University of North Carolina Athletics
Latta, Larkins Earn ACC Honors
November 22, 2004 | Women's Basketball
Nov. 22, 2004
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - North Carolina players swept the first weekly Atlantic Coast Conference honors of the women's basketball season as sophomore guard Ivory Latta was named ACC Player of the Week and freshman forward Erlana Larkins was named ACC Rookie of the Week.
Latta was the top scorer for the ninth-ranked Tar Heels (2-0) in both wins last week. Against No. 4 Connecticut Sunday in the Jimmy V Classic in Raleigh, she scored 13 of her 16 points in the second half as the Tar Heels fought back from a 10-point deficit. Her three-pointer with 1:53 to play and the Tar Heels trailing 60-59 put UNC ahead for good.
In the season opener against Elon on Friday, the McConnells, S.C., native was a perfect 6-for-6 from the field, including four three-pointers, to score 17 points in just 17 minutes of play as UNC won 86-40.
Larkins came off the bench to average 15 points and six rebounds per game in the first two outings of her collegiate career. Against Connecticut, she led the Tar Heels in rebounding with eight and ranked second in scoring with 14 points. With North Carolina trailing by seven points midway through the second half of the game, the Tar Heels went to Larkins on three consecutive possessions and she delivered with layups for six of her points to cut the Husky advantage to three. With 56 seconds to play, she hit her only two free throws of the game to widen UNC's lead from two points to four. Against Elon, the Riviera Beach, Fla., native scored 16 points, grabbed four rebounds and blocked two shots in 17 minutes on the court.
The Tar Heels return to action on Tuesday against Charleston Southern (0-1). The Lady Buccaneers are coached by Stephanie Lawrence Yelton, who played for the Tar Heels from 1992-95 and was a starter on the 1994 NCAA Championship team. Game time at Carmichael Auditorium is 7 p.m.
