Dec. 18, 2007

No. 3 North Carolina Tops Coastal Carolina

CONWAY, S.C. (AP) -- LaToya Pringle had season highs of 20 points and 12 rebounds to lead No. 3 North Carolina past Coastal Carolina, 82-58, Monday night.

The Tar Heels (11-1) victory was anything but easy, their 24-point lead cut in half down the stretch in their latest visit to the Grand Strand.

However, North Carolina's front line, led by Pringle, made sure this wasn't a beach trip to forget.

Rashanda McCants had 18 points and Erlana Larkins 14 points as the Tar Heels won their seventh straight in this beach community. They can add to that on Thursday night when they take on Western Kentucky as part of The Carolina Challenge at the Myrtle Beach Convention Center.

Coastal Carolina (7-3) trailed 57-33 on the 6-foot-3 Pringle's inside bucket with 12:43 to go. But the Lady Chanticleers' 23-10 run over the next seven minutes made things uncomfortable for the favored Tar Heels.

Freshman guard Italee Lucas regained control for North Carolina with a foul shot and a 3-pointer, extending the lead to 71-56.