Women's Hoops Loses At # 7/6 North Carolina

Sunday, November 18

Chapel Hill, N.C.

2 p.m.

Syracuse University

#7/6 North Carolina (WNIC)

Vaida Sipaviciute increased her career blocks total with 189 with six rejections at North Carolina.

11/18/2007 5:27:59 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – Freshman guard Erica Morrow was two rebounds shy of posting the first double-double of her career when the women's basketball team lost to No. 7/6 North Carolina, 97-72, at the Women's National Invitational Championship hosted by the Tar Heels. Morrow finished the contest with a career-high 17 points and eight boards. She also added a team-best five assists and four steals.

Senior center Vaida Sipaviciute, who tallied 12 points, had a team-high six blocks, increasing her career total to 189. She is only 29 rejections away from the second spot on SU's all-time list. Junior guard Chandrea Jones scored in double-digits for the second-consecutive outing with 10 points. She posted three steals, three assists and a team-best nine rebounds.

Jones got Syracuse on the board first with jumper at 19:11 and the two teams exchanged a couple of baskets pulling the score to 4-4 in the early minutes. A 14-3 run by the Tar Heels from 17:11 to 13:41 put North Carolina ahead 19-7. Tar Heels junior guard Rashanda McCants led the charge during the streak with 11 points.

Two buckets by Sipaviciute sandwiched with a field goal by senior forward Fantasia Goodwin pulled the Orange within three (20-13) at the 10:41 mark. North Carolina responded with a 12-2 run that gave them a 32-15 lead with 8:37 remaining.

The Orange went into the intermission trailing 54-29, despite out rebounding the Tar Heels 27-24. Morrow registered 10 points in the opening half and was 2-of-3 from behind the arch.

The second half was a physical one with North Carolina sending Syracuse to the line 18 times. The Orange was able to convert on 16 of its tries and finished the game shooting 86.2 percent (25-29) from the charity strip.

The Orange shot 15 percent better in the second half (37.5) compared to the first (22.5) but were unable to close the gap on the score board. Sipaviciute posted eight points in the second stanza and sparked a 10-2 run with a two-pointer at 4:53. The Orange held the Tar Heels without a basket during the final 4:40.

Sophomore forward Vionca Murray came alive in the second by scoring six of her eight points. Goodwin also finished the contest with eight and she added five boards. Sophomore guard Nicole Michael collected eight rebounds and two steals.

The Orange (1-1) finished the game shooting 29.2 percent (21-72) from the floor and 23.8 percent (5-21) from three-point range. The Tar Heels shot 42.5 percent (31-73) from the field and 29.6 percent (8-27) from behind the three-point line. North Carolina won the battle on the glass with 54 rebounds compared to Syracuse's 46.

McCants led the Tar Heels (4-0) with a career-high 27 points and 14 rebounds. Senior forward Erlana Larkins posted 15 points, eight rebounds and a team-high five assists, while senior forward Pringle LaToya had 11 points and a game-high eight blocks. Rounding out the five UNC players in double-digits were junior guard Heather Claytor and sophomore forward Jessica Breland, who each had 10 points.

The Orange opens the doors to Manley Field House to begin its home schedule on Sunday, Nov. 18 at 1 p.m. when it hosts Lehigh.