University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
Georgia Tech
Tar Heels Defeat Georgia Tech in ACC Opener
June 21, 1999 | Women's Basketball
December 3, 1998
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - A lot of players might have revolted at the 5:30 a.m. wake-up call Coach Sylvia Hatchell scheduled for No. 9 North Carolina on her team's last day in Hawaii earlier this week.
But Monday's dawn practice paid off Thursday night as the Tar Heels fought off an eager group of first-year Georgia Tech players for an 85-68 victory.
"I was worried about jet lag and about our legs," Hatchell said. "But we never really adjusted to Hawaii time. We went to bed early every night, and we had that early practice. I think that helped us to get back on local time here."
After going 2-1 in the Hawaii Wahine Classic, the Tar Heels (8-1, 1-0 Atlantic Coast Conference) looked a little sluggish in their conference opener, Hatchell admitted.
North Carolina never trailed, but Georgia Tech (4-2, 0-1) stayed close most of the first half. After North Carolina struggled to a 39-28 halftime lead, Nikki Teasley got things going with four 3-pointers and 14 points in the first 10 minutes of the second half, helping North Carolina to a 66-46 lead.
"Coach Hatchell always tells us that the first five minutes of the second half are crucial," Teasley said. "I wanted to come out and set the tone. I was fortunate enough to knock down some 3s."
Teasley finished with 24 points, 16 in the second half. Laquanda Barksdale added 17 points, Chanel Wright 11 and Juana Brown 10 as North Carolina beat Georgia Tech for the 13th straight time.
Teasley went 8-for-11 from the floor, 5-for-8 on 3-pointers, and added six assists and four steals without a turnover in 33 minutes.
Georgia Tech got a game-high 27 points from first-year guard Niesha Butler and 11 out of Kenya Williams.
Butler worked consistently inside, going 8-for-15 from the field and 11-for-20 from the line, but she also had 12 turnovers.
"Niesha really did a great job for us. Her heart was phenomenal," said Georgia Tech Coach Agnus Berenato. "Niesha got dogged all night on defense, but they never did stop her."
"We have a very young team. Nine out of 12 of these kids have never seen Chapel Hill before," Berenato said. "As long as they stayed with the game plan, we were able to stay right with Carolina. When we left the plan, we weren't in the game at all."
Georgia Tech hasn't won in Chapel Hill since an 83-63 game Feb. 22, 1991.
