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GREENSBORO, N.C. (AP) Monica Wright poured in a career-high 31 points for Virginia, but the 25th-ranked Cavaliers fell to No. 2 North Carolina, 80-65, in the semifinals of the ACC Tournament Saturday at the Greensboro Coliseum.
Rashanda McCants had 23 points and 10 rebounds despite suffering an ankle injury and Erlana Larkins had 14 points and 15 rebounds for the top-seeded Tar Heels (29-2), who have won 12 straight games and 20 of 21. The three-time defending champions also won their 11th straight ACC tournament game dating to the 2005 season, pulling away in the final minutes to advance to the championship game for the seventh straight year.
North Carolina will face the winner of Saturday’s second semifinal between fifth-ranked Maryland and No. 12 Duke.
Lyndra Littles added 15 points and 14 rebounds for the fourth-seeded Cavaliers (23-9), who have not beaten the Tar Heels in five years and fell to 2-12 against North Carolina in the ACC tournament.
McCants, the younger sister of former Tar Heel star and NBA player Rashad McCants, came through with a huge performance to help the Tar Heels take control late in the first half. She went 7-for-10 from the floor for 19 points to give North Carolina a 40-31 lead at the break despite spraining her left ankle and being helped off the court midway through the half.
Medical staff taped up the ankle then had her test it in a hallway away from the bench before she returned with 7:10 left. She quickly picked up where she left off, rebounding her own missed 3-pointer for a score less than 2 minutes later before hitting a 3 on the following possession.
That performanceshe scored 11 points in the half after the injury helped offset a slow start for Larkins and LaToya Pringle, who combined to shoot just 2-for-12 inside against Virginia’s physical defense.
McCants helped the Tar Heels push that margin to double figures right after the break, assisting on Pringle’s basket 15 seconds into the half before knocking down a jumper off a feed from Cetera DeGraffenreid. She even stepped in to draw two charges in three possessions despite picking up her third foul early in the half.
The Tar Heels eventually used a 9-0 run to get some breathing room, then pushed the margin to as many as 22 points late.
North Carolina played without freshman guard Rebecca Gray, who suffered a concussion while trying to take a charge during the Tar Heels’ quarterfinal win over Clemson on Friday.