basket for stretches of 7:18, 4:53, 4:04 and 3:30.
Nothing slowed North Carolina more than the game's 48 total fouls. Each team had two players foul out.
"When we've played four guards before, it's been because of foul trouble, but it's been very, very good for us," Hatchell said.
Nikki Teasley fed Clay for three fastbreak layups at the start of the second half, keying a 13-5 run for a 64-30 lead.
