UNC's women's basketball defeats Robert Morris

Like many of the nonconference opponents the North Carolina women’s basketball team will take on this season, visiting Robert Morris couldn’t measure up to the Tar Heels in frontcourt size.

But while the Colonials managed to keep pace with the Tar Heels in the paint early Wednesday night at Carmichael Arena, it was the superior effort given by UNC’s starting backcourt that put the Tar Heels in front in a 76-47 North Carolina victory.

“They were just bigger, taller and more athletic,” Robert Morris coach Sal Buscaglia said.

It was a clinic from the very beginning for UNC’s backcourt, with shooting guard Italee Lucas and point guard Cetera DeGraffenreid combining for 11 points in a run that gave the Tar Heels a 16-2 lead less than five minutes into the game.

Lucas’ jumper was particularly lethal to the Colonials in the early-going. The senior finished the first half with 12 points on 5-of-8 shooting.

After opening a lead they would never relinquish, the UNC backcourt kept the pressure on by harassing Robert Morris ball-handlers into committing 11 first-half turnovers to just three by UNC.

And once they got the ball, the Tar Heels were off to the races. The vaunted UNC fast-break was running on all cylinders, outscoring RMU 14-0 in transition.

“We got some good outlets,” UNC coach Sylvia Hatchell said. “We got the ball out pretty good tonight. We’re a lot better team when we do that.”

But with the game seemingly in hand, the Tar Heels eased off the gas pedal early in the second half when Hatchell went to her second team five minutes after the break. The stagnant play was cause for a timeout by Hatchell at the 10:23 mark after a scoring drought of nearly three minutes.

“We started off pretty good, then I started substituting and we got a little bit flat,” Hatchell said. “I have to get my rotation down a little bit better with substituting.”

Whatever Hatchell said during the huddle, DeGraffenreid was listening. The senior returned from stoppage rejuvenated, making a stellar assist to Tierra Ruffin-Pratt over the top of the RMU defense and a layup off a pretty spin move on consecutive UNC possessions.

“I thought Cetera DeGraffenreid had a good game,” Hatchell said. “She shot well, had twelve points. She had six assists, one turnover, a steal. I thought she had a good game.”

Lucas, too, would regain her touch, knocking down a pair of fast-break jumpers to top off her team-high 16 points.

Still, Hatchell said that in order for the Tar Heels to improve on last year’s disappointing first-round NCAA Tournament exit, the Tar Heels will have to shoot better than the 46 percent they shot against Robert Morris.

“Well let’s keep working at,” Hatchell said. “We’re looking forward to Coastal (Carolina) Friday and Western (Carolina) on Sunday.”

Contact the Sports Editor at sports@unc.edu.