CHAPEL HILL, N.C.-In North Carolina's 66-63 overtime victory against Virginia yesterday, Tar Heel guard Nikki Teasley's play off the bench in the first half seemed more like that of a junior varsity athlete than one of the ACC's top talents. In the opening half, she missed the only two field goals she attempted in 13 minutes of play. The only bright side was her perfect four-for-four shooting from the charity stripe.
Much more was to come from Teasley in her third game back from a seven-game hiatus, during which North Carolina Coach Sylvia Hatchell had been working with Teasley to resolve some undisclosed personal issues.
"I was trying to think too much" Teasley said of going scoreless from the field in the first half. "I was expecting them to double team me, and I was trying to read when it would come."
The tide turned for Teasley when flailing Cav forward Chalois Lias accidentally kicked her in the mouth while fighting for a rebound.
"I was very confident, especially after I almost got my teeth knocked out," said Teasley, who briefly retired to the locker room to attend to her cut lip.
The D.C. native found her groove once she hit a three-point shot from the left wing with 9:24 remaining in the second half. From that point on, Teasley scored at will from outside and inside. She knocked down three treys, including a 25-foot crowd pleaser from the UNC emblem at midcourt. She picked up her team's on-court intensity and scored 13 of the last 17 Tar Heel points in regulation.
Teasley's effort brought North Carolina back from a 10-point deficit halfway through the second half and her two clutch free throws with 30 seconds left in regulation sent the game into overtime.
Virginia Coach Debbie Ryan tried switching defenders to slow Teasley down, but no Cavalier - including Lias and Svetlana Volnaya - could do it.
In overtime, Teasley cashed in on two free throws with 22 seconds left and put Carolina ahead to stay.
"She had a huge impact down the stretch," Ryan said. "Once you give her one of those threes, you can't give her any more"
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