Bailey, Lady Tar Heels oust VCU 59-47

CHAPEL HILL, NC – The North Carolina Women’s Basketball team defeated Virginia Commonwealth University 47-59 through an efficient second half performance.

From jump ball, it was a defensive battle. Both teams shot 4-17 from the field in the first period. The Rams were leading the Tar Heels 11-10 at the end of the first period.

“For us, we got off to a slow start,” Tar Heels head coach, Sylvia Hatchell, said. “I thought defensively at times we did a pretty good job. We’ve been working some on our zone and that was pretty good.”

The Tar Heels trailed most of the first half. With 2:01 left in the second period junior guard, Taylor Koenen, made a pair of free throws to make the score 21-22.

To close the second period, the Tar Heels went on a 6-0 run while the Rams went scoreless and had four turnovers over the last 2:53. The Tar Heels were up 22-25 at halftime. At halftime the Tar Heels were shooting 9-32 (28%) from the field and the Rams were shooting 9-28 (32.1%) from the field.

“We just didn’t make shots. Godly,” Hatchell said. “Our drives, we just weren’t able to finish things today.”

Coming out of halftime, the Tar Heels got off to a hot start. Their offense got into a rhythm and sophomore center, Janelle Bailey, made her first collegiate 3-pointer with 2:02 left in the third period.

I’ve been working in the offseason and I am just trying to expand my game now,” Bailey said when asked about her 3-point basket. “I learned a lot last year. I’m trying to be very versatile as the years go on.”

At the end of the third period the Tar Heels were up 26-41. They held the Rams to four points in the entire third period.

“I felt like, defensively, we created some situations and got some steals,” Hatchell said. “We wanted to just be a little more aggressive defensively and get on the board a bit more, too.”

Consecutive 3-pointers to start the fourth period, the first by junior guard Shayla Bennett and the second by senior guard Paris Kea, gave the Tar Heels their largest lead of the game and pushed the score to 26-41. A late surge by the Rams wasn’t enough and the Tar Heels won 59-47.

Janelle Bailey finished as the game’s highest scorer and rebounder with 18 points and 9 rebounds. Moreover, the Tar Heels shot 11-26 (42.3%) in the second half.

“…Janelle did a good job drawing attention to herself and getting the ball inside so she creates other opportunities for us,” Bennett said. “So we just have to knock down open shots.”

What’s Next

The Rams (2-1, 0-0 Atlantic 10) next game have a home matchup against Wake Forest on November 18.

The Tar Heels (3-0, 0-0 ACC) have a tough schedule ahead of them as they travel to Boulder, CO to face a Colorado University team who they beat in a double overtime matchup last year on November 18.

After that the Tar Heels head to the U.S. Virgin Islands for the Paradise Jam where they face UCLA, who’s coming off an Elite Eight appearance in last year’s NCAA Tournament, USF and Kentucky in three consecutive days.

“We’re going to find out what we’re made out of and we’ll get tougher,” Hatchell said. “We’re excited about the games we got coming up.”