University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
Francis Marion (Exhibition)
No. 5 Carolina Runs Past Francis Marion, 105-64
November 5, 2009 | Women's Basketball
Nov. 5, 2009
CHAPEL HILL --- Freshman Tierra Ruffin-Pratt led five Tar Heels in double figures as No. 5 North Carolina topped Division II Francis Marion, 105-64, Thursday night at the Dean E. Smith Center. Ruffin-Pratt added seven rebounds, four steals and three assists on the night for UNC, which will play its second and final exhibition Nov. 10 against Carson-Newman. FMU's Shannon Singleton-Bates had a game-high 28 points to lead the Patroits.
After Ruffin-Pratt opened the game with a three-pointer, Francis Marion scored six of the next eight points to take its final lead of the night at 6-5. Carolina then responded with a 14-2 run that gave the hosts some breathing room before another extended run that effectively put the game out of reach.
Led by four buckets from Ruffin-Pratt and six points from junior Cetera DeGraffenreid, the Tar Heels scored 23 straight over a five-minute stretch starting at the 11:48 mark to open up a 30-point lead at 44-14.
Francis Marion would get no closer than 23 the rest of the way as both teams substituted liberally in the up-tempo contest.
UNC forced 34 FMU turnovers and outrebounded the Patriots by a margin of 68-41.
Ruffin-Pratt and DeGraffenreid, who finished with 17 points, five boards, five steals and five assists, were joined in double figures by junior Italee Lucas and sophomores Laura Broomfield and She'la White.
In addition to Ruffin-Pratt, freshmen Krista Gross, Waltiea Rolle, Cierra Robertson-Warren and Nyree Williams also made their Carolina debuts Thursday. Gross led that group with eight points, while Rolle had three points, eight boards and two of Carolina's ten blocks.
Senior Martina Wood matched Rolle with a team-high eight rebounds to go with eight points, while classmate Trinity Bursey chipped in with seven boards and two assists.
The Tar Heels will conclude their exhibition schedule Nov. 10 against Carson-Newman at the Smith Center at 7. Admission is free.
