University of North Carolina Athletics
Tar Heels Open The Season Friday
November 21, 2002 | Women's Basketball
Nov. 21, 2002
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Tipoff: No. 13 UNC hosts Davidson, Nov. 22
The University of North Carolina women's basketball team opens its season Friday against in-state rival Davidson. Tipoff at Carmichael Auditorium is 7 p.m.
Carolina heads into the game ranked 13th in the Associated Press poll and 15th in the USA Today/ESPN coaches' poll. Davidson is not ranked.
The Tar Heels will play their second game of the season less than 48 hours after the opener. They host East Tennessee State on Sunday at 2 p.m.
On the air
The game between UNC and Davidson will be broadcast live on radio by the Tar Heel Radio Network. The flagship station is 1360-AM WCHL. Stephen Gates is Carolina's play-by-play announcer and Jones Angell will provide color commentary. Game action also is available via the internet at www.TarHeelBlue.com.
Tickets
Tickets to UNC women's basketball games are $5 for adults, $3 for students and seniors. There is no charge for admission for children 12 and under.
North Carolina students, faculty and staff are admitted free with their UNC One Cards.
Tickets may be purchased at the Carmichael Auditorium ticket window prior to the game or through the UNC ticket office by calling (919) 962-2296 or (800) 722-4335.
Quick facts on UNC
2002-03 Record: 0-0
2001-02 Record: 26-9 (11-5 ACC)
Current Rankings: 13th AP, 15th USAToday/ ESPN
Head Coach: Sylvia Hatchell (Carson-Newman, 1974)
Career Record: 602-249 (in her 28th season)
Record at UNC: 330-169 (in her 17th season)
Assistant Head Coach: Andrew Calder
Assistant Coaches: Tracey Williams, Charlotte Smith-Taylor
Team captains: Coretta Brown, Courtney Chambers, Jennifer Thomas
Sports information contact: Dana Gelin
Phone/email: (919) 962-0083/dgelin@uncaa.unc.edu
UNC athletics website: www.TarHeelBlue.com
UNC ticket office: (919) 962-2126, (800) 722-4335
News of note
* Before the start of the game, UNC athletic director Dick Baddour will present coach Sylvia Hatchell with the game ball from last season's ACC Tournament win over NC State. That victory was the 600th of Hatchell's coaching career, putting her in a class with just five other active Division I coaches who have reached that mark.
* UNC leads the series against Davidson 1-0. The teams last played in 1975.
* The Davidson game is the Carolina debut for two freshmen, La'Tangela Atkinson and Jessica Sell.
* Davidson's Joy Newsome and North Carolina's Leah Metcalf, both sophomore guards, were AAU and middle school basketball teammates.
The rundown on the Tar Heels
UNC returns four starters from the 2001-02 season, including senior guard Coretta Brown. Brown led last year's team with 17.1 points per game while setting an ACC record for three pointers in a season (99) and leading the league in three-point percentage (39.4). An All-ACC pick last year, she's a preseason candidate for Naismith Player of the Year honors this season.
Returning for her third year as a starter is junior center Candace Sutton, who averaged 12.0 points and 6.2 rebounds last season, when she earned All-ACC Tournament honors. Other starters back are sophomore guard Leah Metcalf (ACC All-Freshman team in 2002) and senior forward Jennifer Thomas (second-year team captain).
UNC finished the season 26-9 (11-5 in the ACC) and reached the NCAA Tournament semifinals for the eighth time in the last 10 years.
The Tar Heels return 12 letterwinners, seven of whom started at least two games last season.
Scouting the Wildcats
Friday's game is also the season opener for Davidson, which finished 10-18 last season. The Wildcats return four starters and nine letterwinners, including junior center Meghan Bryant, who led the team in rebounds last year with 8.0 per game. She averaged 12.7 points, second on the team, and heads into this season 28 blocks from setting the school's career record. Other returning starters are guards Ashley Hallstead and Robyn Flewelling and forward Bethany Schott.
The team is captained by seniors Schott and Leah Uhernik, who missed last season with a torn ACL.
Davidson is coached by Annette Watts, who has a career record of 10-18 heading into her second season with the program.
North Carolina vs. Davidson
North Carolina leads the series against Davidson 1-0. The teams' only other meeting was during the 1974-75 season, UNC's first of varsity play. On Feb. 15, 1975, the Tar Heels won 80-31 at Davidson. UNC finished the season 15-3.
