Women's Basketball ACCtion: Sunday, March 2 :: ACC teams close out regular season.

March 3, 2008

No. 2 UNC Dominates No. 12 Duke, 82-51, to Clinch First Perfect ACC Season

For the second time in a month, North Carolina ran right by Duke and turned the rivalry into a rout.

Cetera DeGraffenreid scored 14 points to help the second-ranked Tar Heels beat the No. 12 Blue Devils 82-51 on Sunday, securing the school's first unbeaten regular season in Atlantic Coast Conference play while handing Duke its worst loss in 15 years.

Erlana Larkins added 14 points and 10 rebounds in her final home game for the Tar Heels (27-2, 14-0 ACC), who had an easy time beating their rival for the seventh time in nine meetings. North Carolina has won 10 straight games and 18 of 19 overall, earning the league tournament's top seed for the third time in four seasons.

The Tar Heels entered this season wondering whether it could keep rolling after losing Ivory Latta and Camille Little, who led them to three straight ACC tournament titles and consecutive Final Fours. Instead, North Carolina--with freshman DeGraffenreid at the point, seniors Larkins and LaToya Pringle controlling the inside, and Rashanda McCants roaming all over the court-- managed to accomplish something even its graduated stars couldn't do by going unscathed through the league schedule.

North Carolina wasted little time turning this game into a replay of its 93-76 win on Feb. 4, and this one came with more dubious distinctions for the Blue Devils (21-8, 10-4).

Then, the Tar Heels ran the court at will and got just about any shot they wanted en route to becoming only the third team this decade to score 90 on the Blue Devils while earning their biggest margin of victory at Cameron Indoor Stadium in 15 years. This time, North Carolina earned its biggest margin of victory in the series since a 93-59 win in 1982.

Chante Black had 14 points and 10 rebounds for Duke, but no other player scored in double figures.

Harper, Langhorne Lead Maryland Past North Carolina State, 76-64

Maryland coach Brenda Frese hadn't been on the road with her team since December. When she made a surprise appearance in the locker room Sunday, her players responded.

Laura Harper scored 21 points and grabbed 11 rebounds, and Crystal Langhorne contributed 20 points and 11 rebounds as No. 5 Maryland closed the regular season with a 76-64 victory over N.C. State.

Frese walked in as assistant coach Daron Park finished giving the Terrapins their defensive matchups, providing her team a simple message: "Let's play Maryland basketball."

The Terrapins (29-2, 13-1 Atlantic Coast Conference) did that, taking control of the game early with an 11-0 run en route to their seventh consecutive victory.

Harper capped Maryland's early spurt with a putback, giving her team a 21-12 lead with 10:56 remaining in the first half. The Terrapins stretched their lead to 36-18 with 3:54 left as the Wolfpack (18-11, 6-8) went scoreless for more than 5 minutes.

Nikitta Gartrell scored 19 points for N.C. State, which suffered its fourth consecutive loss to the Terrapins, and Shayla Fields added 17 points. Khadijah Whittington tallied 16 points and 10 rebounds in the final regular-season home game of her career for the Wolfpack, who failed to finish at least .500 in conference play for the first time since 2002-03.

Virginia Wins Double-OT Thriller Over Georgia Tech, 103-101

Webcast on ACC Select

Monica Wright hit the game-winning shot with less than three seconds left in the second overtime period to lift Virginia over Georgia Tech, 103-101, Sunday afternoon at John Paul Jones Arena. Wright finished with a career-high 28 points, while Lyndra Littles also set a new career-high with 31 points to lead UVa.

Virginia (22-8, 10-4 ACC) was forced to play catch-up almost the entire game, as they fell into a 15-point hole at halftime, 50-35. After battling back most of the second half, Virginia took its first lead, 80-78, on a 3-pointer by Britnee Millner with 1:17 left. The teams traded baskets, but Georgia Tech was able to tie the game at 82-82 on a jumpshot by Janie Mitchell with 17 seconds left. Wright had an open look to win the game in regulation, but her baseline fadeaway jumpshot hit the front iron.

In the first overtime, Virginia found itself down, 93-91, with the ball in its possession with less than 10 seconds left. Littles was fouled by Alex Montgomery and hit both free throws to force the second overtime.

The game was tied, 101-101, with less than seven seconds left in the second overtime and Virginia had possession on the sideline. Wright received the ball on the block, backed her defender down and finished the layup to give UVa the victory.

Littles had a double-double with 12 rebounds in addition to her 31 points. Aisha Mohammed was also in double-figures with 13 points.

Georgia Tech was led by Mitchell (26 points) and Chioma Nnamaka (24 points).

Hokies become post-season eligible with 61-56 win over Wake

Webcast on ACC Select

The Virginia Tech women's basketball team ended a regular season of ups and downs on high note Sunday afternoon, notching a 61-56 win over Wake Forest in the ACC season finale for both teams.

Though it was just the second win for Tech (15-14, 2-12 ACC) this year in conference play, the victory assured the Hokies of at least a .500 overall winning percentage regardless of what happens in the upcoming ACC Tournament in Greensboro, N.C., thus making them eligible for postseason play. The win was Tech's 300th in the friendly confines of Cassell Coliseum, and it avenged the Hokies' 67-50 setback in Winston-Salem on Feb. 7th.

Brittany Cook poured in 27 points on 10-of-14 shooting to lead Tech in this one, and she also grabbed nine rebounds. Amber Hall chipped in 10 points - all in the first half - on 5-of-9 from the floor to be the only other Hokie above 50 percent, as the team shot 40 percent in the game.

Tech built a 42-31 halftime lead after hitting 58.1 percent in the first half, which was keyed by an 11-0 run that began at 8:56 on a Cook 3-pointer with the Hokies up by just two, 27-25. Eleanor Brentnall added a pair of layups before Cook hit another jumper and Shani Grey converted a layup, and suddenly Tech had its largest lead of 13 points with 5:46 remaining in the period.

Brittany Waters paced Wake Forest with 15 points, while Corinne Groves tallied a double-double with 13 points and 10 boards. Mekia Valentine added eight points and 11 rebounds.

Pratt Leads BC Women's Basketball Past Miami, 63-52

Webcast on ACC Select

Freshman LaShaunda Pratt came off the bench and scored 11 second half points to spark a comeback as Boston College defeated Miami, 63-52, at the BankUnited Center this afternoon.

The win improves the Eagles to 19-10 overall and 7-7 in the ACC. The Eagles earned seven ACC victories, the most since BC joined the ACC (2005-06 season). BC finished tied for fifth in the ACC along with Florida State and Georgia Tech. Miami dropped to 9-20 overall and 2-12 in the ACC.

Pratt entered the game with nine minutes to play in the second half with the Eagles down, 39-36. Pratt didn't waste any time as she hit a jumper at the eight minute mark followed by her first three-pointer at 6:52 and the Eagles were down one, 42-41.

The Eagles were down, 24-23, at the half as they continued to turn the ball over (14 turnovers). Miami had 11 points off turnovers, while BC shot well (45 percent) but could not overcome the turnovers. Brown closed the gap at the half when she hit a buzzer beater from the wing.

Pratt, who played only nine minutes, finished the game shooting 4-for-4 from the field and 3-for-3 from the three-point line. She set her season and career-high in points (11) and three-pointers in a single game. Along with Pratt, Swords finished with 16 points and eight rebounds, while sophomore Ayla Brown notched her second double-double with 14 points and 12 rebounds, along with five assists. Brown's 12 boards is her season high.