North Carolina
Colorado
UNC Falls In Second Round
March 24, 2003 | Women's Basketball
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March 24, 2003
By JOHN MOSSMAN
AP Sports Writer
BOULDER, Colo. - Tera Bjorklund scored a career-high 34 points, and Colorado hit nine 3-pointers to beat North Carolina 86-67 Monday night in the second round of the Mideast Regional.
Colorado (24-7), the No. 6 seed, advances to the round of 16 in Knoxville, Tenn., reaching the regional semifinals for the sixth time in its last eight NCAA tournament appearances.
North Carolina (28-6), the No. 3 seed, was led by Nikita Bell and Candace Sutton, who each scored 12 points. Bell also had 10 rebounds.
Bjorklund, the Buffaloes' 6-foot-5 junior center, was 11-of-14 from the floor and 12-of-17 from the line. She also had eight rebounds, four blocked shots and two steals.
Kate Fagan added 16 points for Colorado, including five 3-pointers, and Linda Lappe had 13 points and eight rebounds.
The Buffaloes, playing on their home court, outshot the Tar Heels 49 percent to 36 percent and also made 31 of 39 free throws compared to Carolina's 9-of-16.
Bjorklund scored 17 points in the first half to help give Colorado a 36-27 lead. She had 13 of Colorado's first 16 points, drawing four fouls on the Tar Heels in the process.
North Carolina, ranked 12th in the final Associated Press poll, had seven turnovers in the first eight minutes of the game and had 13 turnovers in the half.
Bell hit back-to-back layups early in the second half to cut the deficit to 38-33, but Fagan's 3-pointer and Bjorklund's short jumper made it 43-33.
The Buffs steadily increased their lead to as many as 21 points, 80-59. The Tar Heels were forced to foul, and Colorado made 15 of 16 free throws in the final 4:50.
