UNC women's basketball rookies 'thrown in the fire'

The North Carolina women’s basketball team needs more time — and more bodies.

After holding late leads in each of its games over the weekend, No. 22 UNC (0-2) dropped a 66-65 contest to Gardner-Webb on Friday and fell 79-77 to Oregon on Sunday.

And in each matchup, only six Tar Heels hit the court.

“I don’t know if I’ve ever been in this situation, to be honest,” Coach Sylvia Hatchell said.

Once senior forward Xylina McDaniel — who is nursing a calf injury — returns to action, UNC could have more flexibility with its limited lineup.

But thus far, the Tar Heels have hit the court running.

“They’ve been thrown in the fire,” Hatchell said. “Most places they’d have to go and sit on the bench.”

With its five leaders in minutes from 2014-15 now departed, UNC has held open tryouts on three occasions just to field a roster. Of the six players Hatchell has turned to this season, four had never started.

And through their first two games, the Tar Heels’ inexperience has cost them.

In both contests, North Carolina held a sizable lead late in the second half. But Gardner-Webb (1-0) and Oregon (1-0) launched a barrage of 3-pointers against a loose UNC defense — and each employed zone looks to stifle the Tar Heels’ attack.

“It’s just us learning how to work with them throwing different defenses at us ...” said redshirt junior Hillary Summers, who averaged 7.3 minutes a season ago. “We’re just learning as we go.”

No two players have more to learn than first-years Destinee Walker and Stephanie Watts.

Through two games this season, the two have spent just 10 combined minutes on the bench. But while their athleticism has often been on display, so too has their naivete.

Against Gardner-Webb, the newcomers combined to miss 16 shots and commit nine fouls — allowing the Bulldogs to drive into a foul-ridden UNC defense for the final bucket.

And versus Oregon, the guards each went 5-for-15 from the field and collectively missed 13 3-pointers — including two in the game’s waning moments.

“At times you can see why they’re both McDonald’s All-Americans,” Hatchell said. “But this is a whole different level for them, especially defensively.”

Against the Ducks, the first-years struggled mightily to find their assignments on defense, leaving Oregon completely uncontested for many of its 13 made 3-pointers.

And after drilling a go-ahead 3-pointer against Gardner-Webb, sophomore guard Jamie Cherry watched her less-weathered teammates get lost defensively for the Bulldogs’ final shot.

“They’re coming into a situation where they have to play,” Cherry said. “So I think it’s kind of my job to make sure they’re knowing everything and doing everything correct.”

But despite the superb individual efforts of Cherry — who has averaged 24 points and 4.5 assists in 38 minutes per game — Hatchell knows her inexperienced cast must elevate its play to the collegiate level for the wins to come.

“They’re going to be great players, but they’ve still got a lot to learn,” Hatchell said. “And they will.”

They just need time.

@CJacksonCowart

sports@dailytarheel.com