University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
China National Team
Tar Heels Rally To Beat China, 70-68
November 6, 2007 | Women's Basketball
Nov. 6, 2007
CHAPEL HILL --- North Carolina senior LaToya Pringle put back a missed free throw with eight seconds left to give the Tar Heels a 70-68 come-from-behind win over the China National Team Tuesday night at Carmichael Auditorium. UNC trailed by seven with 6:24 to play before going on a 15-6 run to close the game.
Both teams struggled offensively in the opening 10 minutes, and a Miao Lijie bucket with 10:32 left in the half tied the score at 16. Carolina then went on a 16-0 run powered by four consecutive baskets by junior Rashanda McCants to move ahead 32-16 with 4:49 remaining in the first half.
But China was able to withstand the spurt, as the visitors scored 11 of the final 14 points of the stanza to cut their deficit to eight at the break.
The Chinese stayed hot out of the locker room and used a 13-2 run to take a 40-37 lead at the first media timeout. Two quick scores by senior Erlana Larkins and Pringle put Carolina back in front at 43-42, and a three-point play by sophomore Jessica Breland extended the lead to six at 50-44 with 10:44 to play.
But China, powered by Miao, once again bounced back. The visitors would score 14 of 15 points in a four-minute stretch to take a 62-55 lead with 6:24 remaining.
The turning point may have come with just under six minutes to play when McCants and freshman Cetera DeGraffenreid got consecutive layups off steals to cut the lead back to three.
The deficit was still three with under a minute remaining when senior Alex Miller scored on a layup to make it 68-67. After a UNC timeout, the Tar Heels got a defensive stop and fed the ball in to Larkins in the post, where she drew a foul with 11 seconds remaining.
After a China timeout, Larkins made the first of two free throws to tie the score at 68. Larkins would miss the second, but Pringle got the rebound and scored to give the Tar Heels a two-point lead.
Zhang Hanlan got off a three-pointer in the dying moments that would have won it, but Larkins pulled down the rebound to seal the victory.
Both Larkins (13 points, 10 rebounds) and Pringle (11 points, 13 rebounds) finished with double-doubles, while McCants led UNC with 16 points. Miao led all scorers with 20 points, while Chen Xiaoli and Chen Nan each had 14 for China.
Carolina will now prepare for its regular-season opener Friday night against North Carolina Central. Game time is set for 8:30 at Carmichael Auditorium.
