University of North Carolina Athletics
Tuesday, November 6
Elon, N.C.
7:00 PM
North Carolina
100
at
69
Elon
Balanced UNC Tops Elon, 100-69
November 6, 2018 | Women's Basketball
ELON, N.C. - Six players scored in double figures to pace North Carolina to a 100-69 victory at Elon in the first regular season basketball game in the brand-new Schar Center.
The game pitted North Carolina (1-0) head coach Sylvia Hatchell against her former student-athlete and current Phoenix head coach Charlotte Smith, who played in Chapel Hill from 1992-95 and made the most famous shot in women's basketball history, a last second three-pointer to win the 1994 NCAA Championship.
Junior newcomer Shayla Bennett led all scorers with 19 points and seven assists in her Tar Heel debut. Paris Kea got her senior campaign underway with 17 points, while Stephanie Watts tossed in 16 points and grabbed nine rebounds.
Janelle Bailey had 13 points despite battling foul issues all evening. Taylor Koenen had 11 points and Jocelyn Jones added 10 points off the bench.
Early foul trouble by the visitors allowed Elon to gain an early footing on the game and an 11-5 edge midway into the first period. Watts got Carolina going with her first of four triple of the game and Bennett converted an old-fashioned three-point play in the final seconds of the quarter to make it an 18-17 Tar Heel lead after 10 minutes.
The momentum carried over into the second stanza for the Tar Heels, who scored five-straight points and later forced the Phoenix into a timeout after Bennett outraced the Elon defense for a layup on the break.
A 15-2 run by the Heels put them in the drivers seat, up 40-29 at halftime. Bennett led all scorers with nine points.
Carolina's up-tempo style continued to wreak havoc in the third quarter. A fast-break layup from Jones saw the lead grow to 56-38 with 4:24 left in the period. Watts would later drain another triple just before the horn to send UNC up 68-47 going to the last.
The Tar Heels scored the first eight points off the fourth period to secure the win, improving Carolina to 39-6 all-time in season openers. UNC shot 75.0 percent from the field in the second half.
The first basket in Schar Center history was made by Watts in transition.
Hatchell improved to 3-0 against Smith, who also served nine seasons as an assistant coach at her alma mater from 2002-11 before taking over at Elon.
Kayla Likes led Elon (0-1) with 14 points from the bench, while Lexi Mercer and Jada Graves contributed 12 and 10 points, respectively.
UNC hosts its home opener Friday against Kent State at 6 p.m.
The game pitted North Carolina (1-0) head coach Sylvia Hatchell against her former student-athlete and current Phoenix head coach Charlotte Smith, who played in Chapel Hill from 1992-95 and made the most famous shot in women's basketball history, a last second three-pointer to win the 1994 NCAA Championship.
Junior newcomer Shayla Bennett led all scorers with 19 points and seven assists in her Tar Heel debut. Paris Kea got her senior campaign underway with 17 points, while Stephanie Watts tossed in 16 points and grabbed nine rebounds.
Janelle Bailey had 13 points despite battling foul issues all evening. Taylor Koenen had 11 points and Jocelyn Jones added 10 points off the bench.
Early foul trouble by the visitors allowed Elon to gain an early footing on the game and an 11-5 edge midway into the first period. Watts got Carolina going with her first of four triple of the game and Bennett converted an old-fashioned three-point play in the final seconds of the quarter to make it an 18-17 Tar Heel lead after 10 minutes.
The momentum carried over into the second stanza for the Tar Heels, who scored five-straight points and later forced the Phoenix into a timeout after Bennett outraced the Elon defense for a layup on the break.
A 15-2 run by the Heels put them in the drivers seat, up 40-29 at halftime. Bennett led all scorers with nine points.
Carolina's up-tempo style continued to wreak havoc in the third quarter. A fast-break layup from Jones saw the lead grow to 56-38 with 4:24 left in the period. Watts would later drain another triple just before the horn to send UNC up 68-47 going to the last.
The Tar Heels scored the first eight points off the fourth period to secure the win, improving Carolina to 39-6 all-time in season openers. UNC shot 75.0 percent from the field in the second half.
The first basket in Schar Center history was made by Watts in transition.
Hatchell improved to 3-0 against Smith, who also served nine seasons as an assistant coach at her alma mater from 2002-11 before taking over at Elon.
Kayla Likes led Elon (0-1) with 14 points from the bench, while Lexi Mercer and Jada Graves contributed 12 and 10 points, respectively.
UNC hosts its home opener Friday against Kent State at 6 p.m.
Players Mentioned
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