University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
Hawaii
Women's Basketball: No. 5 North Carolina 75, Hawaii 72
June 21, 1999 | Women's Basketball
November 29, 1998
HONOLULU (AP) - It wasn't a vintage performance by North Carolina forward Nikki Teasley.
The Tar Heels' forward was mired in a shooting slump, but came alive in the latter stages of the second half Sunday to lead her team to a 75-72 victory over Hawaii.
The win gave No. 5 North Carolina (7-1) third place in the Rainbow Wahine Classic.
Teasley hit a pair of key 3-pointers to rally her team, then sank two free throws with 7 seconds left to clinch the victory.
Her back-to-back 3-pointers pulled North Carolina to 58-57 with 6:45 to play. Chanel Wright scored 30 seconds later to give the Tar Heels their first lead of the half, and they did not trail again.
"I'm in a bad shooting slump, but eventually I started hitting some shots when they counted," Teasley said. "I really didn't play like I was supposed to until the end."
Hawaii (4-2) stayed close, never trailing by more than five the rest of the way. A basket by Juana Brown gave North Carolina a 69-64 edge with 3:30 left.
Kyla Evers made a 3-pointer with 10 seconds left to move the Wahine within 73-72, but Teasley iced the win with two free throws after being fouled by Raylene Howard.
"We didn't the shoot ball well, but we did what we had to to win," North Carolina coach Kathy Olivier said. "Nikki stepped up when we needed her to."
Teasley led the Tar Heels with 18 points, six rebounds and six assists. She made four 3-pointers. Howard led Hawaii with 21 points and eight rebounds, and .J. Itoman added 15 points and three steals.
North Carolina starters Yanick Clay and LaQuanda Barksdale both fouled out, Clay with 10:42 to play and Barksdale, who had 14 points and 11 rebounds, with 2:31 left.
North Carolina continued its stretch of poor shooting, converting 37.3 percent of its field goal attempts. The Tar Heels shot 32.5 percent in the first half and trailed 33-28.
Despite the loss, Hawaii coach Vince Goo was proud of his team's effort.
"We learned that we can play with a ranked team and score points," Hawaii coach Vince Goo said. "We're 5-11 down to 5-5 starting and we were in there until the end."
