University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina-Baylor AP Preview
March 28, 2005 | Women's Basketball
March 27, 2005
GAME: No. 2 Baylor (30-3) vs. No. 1 North Carolina (30-3).
REGIONAL: Tempe, regional final.
TIME: Monday, 9 p.m. EST.
SITE: Wells Fargo Arena, Tempe, Ariz.
North Carolina is hoping for a return trip to the Final Four after a lengthy absence. Baylor is seeking its first berth in women's basketball showcase event.
The top-seeded Tar Heels can return to the Final Four for the first time since 1994 when they meet the No. 2 seed Lady Bears in the Tempe Regional final.
North Carolina has been plagued by early exits from the NCAA tournament in recent years, failing to reach the regional semifinals in each of the last three seasons. After getting past that hurdle this year, the Tar Heels moved into their first regional final since 1998 with a 79-72 win over Arizona State on Saturday
Led by star point guard Ivory Latta, North Carolina shook off the pro-Sun Devils crowd and survived a series of rallies. Latta scored 20 points and freshman Erlana Larkins added 18 and 14 rebounds as the Tar Heels won their 16th straight.
"I think it was tougher than we thought it would be," said Larkins. "They had a great environment. They were the home team. They came out and played really hard."
Latta battled through a wrist injury to make 6-of-14 shots. She is averaging 23.5 points in the last six games for the Tar Heels.
"I just tried not to think about it because my teammates were telling me, 'Ivory, we need you, suck it up, you'll be all right,"' she said. "That's the only thing I need to hear."
Larkins, who notched her seventh double-double, matched a season high in rebounds. She will need to come through Monday against a Baylor frontcourt that features center Steffanie Blackmon and forward Sophia Young, who averages a team-high 18 points per game.
"I think it's going to be a great game," Larkins said. "They're great with the fast breaks and they have two really great post players in Blackmon and Young, so I think it should be a great matchup."
Baylor has advanced farther than any team in school history after a 64-57 win over Minnesota on Saturday. The Lady Bears won their 17th straight game thanks to a brilliant performance by Young.
Playing in front of her mother for the first time, Young had 26 points and seven rebounds to lead the way. The junior made 12 of her final 18 shots.
"My emotions are just running wild," Young said. "I'm happy my mom could come and see me play. It was such a great atmosphere. And it's a tremendous opportunity to take my team to the Elite Eight."
Baylor coach Kim Mulkey-Robertson used the defense of Abiola Wabara to help counter Minnesota star forward Janel McCarville, who made just 6-of-16 shots. Wabara and McCarville were whistled for a double-technical in the final minute and had to be separated.
"When it's physical and they let you play like that, things like that happen at the end of a game that are unfortunate," Mulkey-Robertson said.
The physical play will be a challenge for Larkins, who has three double-doubles in her last six games.
"When we get the ball inside to Erlana, she usually produces well," North Carolina coach Sylvia Hatchell said.
Baylor is hoping that reserve forward Emily Niemann comes out of her shooting slump. Niemann, who is shooting nearly 47 percent on 3-pointers this season, is 4-of-20 from the arc over the last six games.
PROBABLE STARTERS: Baylor - F Young (18.0 ppg and 9.2 rpg), F Wabara (5.4 ppg and 3.5 rpg), C Blackmon (15.5 ppg and 8.2 rpg), G Chelsea Whitaker (4.8 ppg, 2.7 rpg and 5.3 apg), G Chameka Scott (7.5 ppg and 4.1 rpg). North Carolina - F Camille Little (11.9 ppg, 5.9 rpg), F Nikita Bell (10.7 ppg, 5.5 rpg), C Larkins (14.8 ppg, 7.2 rpg), G Latta (17.3 ppg, 4.4 apg), G La'Tangela Atkinson (8.4 ppg, 7.4 rpg).
HOW THEY GOT HERE: Baylor - Automatic bid, Big 12 tournament champion; beat No. 15 Illinois State 91-70, first round; beat No. 10 Oregon 69-46, second round; beat No. 3 Minnesota 64-57, regional semifinals. North Carolina - Automatic bid, Atlantic Coast Conference tournament champion; beat No. 16 Coppin State 97-62, first round; beat No. 9 George Washington 71-47, second round; beat No. 5 Arizona State 79-72, regional semifinals.
ALL-TIME TOURNAMENT RECORD: Baylor - 6-3, 4 years. North Carolina - 27-15, 17 years.
