Box Score Dec. 10, 2006
Final Stats
Chapel Hill, N.C. - The second-ranked North Carolina Tar Heels shot 50-percent from the floor for the game, including 47-percent from beyond the 3-point arc, en route to winning their tenth-straight, 87-58, Sunday afternoon at the Carmichael Auditorium.
The fourth Southern Conference opponent to face the Tar Heels this season, Western had the most success offensively scoring 10-more points, 58, than did league-favorite, UNC Greensboro. WCU's point total was also more than the fourth-ranked Tennessee Lady Vols were able to manage seven days earlier. In addition, the final point margin of 29 was under the SoCon-foe's previous average of 55.
Western (5-5) was paced by a career-high 15 points from sophomore Kendra Eaton on a career-best 7-of-9 shooting performance. Her classmate, Lauren Powell, finished with 13 points and five offensive rebounds while junior Ashley Pellom tallied a dozen and swiped a career-best six steals. Junior Chevon Keith led the Lady Catamounts with eight rebounds including four on the offensive end.
After trading buckets inside the game's opening minute, North Carolina used a 14-to-2 run to take a 12-point, 16-4, lead at the first media timeout. Western scored back-to-back buckets after the stoppage to slice the deficit back to six, 16-10, but that is as close as the Lady Cats could get for the remainder of the game as UNC pulled back out to a double-digit at the 11:27 mark, stretching it into a 20-point advantage three minutes before the half.
Western trailed at the break, 48-25, as the Tar Heels shot 52.8-percent from the field over the first 20 minutes. In the second half, North Carolina pushed its advantage over 30, reaching a game-high 35 points with five minutes to play. Yet, the Lady Catamounts were able to tally a couple of baskets over the final minute for the final 29-point tally.
North Carolina (10-0) put four players in double-figures led by a game-high 19 from guard Ivory Latta. The ACC's preseason player of the year also dished out six assists and committed five turnovers. Sophomore Rashanda McCants, who was a high school teammate of WCU's Powell, scored 16 including 3-of-4 from 3-point range, while Erlana Larkin and Camille Little added 13 and 12, respectively.
Statistically speaking, Western held its own against the Tar Heels. The Lady Catamounts committed 20 turnovers for the game, 10 off UNC's opponent average, and recorded just one less steal than the Heels, 14-to-13.
Western Carolina will take the coming week off for final exams in Cullowhee, returning to action in one week when it opens its SoCon schedule at Wofford next Sunday, Dec. 17 at 1:00 pm.
