I n trying to hold down No. 21 North Carolina yes terday, the Virginia women's basketball team played tight defense and forced 21 turnovers. Unfortunately, the Cavaliers faced a hot-shooting, smooth-as-silk offense that got the best of them.
The Tar Heels shot better from the field than any ACC team has this season and went 6-of-15 from three-point territory.
North Carolina coach Sylvia Hatchel summed up the contest best.
"Virginia's a good team," Hatchel said. "They played good defense, but we were patient and shot the ball better."
Sure, one might point to Virginia's low rebounding total of 29 as a roadblock in the way of second-chance points. The Tar Heels, however, won the game with their ability to take care of the ball and move the offense well enough to create open looks for the offensive weapons.
The Tar Heels particularly upstaged Virginia in a very elemental aspect of the game - passing. Both teams committed 21 turnovers each, but North Carolina reduced the effects of its errors by repeatedly setting up open shots.
Virginia, on the other hand, had few possessions where they waited long enough to ease up and get comfortable with its passing game. In fact, the Cavaliers' best offensive spurts came when senior guard Telisha Quarles took over the offense early in the second half and became very confident with her own shot. Unlike North Carolina, there were few moments when every Cavalier on the floor got into the flow of the offense.
North Carolina guard Nikki Teasley made the Tar Heels proud by showing she was capable of taking over the point guard position for the first time this season. She dished out seven of the Tar Heels' 22 assists in a hearty effort to help North Carolina take a seemingly giant step up toward the top of conference standings.
"I'm always comfortable at the point [guard]," Teasley said. "That's my natural position, but I wanted to do whatever it takes to help the team. I'm confident in my teammates to get the job done at the point if I'm not there."
Teasley actually was a point "god" for North Carolina. Her ability to work with teammates proved crucial, and she truly made other players around her better, including guard Coretta Brown with her 8-of-11 shooting.
"In the past couple of games, it was one pass or two and shoot," Brown said "Today we worked on just movement and not standing still on offense."
If Virginia is to improve after this outing in Chapel Hill, it surely would help if its opponent had a weaker offense.
In this sense, it was perfectly fitting that Olympic sprinter Marion Jones was among the former North Carolina women's basketball players recognized at halftime. Jones refuses to be caughtand succeeds in nearly all of her races. The Tar Heels certainly showed a Jones-like attitude in their 11-0 run at the end of the first half. Still, no matter how fast Jones is, she's still human, and the Tar Heels' basketball team members are mere mortals as well.
Against Virginia, however, that just wasn't the case.
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