University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
Pacific
No. 2 Tar Heels Thrash Tigers, 98-62
November 28, 2008 | Women's Basketball
Nov. 28, 2008
FREEPORT, Grand Bahama --- North Carolina sophomore guard Italee Lucas scored 20 of her career-high 25 points in the decisive first half as the No. 2 Tar Heels rolled past Pacific, 98-62, Friday night in the Junkanoo Jam at St. Georges High School. Lucas made five three-pointers, including four before the break, to lead Carolina, which is 7-0 to start the season for the fifth consecutive year.
Both teams struggled offensively out of the gate in the tiny gym, and Pacific held an early 13-8 lead six minutes in after a three by Jasmine Dana and three foul shots by Amy VanHollebeke. After UNC regained the lead, another Dana three made it 18-all, drawing the Tigers (1-2) even for the final time with 8:39 to play in the opening half.
From there, the Tar Heels' suffocating defense and the hot shooting of Lucas put together the game-changing run. Lucas connected from three after a Cetera DeGraffenreid steal, followed by an Iman McFarland layup and foul. McFarland missed the free throw, but Jessica Breland, who finished with 14 points and 10 rebounds, converted the put back and Carolina was rolling.
"The first 10 minutes we looked like we were still on vacation, but we changed things up defensively, increased our intensity and started trapping, and I thought that made a big difference," UNC head coach Sylvia Hatchell said after the game.
After the defensive adjustment led to more trapping, Lucas and DeGraffenreid were able to pick off a number of passes and turn them into easy buckets. A DeGraffenreid steal and layup with 16 seconds left in the half completed a 29-7 run to close the stanza that sent Carolina into the locker room with a 47-25 lead.
The Tar Heels punished the sagging 2-3 zone of Pacific even more from the perimeter in the second half, making 7 of 12 three-point attempts, including four from senior sharpshooter Heather Claytor, who finished with 14.
"We definitely had to open up the 2-3 to clear things up inside," Lucas said after the game. "We knew they would pack it in, so me and Heather took the initiative and knocked down some shots."
Dana led Pacific with a career-high 18 points on 6-of-9 shooting.
Senior forward Iman McFarland had a solid all-around performance, scoring eight points to go with eight rebounds and a career-high six blocks. Senior Alex Miller added a season-high 12 points and was 7 of 7 from the foul line.
Carolina will face Oregon State Saturday night at 8:30 for the championship of the Freeport Division of the tournament.
