Women's basketball
South Dakota - 69
UNC - 75
It was supposed to be a final tune-up for the NCAA Tournament.
With North Carolina playing a team in its first year of Division I competition the final outcome seemed certain from the game's onset.
But with 18.8 seconds left in the second half Cetera DeGraffenreid toed the line — with well the game on the line.
Although she sank both free throws to put the contest out of reach" the No. 11 Tar Heels' 75-69 victory against South Dakota was anything but well-orchestrated.
""This was" for them like a national championship game Hatchell said.
Coming here playing us playing in the Dean Smith Center — these kids were fired up for it" and we were pretty flat.""
After taking an early 4-3 lead" Hatchell's words were the understatement of the first half as the Coyotes (18-11) raced to a nine-point halftime advantage.
South Dakota's shooting guard Ashley Wiemann was the catalyst" as she went straight silly en route to six 3-pointers before the break.
""They was hitting shots" and I was like ‘Oh God it's going to be a long night"'"" junior Jessica Breland said.
Hatchell threw an entire arsenal of defenders at Wiemann" but to no avail.
Junior Trinity Bursey gave her too much space and at times forward Rashanda McCants gave her too little as her bodying-up approach drew the ref's whistle.
At the half" Hatchell decided something had to give. So she turned to sophomore Italee Lucas.
""We put Italee on her and just said" ‘Stay on her don't help. Don't help off deny her the basketball just stay in her shirt all the time"'"" Hatchell said.
The usually offensive-minded guard delivered" as she held Wiemann to one 3-pointer — her sole points in the second period.
But the rest of South Dakota's team was picking up her slack as a 6-0 burst to start the half lengthened its lead to 15 at 47-32.
For a team that usually brings the shock-and-awe approach at the beginning of the second period the Coyotes' play left many of the Tar Heels (27-6) befuddled.
So much so that Hatchell raced up and down the bench yelling" ""We need some intensity out there!""
Luckily for UNC" DeGraffenreid seemed to be listening.
After missing both her 3-point bombs in the first in what was a meager six-point effort" the team's point guard exploded.
""I guess it's really hard preparing for a team you've never seen" and you don't know how they play until you get on the court" DeGraffenreid said. I think we adjusted well in the second half.""
Oh" those understatements.
At the 11:47 mark the sophomore changed the face of the game.
With McCants in a tight situation DeGraffenreid showed for the ball at the top of the key.
McCants found her and after UNC went almost 29 minutes without a three — there was a trifecta.
The long-range shot gave the Tar Heels a 53-52 advantage — their first lead since the game's infancy — and helped lead to part of DeGraffenreid's team-high 19 points.
Still South Dakota responded again and again and again.
For a team expected to roll over and wilt they sure were doing a lousy job at it.
Their play left UNC's bench in locked arms for luck during DeGraffenreid's final free throws" a sight not lost on Hatchell.
""All I know is"" I don't want to go to South Dakota to play.""
Contact the Sports Editor at sports@unc.edu.
