Tar Heels’ rapid pace stifles Bulldogs

When the clock repeatedly malfunctioned at the beginning of the second half, the game was delayed for a few moments, forcing the North Carolina women’s basketball team to reset its possession multiple times.

But there was no doubt who really controlled the timing of the game.

Despite a sloppy start offensively, UNC’s aggressive fast break and stifling team defense allowed it to set the pace, running away with a 92-50 win over Wingate at Carmichael Arena on Monday.

UNC finished the game with 20 points off the fast break, but it seemed like every bucket came as the result of its quick tempo.

“We want to get up and down the floor, there’s no question about that,” Coach Sylvia Hatchell said. “We want the up-tempo, that’s sort of what we gear everything for.”

The Tar Heels’ aggressive mindset extended to the entire team, as five players finished in double-digits and every single player logged playing time.

But it was standout freshman Jamie Cherry who accelerated the team’s offense, scoring 12 points off the bench and maintaining the team’s rapid approach.

“That’s my job coming off the bench, just to bring energy to the team and keep the tempo going,” Cherry said. “Coach tells us to push the ball all the time, so every time we get it on the break we try to get a good outlet and push the ball on the break.”

The team’s frantic style extended to the defensive end as well, converting 26 points off of 26 Wingate turnovers. The Bulldogs even committed five straight during a 30-7 UNC run midway through the first half, struggling even to find enough time to dribble.

“Our rotations really got a lot of good interceptions,” Hatchell said. “That’s what makes a good team — is having a great defense, especially off-the-ball defense.”

After shooting below 20 percent from the floor in the first half, Wingate recovered in the second and started converting its chances, hitting open jumpers and making its 3-point attempts.

But the Tar Heels quickly shut down the opportunities available, out-rebounding the Bulldogs by 13 in the second half.

“In the first half, I should have rebounded more than what I did,” said sophomore Allisha Gray, who finished tied with a team-high 14 points. “In the second half, as I got told to rebound enough, I finally went in and got rebounds because they honor the gift of rebounding that I have.”

After a back-and-forth start to the second half, Wingate came within 30 points of UNC with 6:15 left to go in the race.

But it seemed that the Bulldogs’ time had already passed, as the Tar Heels were already sprinting to victory, going on a 13-0 run on their way to a dominating exhibition display.

“We’re ready to start off Friday night, we’re excited about the season starting,” Hatchell said. “It was a good scrimmage for us, but we’re ready to start the season now.”

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