Cavaliers Ousted from ACC Tournament

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February 28, 1999

Box Score
North Carolina Postgame Audio
Virginia Postgame Audio

By JOE MACENKA
AP Sports Writer

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) – North Carolina needed just 5 minutes, 10 seconds toerase a 19-point, first-half deficit, and the 13th-ranked Tar Heels went on toan 83-70 victory against No. 19 Virginia in the Atlantic Coast Conferencesemifinals Sunday.

Nikki Teasley, Chanel Wright and Juana Brown powered the comeback thathelped third-seeded North Carolina (26-6) earn a chance at its fifth ACC titlein six years.

The Tar Heels reversed their fortunes with a 33-7 run bridging the first andsecond halves. North Carolina closed the first half with a 23-4 surge,including eight points by Teasley, seven by Wright and six by Brown.

Second-seeded Virginia (20-8) had its ACC tournament run ended by the TarHeels for the third time in six years. The Cavaliers made just 11 of 39field-goal attempts (28 percent) over the final 25 minutes.

Wright finished with 27 points, Teasley had 25 and Brown added 11 for theTar Heels, whose opponent in Monday night’s championship game will be16th-ranked and fourth-seeded Clemson, a 76-71 winner over No. 8 and top-seededDuke.

Monick Foote and Erin Stovall each had 13 points to lead Virginia. DeMyaWalker had 10.

Lesley Brown’s baseline jumper pushed Virginia’s lead to 36-17 with sixminutes left before halftime, but the Cavaliers made just one field goal therest of the half. When Teasley hit two free throws with 50 seconds remaining,it was 40-40, and the Tar Heels weren’t finished.

North Carolina scored 10 of the first 13 points in the second half to go up50-43 with 17:35 left.

Virginia led just once the rest of the way, at 58-57 on Walker’s three-pointplay at the 13:44 mark. Wright answered with a foul-line jumper, and the TarHeels gradually pulled away to defeat the Cavaliers for the seventh time ineight games.