Backcourt shows strengths in UNC women's basketball's blowout win over Coppin State

The North Carolina women’s basketball team is uniquely fortunate to start four ball handlers capable of running the show. As UNC (10-2) proved Wednesday afternoon in a 90-55 victory over Coppin State (0-11), that luxury is invaluable.

After all, a basketball team takes on the persona of its point guard. The point guard pressures the opposing team’s backcourt, controls the offense’s tempo and resides as the voice of reason when adversity surfaces. For UNC, junior guard Jamie Cherry fills this role.

“The coaches look at me to take charge out there, and I’m responsible for everybody,” Cherry said. “I’m responsible for where everybody goes and what goes on as a vocal leader out there.”

Cherry brought the ball up against Coppin State to start the game, as she typically does. Cherry served as the primary distributor to the Tar Heels’ vast perimeter shooting talent, notching five assists Wednesday.

She’s certainly an unquestioned leader of the team, and she serves as the ambassador to the Tar Heel coaching staff on the court.

But all four players have different strengths, which give the Tar Heels one of the most formidable backcourts in the ACC. 

Sophomore guard Destinee Walker averaged the most minutes per game in the ACC (37.3) as a first-year a season ago. She now serves as the second or third offensive option as a knockdown shooter, as well as a long-outlet pass option on the fastbreak.

Walker finished Wednesday’s contest with a game-high 21 points for her second consecutive 20-point output.

In her first season playing for UNC after transferring from Vanderbilt, redshirt sophomore Paris Kea is the Tar Heels’ most potent mid-range scorer, and she also has the green light to bring the ball up the court. She spent most of her time in the high post Wednesday, distributing and scoring from the middle of Coppin State’s 2-3 zone.

Kea was also the primary defender in North Carolina’s three-quarter court zone. She wreaked havoc from the very beginning, sparking UNC's 25-4 run to start the game. She ended the game with 17 points, five assists, nine rebounds and three steals.

Kea said the focus during lopsided victories is improving in all phases of the game.

“In games like this, you try to work on our weaknesses,” Kea said. “We try to work the ball, try to get the ball in the inside, rebound and improve a lot.”

And don’t forget about Stephanie Watts — if that's even possible. She’s the team's leading scorer and the finisher of head coach Sylvia Hatchell’s run-and-gun style. Coming into Wednesday, the Tar Heels rank third in the ACC in 3-pointers per game (8.3). Watts — and the rest of this backcourt — is why.

In the context of this team, with Hatchell’s up-tempo preference of play, these four floor generals together are the reason for the Tar Heels’ drastic improvement from a season ago.

“We got one more game and then we start conference games,” Hatchell said. “We know all of those will be a war and a battle, but I’m really proud of how hard this team has worked and where we are.”

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sports@dailytarheel.com