North Carolina
Wake Forest
Tar Heels Down Wake Forest, 67-57
February 9, 2003 | Women's Basketball
Feb 9, 2003
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WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (AP) - Despite some tired players, No. 7 North Carolina pulled out another tough game against a team near the bottom of the Atlantic Coast Conference standings.
Coretta Brown scored 22 points and Nikita Bell added 14 as the Tar Heels beat Wake Forest 67-57 Sunday.
North Carolina was coming off a 66-63 victory over North Carolina State on Friday night, prompting Tar Heels coach Sylvia Hatchell to call it a "marathon weekend."
North Carolina shot 38.9 percent against the Demon Deacons and went 5:43 without scoring to start the second half but never lost its halftime lead. Wake Forest cut the margin to 34-33 before Bell's short jumper ended the drought.
"Thank goodness they weren't scoring," Hatchell said. "Championship teams are the ones that play defense and rebound. And that's what we put emphasis on. Every night the ball's not going to go into the basket, but rebounding and defense are things that can be consistent."
Hatchell earned her 351st career victory and North Carolina (21-2, 10-1 ACC) won its sixth straight. The Demon Deacons (10-11, 1-10) have lost nine in a row.
Tiffani Listenbee scored 20 points and had a career-high 13 rebounds for Wake Forest despite being in foul trouble for much of the game.
Down by four, Wake Forest had the ball with two minutes to go, but Bell's steal at midcourt led to a layup and a six-point cushion.
"I think our defense stepped up a little bit, but the steal was a big play for us," said Brown, who also had five assists, seven rebounds and a steal.
Wake Forest coach Charlene Curtis felt her team did well to stay close.
"Carolina's such a versatile and talented team, so I'm just proud that we were able to stay in the game as long as we did," Curtis said. "We just kind of let slip the last three minutes or so."
Cotelia Bond-Young scored 10 points for the Demon Deacons, who shot 33 percent and were outrebounded 45-40.
Kenya McBee had 11 points for the Tar Heels, who are 8-0 on the road this season.
