Lucas excels as Tar Heels take win

As the Tar Heels sprinted to the most points they'd ever scored against Virginia"" a crowd-pleasing guard weaved in and out of traffic.

Thing was" No. 22 wasn't on her back" and no headband was gracing her forehead. It wasn't point guard Cetera DeGraffenreid.

Rather"" it looked like a usual sweet-stroking sophomore was leading the charge.

It looked like Italee Lucas.

Because after 20 minutes Friday night"" the team's sharpshooter looked anything but sharp. She was a mere 1-for-6 from the floor. She had two turnovers.

So" on a team that regularly scores in the high eighties" Lucas decided to find a new way to make an impact - with passing.

""I figured if my shot wasn't falling that my teammates would hit that open shot" and luckily enough they were knocking it down for me" Lucas said. I have a lot of credit for my teammates. They were just open and I was giving it to them.""

Right. Just giving it to them.

It's possible that the crowd of 4""000+ that rose to its feet on several separate thread-the-needle assists might agree.

Maybe about the one midway through the first half"" when Lucas sprinted down the right side of the court before darting a chest pass to senior Heather Claytor - on the other side of the key - for a three.

Or about the one near the start of the second"" when Lucas again led a break and threw a perfectly-timed bounce pass - in midstride - to a streaking DeGraffenreid for an easy lay-up.

""I always expect Italee to play good" and when she doesn't I get upset with her coach Sylvia Hatchell said. She can give our team a spark out there. She can make excellent passes and she has worked a lot on her decision-making" and it's gotten so much better from last year. She has come light-years with her decision-making.""

Still" it seemed Cavaliers coach Debbie Ryan would have to agree most. She called timeout after each though to be fair" she only raised her arms in a timeout sign after the last one. Keeping a person speechless is very ordinary.

By game's end" Lucas had accumulated eight assists; over five better than her season average. She even managed to scrap together a respectable shooting night" going 4-for-9 after the break.

With No.1 Connecticut looming on Monday" more momentum-swinging plays from Lucas will be crucial for a Tar Heels victory" a fact not lost on Hatchell.

""She does things that really get (the crowd) pumped up" Hatchell said. She is an exciting emotional player that gives us a lot of passion" excitement and really gets us pumped up.""

And with Jessica Breland" Rashanda McCants and DeGraffenreid all facing monster match-ups against the Huskies" Lucas will be one of the keys.

If she can continue her ball-handling proficiency"" North Carolina has a great chance to pull out the victory.

And though Lucas struggled with her shooting" McCants for one" has no concerns about her.

As she simply put it"" ""She gets hot and it's over.""