University of North Carolina Athletics
Lawson Named Progress Energy Performer Of The Week
February 16, 2009 | Men's Basketball
Feb. 16, 2009
Ty Lawson averaged 23 points and 4.5 assists in road wins at Duke and Miami and is the Progress Energy Tar Heel of the Week for February 9-15, 2009.
Lawson led Carolina to a 101-87 win at Duke with 25 points and five assists. He scored 21 of his 25 in the second half when he made 7 of 9 shots from the floor and 7 of 7 from the free throw line. The 25 points are the most he has scored in an ACC game as a Tar Heel. Trailing 62-63, he scored 13 of Carolina's next 26 points as UNC built an 88-71 lead. The junior from Clinton, Md., helped lead an offensive attack that scored 57 second-half points and shoot 59.4 percent from the floor in the second half against the lue Devils. No team had scored 50 points in any half and no team had shot better than 54.7 percent in a half against Duke this year. The 101 points were the most points allowed by Duke at Cameron Indoor Stadium in a regulation game since 1983.
At Miami, playing with flu-like symptoms, Lawson scored 17 of his team-high 21 points in the second half, including each of UNC's final 11 points. He made a career-high five three-pointers, all in the second half, three of which came in the final 3:35. With UNC leading 58-57, 61-60 and 64-63, Lawson hit a three each time to give the Tar Heels a four-point lead • His fifth three of the half came as the shot clock ran down and with just 10 seconds to play in the game. Lawson sealed the win with a pair of free throws with two seconds to play.
For the week, Lawson had 46 points (23 per game) and 9 assists (4.5 per), shot 15 for 23 from the floor (65.2 percent), 5 for 9 from three-point (55.6) and 11 for 11 from the free throw line (100 percent).
Other nominees:
DANIELLE SPAULDING
Softball, Pitcher
Junior, Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.
Danielle Spaulding struck out 40 batters in 18.0 innings of work as she posted a 3-0 record and led the No. 23 Tar Heels to the Carolina Classic tournament title. Spaulding opened the week with four shutout innings against UNC Wilmington where the left-hander picked up all 12 outs via strikeout. In the Carolina Classic Spaulding struck out 14 batters in each outing as she led the Tar Heels to a 7-0 win over Wichita State and a 2-0 win over Penn State that clinched the tournament title for Carolina. Spaulding has yet to allow a run in the circle this season, a string of 31.0 consecutive innings. The Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., native also drove in five runs on the week and tallied her first home run of the season against George Washington.
Jessica Breland
Women's Basketball
Junior, Forward
Kelford, N.C.
Junior forward Jessica Breland averaged 12.3 points and 12.7 rebounds in leading UNC to a pair of conference wins. Breland had a double-double with 14 points and a career-high 23 rebounds in the 75-60 win over No. 4 Duke on Monday. The 23 rebounds were the most by a Tar Heel since Charlotte Smith had 23 in the 1994 National Championship game. The Kelford, N.C., product added a career-high six steals and five blocks in the Duke win and had a second double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds in the 73-50 win over Georgia Tech on Sunday. With five swats against Georgia Tech, Breland became the 12th player in ACC history to reach 200 career blocked shots.
JUSTIN DOBIES
Wrestling, Heavyweight
Senior, Garfield Heights, Ohio
In his final match in Chapel Hill, senior Justin Dobies posted a 3-2 win over Nebraska's 19th-ranked Tucker Lane in the Tar Heels' home finale Saturday. The win, which was Dobies' first against a ranked opponent this year, was his 13th straight to run his season record to 26-6 and 16-4 in dual action. With 106 career wins, Dobies needs just one more win to move into a tie for ninth on Carolina's career victory list.
GAVIN PETRACCA
Men's Lacrosse
Junior Attackman
Manhasset, N.Y.
Junior attackman Gavin Petracca recorded career highs for both assists and points in a game in leading fifth-ranked North Carolina to a 20-7 victory over 14th-ranked Denver as the Tar Heels tallied their most goals in a game since April 27, 2001. Petracca had eight shots, six on goal, and scored four goals, one short of his career high of five against Vermont in 2007. His four assists were a career high, exceeding the three assists he previously had on three occasions. Petracca's eight points broke his previous career high of six points versus Vermont on March 13, 2007. Petracca had three of his goals and three of his assists in a 12-0 scoring run that broke open the game as UNC extended an 8-6 halftime lead to a 20-6 margin with 4:05 to play in the match.
CHRISTINE NGUYEN
Gymnastics
Junior, All-Around
Plano, Texas
Junior Christine Nguyen placed first in three events at the Sweetheart Invitational held in Raleigh, N.C. Against EAGL rivals George Washington and N.C. State, as well as William & Mary, Nguyen earned the vault, beam, and floor titles of the meet and posted a 38.850 in the all-around. Nguyen's consistent efforts continue to boost the team to achieve high scores in meets against EAGL opponents.
