CHAPEL HILL – The Tigers capped a perfect regular season Monday night, rolling over visiting Cardinal Gibbons 46-28 to improve to a remarkable 23-0 overall.

Listen back to the game here.

The Tigers (14-0 Big Eight) controlled the tilt from the outset, building a 12-2 first quarter lead and taking a nine-point lead into intermission.

On the strength of a balanced attack, led by Catherine Romaine’s 14 points and 11 from Jamella Smith, Chapel Hill put the contest away with a 16-7 third quarter run.

Cardinal Gibbons, a dangerous team despite getting handled twice by the Tigers this season for their only conference setbacks, didn’t have a player reach double-figure scoring.

Tigers coach Sherry Norris said she wanted her team to clamp down defensively on the Crusaders.

“My team had a great defensive effort in shutting down Cardinal Gibbons,” Norris said. “We went into the game not wanting to foul them to put them at the free throw line and make them take tough shots.”

There were plenty of smiling faces from the Tigers after the game, including Smith.

“Everything about this makes me happy in how we were able to come out and win a tough game,” Smith said. “I feel good about how we’re playing heading into the playoffs.”

If the Tigers can win nine more in a row they will capture a state title that just eluded them last season in the championship contest.

Big-Eight conference tournament action begins Wednesday night at which time No. 1 seed Chapel Hill will host the No. 8 seed, which will be announced soon. The tournament championship for both the girls and the boys will be held Friday night at 5:30 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. respectively. You can hear both games live on WCHL and Chapelboro.com beginning with pregame coverage at 5:00 p.m.