No. 9 North Carolina Falls To No. 1 Duke, 78-67, In Overtime

Monday, January 20

Chapel Hill

12:00 PM

North Carolina

Duke

January 20, 2003 | Women's Basketball

By: UNC Athletic Communications

Jan. 20, 2003

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By DAVID DROSCHAK
AP Sports Writer

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - Duke is building some tournament toughness in January.

Alana Beard scored seven of her 26 points in overtime, and the Blue Devils protected their No. 1 ranking and undefeated season with a 78-67 victory over No. 9 North Carolina on Monday.

The Blue Devils (17-0, 5-0 ACC) won their record 29th straight Atlantic Coast Conference game, but not without an extra five-minute period against the Tar Heels (15-2, 5-1), who had their 12-game winning streak snapped.

"Each one of us looked each other in the eye and knew what we had to do," Beard said. "It's just the confidence we carry as a team."

I keep telling out kids we're a Final Four team and I think we proved it.

North Carolina coach Sylvia Hatchell

Duke has fallen behind in the second half of each of its first five ACC games, winning two in OT and one more in the final minute.

"We've had plenty of scares already. I think it's good for us that we've already been in some very difficult situations," coach Gail Goestenkors said. "It is helping prepare us. I feel like when we get in these situations we're very comfortable and very confident - and we've been successful."

eard, who leads the ACC in scoring at 24.8 per game, also added 12 rebounds, while Iciss Tillis had 22 points and 14 rebounds for Duke.

"They are having all of their luck early in the season," North Carolina coach Sylvia Hatchell said. "Sooner or later it has to run out - but they're a great team."

Duke trailed 56-49 with 5:49 left before Beard, who couldn't get her offense going for much of the game, scored eight points down the stretch to help rally the Blue Devils, who have now won 39 of 40.

"We've watched all their other (ACC) games and they've all been pretty close up until the end, then Beard basically takes over," Hatchell said. "It's the Alana Beard show the last couple of minutes. She producing."

North Carolina's Nikita Bell, center, looks to pass against the defense of Duke's Alana Beard (20) and Sheana Mosch.

eard scored 31, 26 and 25 in three wins over the Tar Heels last season.

ut North Carolina's Leah Metcalf sank an off-balance 3-pointer with 24 seconds left in regulation to tie it at 61-all. And after a blocked shot by Candace Sutton, it looked as if the Tar Heels were going to pull out the upset from the foul line with no time left.

ut after reviewing a play on the television monitor, officials ruled Wynter Whitley's foul of Nikita Bell came after time had expired.

"We went to the monitor because it was a timing issue," referee Sally Bell said. "It was clear time had expired prior to the whistle."

"Film doesn't lie, I guess?" Hatchell said. "They are good officials. They are going to call what they see on there."

Duke then took over in the overtime behind Tillis and Beard.

Tillis made a jumper and 3-pointer and Beard a driving layup as Duke went up by five 1:28 into the extra period.

"Man, it was tough," Tillis said. "Every possession felt like it was a life-or-death possession."

North Carolina's Nikita Bell calls a time-out as she flies out of bounds.

The Tar Heels closed within three twice, but both times Beard was able to score, once on a follow shot and another time on a three-point play with 1:28 left.

Metcalf led the Tar Heels with 18 points.

"I keep telling out kids we're a Final Four team and I think we proved it," Hatchell said.

Duke was able to forge a one-point halftime lead despite Beard and Tillis - the team's two best players - having a poor half.

eard missed her first five shots and had just three points when she went to the bench for the final 7:12 after picking up her second foul.

Tillis forced many of her shots against North Carolina's swarming defense and was 1-for-10 from the field as the Blue Devils shot 31.4 percent.

However, the Tar Heels were their own worst enemy, turning it over 14 times in the opening 20 minutes and going 3-for-11 from the foul line in the second half.

"If we just made some foul shots and we would be celebrating right now," Hatchell said.

The win gives Duke 1.5 points in the annual Carlyle Cup all-sports competition beteween the schools and narrows UNC's overall lead to 11.5-7. Twenty-four points are needed to win the cup each year.