UNC Women's Basketball Starts Weekend with a Victory

The University of North Carolina women’s basketball team improved to 2-2 with a 64-46 win over Fairleigh Dickinson on Friday night in Carmichael Arena. The game was the first of three for the Tar Heels this weekend in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Women’s Challenge.

The Tar Heels have a complete team that sees a different player step up every night, with Friday night’s victory over the Knights coming with the help of Hillary Summers and N’Dea Bryant, who combined for 35 points.

Summers, a red-shirt junior, contributed a career-high 20 points and 13 rebounds, notching her first career double-double. Bryant, a senior guard, also had a career night, adding 15 points after averaging six points for the first three games of the season.

“We have really good offenses, so it’s kind of easy. I just get into the right spot and our guards are really talented, so they’re able to get it to me. I’m really happy. Like I said, it’s not that hard with how good our offenses are, but I’m glad I was able to do that,” Summers said.

On her career-high points as well, Bryant said she is starting to find a rhythm as she gets used to logging high minutes.

The game featured two ties and no lead changes, despite a tough night for the Tar Heels, who only completed 25 of 65 field goal attempts for a 38.5 completion percent. Additionally, the team only had one three-pointer for the night, on 12 attempts. Despite those numbers, UNC still managed a 24-point lead over Fairleigh Dickinson in the fourth period, their largest of the game.

“We did a lot of good things, but we just missed a lot of shots. We had a lot of really, really good shots and we missed them. But it’s a win against a good team, well coached. They battled us really hard. Hillary had a great game with her double-double and N’Dea had a good game,” said UNC Head Coach Sylvia Hatchell.

Freshmen Destinee Walker and Stephanie Watts contributed 10 and 8 points, respectively, after being the stars of UNC’s last game, in which the two guards combined for 59 points.
Senior Xylina McDaniel got into her first game since her injury on December 21, playing 11 minutes and scoring 3 points.

“The freshmen keep learning. They keep making a lot of mistakes. They’re learning and getting better and better, Destinee and Stephanie,” said Hatchell.

Sophomore Jamie Cherry scored six points and suffered a broken nose in what was a frightening moment for the guard in the fourth period, with Cherry laying face down on the floor, writhing in pain, blood splattered on her towel.

Coach Hatchell said Cherry will be back out on the court this weekend.

“Jamie’s got a broken nose, but we’ll get her a mask and she’s got to play. Put a mask on her and keep playing. We don’t have many bodies; we need Jamie back out there.”

The Tar Heels will be back in action Saturday afternoon in Carmichael Arena at 3 o’clock against Iona.

UNC Women’s Basketball Starts Weekend with a Victory

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