University of North Carolina Athletics
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Clemson
No. 12 North Carolina Crushes Clemson, 72-41
February 5, 2004 | Women's Basketball
Feb 5, 2004
By JEFFREY COLLINS
Associated Press Writer
CLEMSON, S.C. - Ivory Latta scored 15 points in her first trip near her hometown, and No. 12 North Carolina beat Clemson 72-41 Thursday night.
North Carolina (18-3, 8-2 Atlantic Coast Conference) hit 10 of its first 15 shots and held Clemson to 3-of-16 shooting in taking a 22-9 lead midway through the first half.
The Tar Heels led 32-17 at halftime despite missing their last six shots, and still managed to shoot 45.2 percent (14-of-31) in the opening period. North Carolina finished the game at 49.1 percent (28-of-57).
Kenya McBee scored 11 points, and Leah Metcalf and Nikita Bell added 10 apiece for North Carolina.
The Lady Tigers (15-6, 5-5) shot just 25.9 percent (14-of-54) for the game, and missed all seven 3-pointers in the first half. They also missed their first six shots of the second half.
Clemson was led by Khaili Sanders and Amanda White with nine points each. White also led the team with seven rebounds.
The Lady Tigers have lost three straight overall, and seven straight against the Tar Heels.
Latta, who set the South Carolina high school record last year with 4,319 points, played about 100 miles from her hometown of McConnells.
She seemed a little nervous early, turning the ball over a couple of times and taking a few bad shots. By the second half she had settled down, getting several assists with sharp passes to open teammates inside and burying a 3-pointer from about 23 feet as the shot clock wound down.
Clemson trailed 61-30 with under five minutes to go before a flurry pushed the Lady Tigers over their all-time lowest output - in 55-38 loss to Georgia Tech in January 1996.
