University of North Carolina Athletics
UNC Closes Out Season At Duke Sunday On ESPN2
February 28, 2015 | Women's Basketball
UNC and Duke, who are tied for fifth in the ACC standings with a 10-5 record, have closed out their respective conference schedules every season since 2004-05.
GAME INFORMATION
Venue: Cameron Indoor Stadium
Date: Sunday, March 1
Tip Time: 3 p.m.
Broadcast: ESPN2/WatchESPN
NATIONAL RANKINGS
North Carolina is ranked No. 15 by the Associated Press and 11th in the coaches poll this week. Duke is No. 16 and 17, respectively, in both polls.
CAROLINA IS PEAKING AT THE RIGHT TIME
UNC is 5-1 in its last six games heading into the final game of the regular season. Here are a few key stats that have helped the Tar Heels in recent weeks.
• Outscoring opponents by 10.3 ppg (72-61.7)
• Shooting 35.5% from three-point range (38-of-107)
• Converting at a 69.6% clip from the free throw line (78-of-112)
• Limiting opponents to 38.4% shooting and 31.7% from beyond the arc
• Forcing 23.8 turnovers per game; UNC has a +7.5 turnover margin
FIGHT FOR THE RIGHT TO PARTY
UNC checks in at No. 11 in the latest NCAA RPI released on Friday. The Tar Heels are firmly in the running to be a host for one of the 16 first and second round sites for the NCAA Tournament.
ESPN'S CREME BUMPS CAROLINA TO A NO. 3 SEED
ESPN.com's resident bracketologist Charlie Creme bumped Carolina to the No. 3 seed in the Oklahoma City Region after Thursday night. He also has UNC No. 12 overall on his Top 20 board.
The Tar Heels have hovered around the fourth line for the majority of the last month, but upsets across the country on Thursday, including Duke, Oregon State and Texas A&M, allowed Creme to move the Heels to a three seed.
TAR HEEL TRENDS...
• North Carolina is averaging only 15.2 turnovers per game, the fewest number since the 1995-96 team coughed up the ball only 12.9 times a game.
• Opponents are shooting only 28.3% from beyond the three-point arc, the best figure in the ACC.
• Allisha Gray has nine 20-point performances this season, the fifth most in the ACC this season. She has 12 in her two-year career with the Tar Heels.
• Allisha Gray has scored in double figures 54 times in 65 career games.
• Stephanie Mavunga's 23 career double-doubles is the fourth most among active players in the ACC and the most among players in her sophomore class.
• UNC is 5-0 this season in games decided by less than four points.
• UNC has limited 11 of its 15 ACC opponents to less than 40 percent shooting.
• Allisha Gray went to the free throw line 19 times against Boston College (Feb. 1) - two shy of the school record of 21 set by Tonya Sampson vs. UVa (2/3/93)
• Stephanie Mavunga's 92.9% (13-14) showing against ETSU on Jan. 2 is the best field goal percentage of the year in the ACC.
• Carolina has overcome a double-digit deficit nine times over the last two seasons, five times this year vs. Oregon, Rutgers, NC State, Florida State and Virginia.
• N'Dea Bryant has averaged 12.0 points and 4.7 rebounds over the last three games, scoring in double figures each time out.
• Allisha Gray is 37 points shy of reaching 1,000 career points.
• Brittany Rountree led UNC in scoring at Virginia Tech on Feb. 8, the first time leading her team in scoring since Jan. 3, 2013 vs. Maryland.
• Sophomore Hillary Summers set career highs with nine points and seven rebounds in the 71-63 victory over No. 7 Florida State. She had never scored more than six points in 58 previous games with the Tar Heels.
• Allisha Gray has averaged 18.4 points per game against 10 ranked opponents.
• UNC is 11-0 when putting four or more players in double figures; also 20-1 when allowing less than 70 points in a game this season.
• Brittany Rountree has averaged 10.0 points over the last six games, shooting 48.3 percent (14-for-29) from three-point land.
NEXT UP
UNC will take part in the ACC Tournament next week in Greensboro, N.C. The bracket and game times will be announced by the league office at the conclusion of the UNC-Duke game on Sunday evening.
