University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
14-15, 3-13ACC
Duke
25-4, 13-3ACC
Carolina Falls To #13 Duke
February 26, 2017 | Women's Basketball
CHAPEL HILL - North Carolina wrapped up the regular season with a 95-71 loss to No. 13 Duke on Sunday afternoon inside Carmichael Arena.
The Tar Heels will face 11th seed Pitt on Wednesday in the first round of the ACC Tournament. Tip off from the HTC Center in Conway, South Carolina, is scheduled for 6:30 p.m.
Paris Kea scored 19 points to lead North Carolina (14-15, 3-13 Atlantic Coast Conference). Jamie Cherry added 16 points and freshman Olivia Smith knocked down five triples for a career-high 15 points. Classmate Taylor Koenen had 11 points and eight assists.
Rebecca Greenwell was a point shy of her career high on Sunday, scoring 30 points behind six three-pointers. Kyra Lambert had 12 points and 12 assists, and Lexie Brown added 19.
Duke (25-4, 13-3) showed its versatility in the first period to gain a 23-16 edge. The Blue Devils scored 10 paint points, and Greenwell knocked down a pair of three pointers. Meanwhile, Smith matched her counterpart with two of her own from distance in the opening period.
Carolina's freshmen made major contributions in the first half to keep it close. Smith led with nine points, while Emily Sullivan chipped in six points.
A 3-pointer from Kea had UNC within 40-32, but a back-breaking triple from Duke's Greenwell in the final seconds lifted the Blue Devils to a 45-32 lead at halftime.
Cherry executed a four-point play to open the third quarter and Kea followed with another triple to move Carolina within 45-39 of Duke.
A 10-2 response from the Blue Devils allowed the visitors to gain some breathing room with a 63-48 lead going to the fourth quarter. The lead grew to as many as 28 in the final stanza.
