Virginia Concludes Tough Week with 72-60 Loss to No. 1 North Carolina
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Feb. 12, 2006
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Virginia concluded its toughest stretch of the season on Sunday with a 72-60 loss to No. 1 North Carolina before a season-high crowd of 4,290 fans at University Hall.
The Cavaliers fell to 13-10 overall and 2-9 in ACC play, while the Tar Heels improved to 23-1 overall and 10-1 in the conference. The loss was Virginia’s sixth consecutive. UVa faced three top-ranked opponents in the last eight days. The `Hoos played at No. 6 Maryland on Sunday and at No. 2 Duke on Friday evening.
“It was a brutal stretch,” Virginia head coach Debbie Ryan said of this week’s games. “but we took some steps forward. We weren’t out-matched in this game; we just made some errors. I was very proud of our team.”
In the first half, Carolina jumped out to a quick 9-2 lead. Virginia closed the gap to three, 15-12. The Tar Heels went on a 9-0 run to close out the half for a 15-point lead, 39-24, at hafltime.
In the second half, UVa stormed out of the locker room to come within five points, 42-37 with 16:40 to go. UNC responded with a 13-3 run to go ahead by 15 points, 47-42 with 7:59 on the clock. UVa came within eight, 66-58 with 3:18 to go, but could not get any closer.
“One of the adjustments we had to make was the press break,” Ryan said of her locker room chat at halftime. “We came out with a lot of energy.”
“Virginia gave us all they had, especially in the second half,” UNC head coach Sylvia Hatchell said. “Virginia just played hard; they played their hearts out and gave us a really good game.”
Senior Tiffany Sardin (Chicago, Ill.) led Virginia with a game-high 19 points and a game-high 10 rebounds for her fifth double-double of the season (and of her career). Junior Siedah Williams (Cleveland, Ohio) followed with 14 points and nine boards, while sophomore Takisha Granberry (Charlotte, N.C.) added 12 points.
Ivory Latta led UNC with 18 points, while Camille Little added 16 points.
“She’s one of the best players in the country,” sophomore Sharneé Zoll (Marlboro, N.J.) said of fellow point guard Latta. “She has a lot of heart. She’s so quick, and she can finish. She never loses energy.”
Overall, Virginia out-rebounded North Carolina, 48-35.
Virginia hosts Longwood in the last non-conference game on Tuesday, Feb. 14 at 7 p.m. at University Hall.
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
1 2 - Final#1 North Carolina (23-1, 10-1) 39 33 - 72Virginia (13-10, 2-9) 24 36 - 60
Scores of other ACC games today:Wake Forest 82, Clemson 70NC State 65, Georgia Tech 53Boston College 79, Miami 69