Carolina Shoots Past USC Upstate

Wednesday, December 16

Chapel Hill, N.C.

4:00 PM

North Carolina

USC Upstate

December 16, 2015 | Women's Basketball

By: UNC Athletic Communications

CHAPEL HILL - Freshman Stephanie Watts scored a game-high 21 points to lead North Carolina to an 80-40 victory over USC Upstate on Wednesday afternoon from Carmichael Arena.

Watts, a rookie guard from Wesley Chapel, N.C., made four of Carolina's season-high 11 three-pointers in the rout of the Spartans.

North Carolina (7-5) placed four in double figures, featuring Watts' 21 points and 10 rebounds, followed by Destinee Walker (15), Jamie Cherry (13) and Xylina McDaniel (10).

Brittany Starling led USC Upstate (6-6) with 12 points and 10 rebounds.

Carolina led by 30 points after three quarters, and increased its lead to as many as 41 points on a three-pointer from Walker with 3:07 left.

UNC held a 47-34 rebound advantage, and its bench owned a slight 13-11 edge in points scored over the Spartans' reserves.

Upstate briefly pulled ahead 6-5, before the Tar Heels got their up-tempo game in order with a 10-2 run to take control of the game. Watts later knocked down her third three-pointer of the opening quarter to give Carolina a 23-12 lead after 10 minutes of play.

Walker converted a conventional three-point play to open the second quarter, jump starting a 7-0 run that put Carolina ahead 30-12 over the Spartans.

Thanks to a 7-of-12 performance from three-point land in the opening half, the Tar Heels led 47-23 at intermission. Watts led all scorers with 13 points.

Carolina takes on Southern Miss on Sunday in Myrtle Beach, S.C. at 3 p.m. at the Myrtle Beach Convention Center.