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Sunday, Dec. 19 3:30pm ET
Tar Heels control paint in 2nd half | |||||
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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (AP) -- When North Carolina's post game struggled against Michigan State, Tar Heels coach Sylvia Hatchell put in her ringer -- a freshman with a history of big games against bigger players. Jennifer Thomas scored 10 of her 15 points during a 29-6 second-half run as North Carolina (No. 11 ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll, No. 10 AP) defeated Michigan State 82-65 in the second game of the ACC-Big Ten Challenge. In the first game, Penn State (No. 6 ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll, No. 9 AP) defeated Clemson 69-54. The Spartans (8-2) dominated the post in the first half, with Becky Cummings and Kristen Rasmussen combining to make 10 of 14 shots before halftime. But in the second half, it was the Tar Heels (8-2) controlling the paint. "I think we did a better job in the second half of pressuring the passers. We did a better job of rebounding in the second half, because they were outrebounding us in the first half," Thomas said. "(Hatchell) told us to go in there and stop their inside game, and we just went in and played good defense." Hatchell said that's what she's come to expect from Thomas, a 6-foot-1 freshman who guarded both 6-3 Cummings and 6-4 Rasmussen. Earlier this year, Thomas scored a career-high 18 points in a loss to Notre Dame and 6-5 center Ruth Riley. "Jennifer Thomas is deceptive," Hatchell said. "When I saw her at Nike camp two years ago, I watched her for three days, and she played almost every game against kids bigger than her. No one could stop her. No one. She's only 6-1, but she's got moves, and she's intelligent." Thomas got help from Nikki Teasley, who scored nine straight points during the crucial second-half run. Teasley, held from the starting lineup for disciplinary reasons, came off the bench to score 22 for the Tar Heels. North Carolina used a 19-3 run to take a 33-21 lead with 8:06 left in the half. But the Spartans (8-2) came back, scoring 11 straight points, then reclaimed the lead 37-35 on two Maxann Reese free throws with 1:06 left in the half. Michigan State led 39-37 at halftime. "We kind of lost our focus" in the first half," Teasley said. "We weren't getting good looks at the basket, and Maxann Reese got some open shots, and before we know it we were behind again." In the second half, Jackie Higgins scored off an offensive rebound to tie the game 31-31 with 19:41 left. The lead changed hands four times over the next 2:56, but Higgins' jumper with 16:45 left gave North Carolina the lead for good. "Carolina kind of plays in spurts," said Michigan State coach Karen Langeland. "We did a good job of coming back from their spurt in the first half. In the second half, I don't know if we just didn't have enough energy, I thought we broke down defensively and gave up too many points in the paint." LaQuanda Barksdale finished with 16 points for North Carolina, all in the first half. Juana Brown scored 14. Becky Cummings scored 22 points to lead the Spartans. Reese added 19 points, and Kristen Rasmussen had 10 points and 10 rebounds. | ALSO SEE Womens College Basketball Scoreboard
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