University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
Old Dominion
No. 5 Tar Heels Rally To Beat ODU In Overtime, 88-80
December 29, 2005 | Women's Basketball
Dec. 29, 2005
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NORFOLK, Va. - No. 5 North Carolina got its toughest test of the season and trailed through most of the game, but outscored Old Dominion 16-8 in overtime to earn an 88-80 win over the Lady Monarchs Thursday at the Constant Convocation Center. Junior Ivory Latta led the way for UNC (12-0) with a career-high 33 points, eight of them in overtime.
ODU (2-6) led by as many as 13 points in the first half and was up by 10 (62-52) with 9:39 remaining in the game before UNC put together a late run. Latta hit a three and followed it with two layups, and Camille Little scored two of her 14 points to pull the Tar Heels within one, 62-61, with 7:04 on the clock. After an ODU basket, sophomore Alex Miller hit a three to tie the game for the first time since the score was 2-2.
UNC then pulled ahead by five, 69-64 with 3:21 to play, but the Lady Monarchs scored the next eight points to take a three point lead with a minute on the clock. A layup by Erlana Larkins on an assist from Heather Claytor drew the Tar Heels within one. Little got a steal and hit one of two free throws with 20 seconds on the clock to tie the game at 72-72 and force overtime.
The Lady Monarchs' only lead in the extra period was 75-74 with 3:44 to play. Freshman Rashanda McCants hit a three for her first points of the game then answered an ODU basket with one of her own to put UNC up by two with 2:51 remaining. The Tar Heels stretched their lead after that, with Latta hitting all four of her free throw attempts in the final 22 seconds. The game marked the first time this season that UNC has trailed at halftime (40-37) and the first time the team has been outrebounded (50-41). Carolina shot 45.5 percent for the game, while ODU finished at 38.5.
Larkins joined Latta and Little in double figures with 18 points and a team-best nine rebounds. Little had seven boards and Latta had a season-high six in addition to nine assists.
