University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
Clemson
No. 2 Carolina Holds Off Clemson, 83-74
January 8, 2009 | Women's Basketball
Jan. 8, 2009
CLEMSON, S.C. (AP) -- Turnovers, missed 3-pointers and bad decisions. For much of the game at Clemson, North Carolina coach Sylvia Hatchell didn't know what she was watching.
"This ain't my team. Where'd this team come from," she remembered thinking as her players blundered away a 12-point lead and trailed 65-64 with 5 minutes left.
Rashanda McCants and Chey Shegog reminded Hatchell why North Carolina is ranked No. 2 in the country.
The two combined for 13 of the final 19 points to keep the Tar Heels perfect at 15-0 after an 83-74 victory Thursday night.
Still, it was a disconcerting way for the defending Atlantic Coast Conference champs to open league play.
North Carolina shot less than 40 percent overall and was just 1 of 11 on 3-pointers.
"They've been through this before. They know how to" come back, Hatchell said. "But we shouldn't have been in the position in the first place."
McCants had 12 of her 17 points in the second half. Shegog had 16 points, while Jessica Breland and Italee Lucas each posted double-doubles--Breland with 13 points and 13 rebounds, and Lucas going for 12 and 12.
The Tar Heels won their 21st straight against ACC opponents, and 13th in a row over Clemson.
The win "shows heart, but it also shows how difficult ACC play is going to be," said McCants, the senior who had her highest scoring output in nearly two months since going for 27 against Xavier the week before Thanksgiving.
Clemson has won a total of 12 ACC games the previous four seasons, yet rallied to lead 65-64 when Whitney Hood hit two foul shots with 5:03 left.
The couple of thousand people at Littlejohn Coliseum made as much noise as possible to rattle the Tar Heels. It didn't work.
Senior reserve Heather Claytor's layup moments later put North Carolina ahead for good. Then McCants and Shegog got to work.
McCants made two free throws and the 6-foot-5 Shegog hit three straight inside baskets. They could not break away, though, and were only ahead 74-71 after Lele Hardy's basket with 1:48 to go.
That's when McCants stole the ball from Sthefany Thomas and got fouled on her driving bucket. McCants made the free throw and the Tar Heels were up 77-71. Clemson could not get closer.
"Clemson is a lot better," said Hatchell, in her 23rd season at North Carolina. "That's a fact."
The Tar Heels will have to shore things up if they hope to keep their success going. They have difficult league games with North Carolina State and Virginia, then face No. 1 Connecticut on Jan. 19.
Bryelie Smith had 17 points to lead Clemson and Whitney Hood added 16.
Lady Tigers coach Cristy McKinney was proud of her team's comeback and hopes that means better things ahead in the ACC. Clemson (10-5, 1-1) has not won more than four league games in any of McKinney's first three seasons.
"I think we took a couple of steps up," said Hood, who had 14 of her 16 points in the second half. "We're getting better."
North Carolina showed the effects of playing just twice in the past 19 days, missing its first three shots and turning the ball over five times in the first four minutes to fall behind 7-2.
The Tar Heels defense kicked in, swarming the Lady Tigers into mistake after mistake. The result was a 19-2 run that gained control for North Carolina.
McCants got the surge going early with two short baskets, while Lucas took over late with 6 points.
When Trinity Bursey put back her own miss, the Tar Heels were up 21-9.
Clemson couldn't penetrate the Tar Heels' defense. The Lady Tigers were just 1 of 14 from the field with eight turnovers during the 8-minute stretch.
Guard Tasha Taylor seemed especially bothered, whistled for four traveling calls in the first half.
Lucas knows the Tar Heels will take in the lessons that come from tight games and improve. She called the team's chemistry "ridiculous"--in the good way, she clarified with a smile.
"All we have to is put in the work and we'll be OK," she said.
