University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
Maryland
UNC Women's Basketball Tops Maryland, 54-49
January 30, 2000 | Women's Basketball
Jan. 30, 2000
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - The University of North Carolina women's basketball team improved to 11-9 on the season, 3-6 in the Atlantic Coast Conference, with a 54-49 win over visiting Maryland Sunday afternoon. Maryland led 26-22 at halftime and shot 52.9 percent from the floor in the second half, but the Tar Heels won the rebounding battle 45-27 and forced 22 Maryland turnovers to help key the win.
"We still didn't shoot very well, but I felt like at the end we elevated our game and played like our old selves," UNC coach Sylvia Hatchell said. "There were a lot of things I felt like we did better today."
Junior forward LaQuanda Barksdale led all scorers with 18 points for the Tar Heels, who had lost seven of their last eight games coming into the matchup with Maryland. Barksdale also added nine rebounds, while junior center Jackie Higgins contributed 12 points and 11 rebounds.
Freshman guard Renneika Razor came off the bench to lead the Terrapins (12-8, 3-6 ACC) with a career-high 15 points. Sophomore forward Deedee Warley added 10 points and led her team with seven rebounds.
Maryland led by nine, 33-24, with 16:27 remaining in the game, but the Tar Heels went on a 14-4 run over the next six minutes to take a one-point lead, 38-37, with 10:32 to play. After Maryland pulled ahead again, UNC guard Juana Brown hit a three pointer off an assist from junior guard Nikki Teasley to put her team up 46-45 with 4:41 to play. The Tar Heels never trailed again.
The game marked the return to the court of Teasley, who last played for the Tar Heels on Jan. 3, in a loss to NC State. Teasley had been on a leave of absence from the team, but returned to practice last Monday and came off the bench against Maryland to score 11 points, all in the second half. "I knew it would take time for her timing to come back, but in the second half she did a good job setting us up and getting the ball to the right people," Hatchell said. "It's good to have her back."
In 31 minutes of play, she shot 5-for-14 from the field and also had six rebounds, five assists and three turnovers. Said Teasley, "It feels good to be back with everyone and playing basketball again."
The Tar Heels' next game is Thursday, when they travel to Raleigh to visit NC State for a 7 p.m. game.
