University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
Coastal Carolina
No. 5 North Carolina Routs Coastal Carolina, 94-52
December 12, 2004 | Women's Basketball
Dec. 12, 2004
By AARON BEARD
AP Sports Writer
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) - Camille Little scored 18 points while freshman Erlana Larkins added 17 in her first start Sunday to lift fifth-ranked North Carolina past Coastal Carolina 94-52.
La'Tangela Atkinson added 13 points and 12 rebounds for the Tar Heels (8-1), who had no trouble rebounding from their first loss of the season.
Demaria Young scored 16 to lead the Chanticleers (2-3).
The Tar Heels hadn't played since last week's 77-71 loss at Penn State, which dropped them from the No. 2 ranking - the highest in school history. They sure had an easy time moving on, shooting 55 percent and taking a 43-29 rebounding edge.
North Carolina had five players score in double figures.
Larkins got the start in place of senior guard Leah Metcalf, who sat out to rest a sore foot. The 6-foot-2 forward had played well all season for the Tar Heels, averaging 14 points and six rebounds.
She wasted no time making herself comfortable in the starting five. She had the game's first basket barely 11 seconds in, and scored 10 points on 5-for-5 shooting in the first five minutes.
Larkins had two baskets off offensive rebounds and a nice pass on a give-and-go layup by Ivory Latta in that span.
Defensively, the Tar Heels used their athleticism and size to pressure the Chanticleers all over the court. Coastal Carolina shot just 34 percent and committed 30 turnovers, while the Tar Heels blocked six shots and had 25 steals.
Leading 20-10, North Carolina put Coastal Carolina away with a 26-8 run over the next nine minutes. The Tar Heels scored just about every way possible, from reserve Jessica Sell scoring a layup off a turnover in the backcourt to a pair of 3-pointers - one a pull-up jumper in transition - from the 5-6 Latta.
At one point during the spurt, Coastal Carolina ended seven straight possessions with either a turnover or missed shot.
Atkinson's layup off a feed from Sell with 2:02 left in the half ended the run, giving the Tar Heels a 46-18 lead. North Carolina led by 22 at the break and pushed the margin to 42 in the final minute.
