Dec. 9, 2000
Box Score
CHAPEL HILL, N.C.-The University of North Carolina
women's basketball team opened Saturday's game
against Maryland with a 10-0 run and went on to earn
an 87-69 Atlantic Coast Conference win, despite
playing the second half without its two Naismith
Player of the Year candidates. With the homecourt
victory, UNC improved to 4-3 on the season (1-0 in the
ACC), while Maryland fell to 6-2 (0-1 ACC).
On an afternoon when senior junior Juana Brown did
not dress because of a sprained knee and senior
forward LaQuanda Barksdale missed the second half
because of an allergic reaction, the Tar Heels were led
by sophomore guard Coretta Brown, who scored a
career-high 27 points. Senior guard Leah Sharp added
21, also a career high.
"I felt everyone had to step up with Juana and
LaQuanda out," Coretta Brown said. "We all just had
to step up and play hard."
Juana Brown sprained her right knee in Carolina's
Dec. 3 loss to Notre Dame and was not cleared to
play against Maryland. Barksdale scored 13
points-including the first 10 of the game-and grabbed
seven rebounds in 15 minutes of play before she
began to feel the effects of an allergic reaction. She
suffered swelling in her face and neck and did not
return in the second half. (The cause of her reaction is
unknown. However, she responded well to on-site
treatment by team medical staff and is not expected
to miss further action.)
That left the Tar Heels without their top scorer and
rebounder (Barksdale) and their third-leading scorer
and top defender (Juana Brown). "I'm really proud of
our team and the way we won the game without Juana
and LaQuanda," UNC coach Sylvia Hatchell said. "I
thought the team played with a lot of heart."
The Tar Heels shot 56.0 percent from the field in the first half to take a 37-24
lead into halftime. Maryland coach Chris Weller said UNC's early run hurt her
team, which came to Carmichael Auditorium with just one loss on the season.
"Our team came in with confidence and when it happened like that so fast, it put
us back on our heels," Weller said. "Plus we picked up a couple of fouls, and
that set the tone for the rest of the game."
Maryland was led by junior guard Marche Strickland, who had a season-high 24
points. Junior center Jamecca Harrell scored 12 and led the Terrapins with 10
rebounds. Maryland shot 34.7 from the field for the day, compared with 44.6 by
UNC.
Carolina, which came into the game shooting 56.1 from the foul line, was
32-for-40 for 80.0 percent.
In addition to a career-high in scoring, Sharp played a career-high 36 minutes.
For the game, she was 15-for-16 from the foul line, one short of tying the UNC
record for free throws made in a game. Sophomore guard Cherie Lea, starting in
place of Juana Brown, scored a season-high 11 points and played a career-high
37 minutes. Coretta Brown played all 40 minutes for the third time this season.
Maryland is back in action on Tuesday evening, hosting Coppin State for a 7:30
p.m. tipoff. North Carolina is off until next Saturday, Dec. 16, when the Tar Heels
will host Winthrop for a 7 p.m. game at Carmichael Auditorium.
