Women's Basketball Nearly Stuns North Carolina on the Road, 65-60

Tuesday, December 29

Chapel Hill, N.C.

2 PM

University of New Hampshire

6-6

University of North Carolina

9-5

New Hampshire

North Carolina

Senior guard Elizabeth Belanger set personal bests in scoring (28 points) and free throws made (14).

Photo by: Gil Talbot

Women's Basketball Nearly Stuns North Carolina on the Road, 65-60

12/29/2015 4:18:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. -- Senior guard Elizabeth Belanger (Acton, Mass.) posted career-highs in scoring (28 points) and free throws made (14), but the University of New Hampshire women's basketball team was unable to pull off the upset as the University of North Carolina prevailed in a 65-60 decision at Carmichael Arena on Tuesday afternoon.

UNH drops to 6-6 in the non-conference setback. UNC improves to 9-5.

Belanger, who entered the week ranked 13^th in the nation in free throw percentage (90.7 percent), hit 14 of 16 attempts (87.5 percent) from the charity stripe. Sophomore center Carlie Pogue (Cincinnati, Ohio) also registered a double-digit scoring effort, turning in 10 points, three rebounds and a steal. Senior forward Corinne Coia (North Smithfield, R.I.), sophomore guard Peyton Booth (Wadsworth, Ohio) and Belanger all ripped down seven rebounds.

UNH shot just 15 of 59 (27.8 percent) from the floor, but matched its season-high in made free throws (26 of 30; 86.7 percent). The Wildcats edged out the Tar Heels in points off turnovers by a 21-20 margin. New Hampshire and North Carolina were evenly matched on the glass as both squads pulled down 40 rebounds.

Three Tar Heels eclipsed double figures in the scoring column. Sophomore guard Jamie Cherry notched a game-high 20 points. Rookies Destinee Walker and Stephanie Watts pitched in point tallies of 17 and 11, respectively. Senior guard N'Dea Bryant led the rebounding effort with nine boards.

UNC knocked down 23 of 59 (39.0 percent) from the field, but were held to 3 of 17 (17.6 percent) from 3-point range.

The Tar Heels led by a much as 16 points at 47-31 with 4:31 left in the third quarter. However, a barrage of free throws coupled by UNC fouls allowed New Hampshire to whittle down the home team to 51-46 entering the final quarter.

The Wildcats continued to attack the Tar Heels, drawing fouls and getting to the line. A Belanger layup followed by a 2-for-2 trip to the free throw line allowed the 'Cats to cut the Tar Heels' advantage down to one. After a pair of free throws made by Xylina McDaniel, Belanger drained a step-back 3-pointer from the top of the arc to knot the score at 53-53. UNH called upon Belanger again for another attempt from beyond the arc, draining the 3-pointer as the visitors captured their first lead since the opening moments of the game. The Tar Heels trailed 56-53 with 6:24 to go in regulation.

North Carolina used free throws to knot the score at 56-56 as the game entered the final media timeout with 4:31 showing on the board. UNC retook the lead, forging a 7-0 run with scores from Walker and Watts. Late baskets from Belanger made it a one-possession game at 63-60 with seven seconds left on the clock. Despite UNH's efforts, a pair of free throws made by Cherry put the game out of reach.

The Wildcats opened the scoring with baskets from Belanger and Pogue out of the chute, gaining a 4-0 lead. North Carolina initially had a hard time finding the bottom of the basket as UNH defense held the home team scoreless on its first seven shots. The Tar Heels broke out of their shooting slump and engineered a 14-0 run, sparked by fastbreak points from Walker and Summers. At the end of 10 minutes, UNC owned a 14-4 advantage over UNH.

Cherry and Johnson extended the Tar Heel run to open the second quarter with back-to-back baskets. UNH snapped its scoring drought as Stephanie Spoto (Pittsford, N.Y.) knocked down a basket at 8:58. Each side traded blows as the score stood at 22-10 with 7:07 left in the second quarter. UNH retaliated with an 11-3 surge, doing much of its damage from the free throw line as the blue and white managed to get into the bonus. Five different Wildcats drained attempts from the charity stripe. North Carolina saw its double digit lead reduced to four, looking up at a 25-21 edge with 3:13 left in the second stanza. The Tar Heels finished the waning moments of the second quarter strong, constructing a 9-2 run to end the frame. UNC entered the locker rooms with a 34-23 lead.

UNH started the second half strong as Belanger, Coia and Pogue all notched scores. A triple by sophomore guard Aliza Simpson (Londonderry, N.H.) at 6:40 brought the Tar Heels' lead down to 40-31. However, a Cherry 3-pointer on the ensuing possession sparked a 7-0 run, giving the home team its largest lead of the game at 47-31 with 4:21 to play in the third quarter. New Hampshire retaliated with a 14-4 surge for the remainder of the third stanza, sparked by a Kristen Anderson (Greene, Maine) trey. The run was bolstered by scores from Ashley Storey (Cumberland, Maine), Belanger and Pogue as the 'Cats trailed the Tar Heels 51-46 entering the final quarter.

New Hampshire will conclude its non-conference schedule when the team visits Yale University on Saturday, Jan. 2 (2 p.m.). The 'Cats return to Lundholm Gymnasium on Wednesday, Jan. 13 (12 p.m.), welcoming the University at Albany for Education Day. For tickets, please visit UNHWildcats.com/tickets or call (603) 862-4000.

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