In what proved to be the fifth-consecutive loss to a conference opponent, N.C . State (15-13, 4-10 ACC) got dropped 59-68 by UNC (19-8, 9-5 ACC) at the Carmichael Arena in Chapel Hill.
State lost its first encounter against the Heels 50-60 earlier this season at the Reynolds Coliseum but entered the game having won the second fixture between the two teams in each of the last two seasons under Head Coach Kellie Harper.
The game started with both teams playing a solid defensive game with none of the team registering a score until, with 17:33 to go, junior guard Marissa Kastanek drew first blood for the Pack. The Tar Heels immediately scored and took the lead on the next drive, heading into the first time out of the game leading State 6-4.
The game kept on swaying back and forth, with senior forward Bonae Holston showing a lot of determination in the paint with no time left on the shot clock and in the process also drawing a foul. Holston stepped up and completed the three-point play.
However, the Heels, riding on a strong defensive performance, separated itself from the Pack by going on a 13-2 run to open up a 12-point lead with a little under 7 to go in the first. It also coincided with an 8.5 minute period where the Pack, thanks to a poor offensive show, failed to register a single field goal.
Harper felt it was a result of not only some bad shooting by the Pack but also due to an impressive defensive performance by UNC .
“I thought we missed a few shots that we could make,” Harper said. “We rushed into a few of them and again it’s their length, trying to hurry and get it off and get to you, and some were just not good shots.”
After going into halftime 21-33, the Pack came out and opened the scoring through Holston but the Heels scored on back-to-back possessions to increase the lead to 14 points at 37-23.
Despite being down for almost the entire game, the Pack put up a stiff resistance, going on a 7-0 run after a quick steal and lay-up by freshman forward Krystal Barrett with a little over 15 left in the game.
That run seemed to tire out the Pack as the Heels bounced back, scoring 13 points in a little over 2 minutes and didn’t look back, extending the lead to as many as 18 points with just under 5 to go at 61-43.
State did however cut the lead to 9 points with about 1:45 to go in the game, following a shot from downtown by sophomore guard Myisha Goodwin-Coleman. However,unwillingness to foul their opponents to send them to the free throw line in the dying seconds meant it wasn’t to be a close finish. The Heels went on to record their second consecutive victory in conference play.
Harper felt their offensive performance wasn’t good enough to win games in the conference.
“Doesn’t take a genius to pick up that stat sheet and figure out where it was won and lost between our offense and their defense,” Harper said. “Our field goal percentage was too low to win games in the ACC.”
Harper felt UNC’s defense was important in ensuring the Pack’s field goal shooting percentage was a sloppy 26.4.
“Part of it you have to credit their defense and their length, and I thought we didn’t work as hard as we needed to in the first half to get good shots,” Harper said. “I thought we were a little impatient in taking some tough shots.”
Kastanek , who scored a career high 30 points in the corresponding fixture last year, came into the game with an injury and aggravated it during the game, forcing her to sit out in the last few minutes. Harper believed she was happy with the way Kastanek performed despite her injury.
“She played a little better than I thought she would,” Harper said. “[ Kastanek ] definitely wasn’t as mobile in practice as she needs to be. There were a couple of balls she couldn’t get to that she may have gone after before she injured her ankle. Again, I thought she played hard and we have to get through it.”
State next takes on Boston College Thursday in Chestnut Hill, Mass.
