University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
Maine
UNC Bounces Back With Convincing Win Over Maine
December 20, 2014 | Women's Basketball
The Tar Heels (10-1) fell to No. 16 Oregon State 70-55 on Tuesday night, yet opened with a 14-0 lead in this one and looked like they'd easily run past the Black Bears (7-4). But Sigi Koizar's three-point play drew Maine to 24-21 with 18 minutes to go. That's when Gray powered North Carolina on a 20-3 run over the next six minutes to take control.
Latifah Coleman started things with a 3-pointer, Gray made two foul shots before Coleman's three-point play. Gray added a 3-pointer and a three-point play and Jamie Cherry capped the charge with another long-range basket for a 44-24 lead.
Coleman added 10 points for North Carolina.
Koizar led Maine with nine points.
North Carolina has won 18 of its last 19 games played on the Palmetto State's Grand Strand resort area. It's only loss in that span was to South Carolina, currently the country's No. 1 team, in 2011-12.
The Tars Heels have played at least one game in the Myrtle Beach area for 21 straight seasons.
Maine came in with a six-game win streak, it's longest since taking 13 in a row in 2004-05. But could not shoot its way past North Carolina's tough defense. The Black Bears had 26 turnovers as the Tar Heels collected 13 steals, three apiece by Coleman and Danielle Butts.
North Carolina hoped to wipe out the memories of its poor performance last Tuesday night when it shot 27.6 percent from the field to lose for the first time this year.
The Tar Heels started fast, making their first three attempts and five of the first nine to lead 14-0. The team's pressure defense rattled the usually careful Black Bears, who committed 10 turnovers in the first nine minutes and 17 - matching its season's game average - in the opening 20 minutes.
But North Carolina settled into the same pattern of bad shots that stung it in the Oregon State loss. The Tar Heels went nearly nine minutes without a basket as Maine chipped into the lead.
When Sophie Weckstrom hit a 3-pointer with 31 seconds left, Maine went into halftime down just 24-18.
North Carolina shot 5 of 22 over the final 16 minutes of the period. The Tar Heels missed all 10 3-point attempts, following up a 1-of-14 showing from long range in its last game.
Things improved in the second half as North Carolina went 5 of 12 from behind the arc to pull away.
TIP INS
Maine is making its longest regular-season trip of the season, traveling more than 1,100 miles to face the Tar Heels. North Carolina has played at least one game on the Grand Strand resort area for 21 straight seasons.
UP NEXT
Maine plays at William & Mary on Sunday. North Carolina finishes its two-game trip to Myrtle Beach by facing Elon on Sunday.
