Poor Shooting, Flat Performance Doom UNC Women

"First of all, I want to apologize for the way we played tonight, especially to our fans and to the University," said North Carolina's women's basketball coach. "It was not very good, but I promise you we'll get better."

No. 17 UNC's 81-62 loss to Georgia Tech in front of 1,857 was more than not very good -- it was downright ugly.

The unranked Yellow Jackets (10-6,

4-3) used the Tar Heels' own style of play against them, running and gunning their way to easy transition baskets, while UNC (14-4, 4-2) again was ice-cold from the floor.

Two games after hitting 26 percent of their shots in a loss to N.C. State, the Tar Heels shot 27 of 81 (33 percent) from the field, including 5 of 24 (21 percent) from behind the 3-point line, as Tech sat back in a zone.

The Yellow Jackets, who rank first in the conference in rebounding margin, grabbed 60 boards to UNC's 35, including 20 on the offensive glass.

They also took advantage of an uninspired, lackadaisical defensive effort from the Tar Heels, particularly in transition. Time after time, UNC failed to communicate and sprint back on long rebounds and Tech's in-bounds passes, leading to easy baskets for the Yellow Jackets.

"They're both things that we can correct," Hatchell said of UNC's rebounding and transition defense. "It's not a skill or X-and-O thing. It's more communicating on defense and getting the job done on the boards."

Tech entered halftime with a 38-23 lead, one that would be extended as high as 32 late in the second half as the Tar Heels' horrific shooting woes continued.

"We were wide open on a lot of them," said Hatchell, who planned a

6 a.m. practice for today in the wake of the loss. "You make them or you don't. It's hard not to take them when you're left alone out there."

Tech's second team simulated UNC's pressure defense in practices leading up to the game, even adopting the names of the Tar Heels' starters. The Yellow Jackets' ability to run on what is presumably one of the fastest teams in the conference was somewhat shocking and seemed to throw UNC off-balance.

In addition, the Tar Heels' inability to nail open shots for the second time in three games is a cause for worry. They seemed too willing to settle for perimeter shots and too stubborn to change their game plan when nothing fell.

And for a team that gets much of its defensive intensity from its offense, that's not a good combination.

"We know we can play," said Leah Metcalf, who led UNC with 16 points. "We've got to get that spark, I guess."

The Sports Editor can be reached at sports@unc.edu.