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The Daily Tar Heel

UNC women's basketball holds off Southern Miss in 69-62 win

With 3:41 left in Sunday's game, the North Carolina women's basketball team trailed Southern Miss for the first time since the first half.

But after tying the game with about a minute left, the Tar Heels used a 9-2 run to clinch a 69-62 victory over the Lady Eagles at the Myrtle Beach Convention Center in Myrtle Beach, S.C.

UNC (8-5) was shooting 36 percent from the field halfway through the second period, and with just under four minutes remaining in the first half, Southern Miss (6-4) held a seven-point lead.

But redshirt junior forward Hillary Summers turned the tide in the Tar Heels’ favor with back-to-back baskets. Summers and sophomore guard Jamie Cherry helped North Carolina tie the game at 30 before first-year guard Stephanie Watts made a pair of foul shots to give UNC a 32-30 halftime lead.

The Tar Heels' rebounding efforts and improved shooting allowed them to hold a narrow lead for a majority of the second half. But two consecutive baskets by first-year center Caitlin Jenkins put the Eagles on top 60-57 with 2:31 remaining.

This time, with the game on the line, it was Cherry and senior forward Xylina McDaniel who delivered for UNC.

With 2:17 left in the game, McDaniel made a layup to narrow Southern Miss' lead to one point. Then, Cherry drew a foul and reclaimed the lead for the Tar Heels after sinking two free throws.

Southern Miss attempted to come back, but North Carolina’s defense kept the Lady Eagles from taking off again. 

UNC overwhelmed Southern Miss with successful rebound recovery and coupled the defensive effort with precision at the free throw line. Through their defensive prowess in the final minutes, the Tar Heels walked away with a win in Myrtle Beach.

Quotable

“I think we got stops on defense. And then we converted that into a main basket and came down and got more stops. So I think that was a huge thing for us in order to get back into the game.” — Cherry on UNC's comeback.

Notable

Watts made 50 percent of her 3-pointers, converting on five of her 10 shots from behind the arc. 

Only 26 of North Carolina’s 69 points were scored in the paint. Nineteen were scored off free throws.

North Carolina led for 16:27 of Sunday's contest, mostly during the second half.

Three numbers that matter

17: Watts and Cherry scored 17 points apiece to lead the Tar Heels to victory.

46: The Tar Heels outrebounded the Lady Eagles 46-32.

25: UNC committed 25 turnovers, nine more than Southern Miss.

What’s next?

North Carolina will take on New Hampshire at 2 p.m. on Dec. 29 in Carmichael Arena.

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@BlakeR_95

sports@dailytarheel.com