In the women’s tournament, #4 seed UNC opened play at home against #13 seed Western Illinois Leathernecks. WIU earned their berth by finishing first in Ohio Valley Conference with a record of 26-5 and then locking things down with an OVC tournament title. The Leathernecks came into the game with four players registering double digit points on the season, with Mia Nicastro leading the Leathernecks in both points (24.4 per game) and rebounds (9.9).
After a rough-and-tumble ACC tournament featuring physical
play and reluctant whistles, the crew in Carmichael rang up 22 fouls in the first half, sending WIU to the foul line 16 times and UNC 11. After adjusting to the officiating, UNC crafted an eight point lead by the first break and a 14-point advantage in the second. WIU’s Mallory Shetley and Addi Brownfield went into halftime with foul trouble, at three apiece, as did Indy Nivar and Bianca Thomas for UNC.
Meanwhile, UNC leaned on Nyla Harris, Lanie Grant, and Nyla Brooks to build a double digit halftime lead. Harris had nine points and seven boards in the first half, while Grant added nine points of her own with two from deep. Brooks lead all scorers with 13 points, both in the paint and from range. UNC ended the half 4-19 from three, while holding WIU to 25% field goal percentage. WIU’s only success came at the free throw line, where they earned half their points.
In the third quarter, UNC pulled away by locking down on defense while limiting the fouls and grabbing 17 boards to WIU’s 11. WIU went 3-19 from the field in the third. UNC outscored WIU 20-9 in the period, stretching the lead from 14 to 25.
Leading 58-33 entering the 4th, UNC’s goal was to maintain focus and intensity, Sloppy finishes in blowouts can lead to slow starts in round two, when the competition steps up considerably. UNC’s bench got extended minutes as the lead hovered around 25 for most of the frame. Some late steals and late threes, two by Laila Huff, stretched the final score to 82-51.
Grant led all UNC scorers with 17, while Harris, Brooks, and Nivar also all ended in double figures. Harris and Aarnisalo controlled the boards, with 12 and 8, respectively. Despite the high score, UNC finished 10-40 from three, building the final margin through an eight point edge in fast break points and a 28 point edge in the paint. Defensively, UNC contained Nicastro to 21 points but locked down everyone else. Brownfield, WIU’s second leading scorer at 12.6 per game, finished with 3 points on 1-11 shooting. WIU finished the game 30% field goal percentage, but that number stood at 21% at the end of the third, when the game had been decided.
UNC next faces Maryland, the team that UNC edged to land a 4 seed in the Fort Worth regional and the right to host the opening two rounds of play. That game will be Sunday, again in Carmichael Arena.
