Lady Tar Heels Advance to Championship Game, Downs No. 17 USF

ST. THOMAS, U.S. Virgin Islands – Stephanie Watts scored 24 points to lead North Carolina to a 71-69 victory over No. 17 USF on Friday from the Paradise Jam at the University of the Virgin Islands.

North Carolina (5-1) will face unbeaten Kentucky (6-0) in the championship game of the Island Division on Saturday at 1 p.m. ET. The Wildcats outlasted UCLA, 75-74, in overtime on Friday. The Tar Heels beat the Bruins, 83-49, on Thursday.

Watts put on a show in the first half to pin the Tar Heels to a 35-31 lead at halftime. The Wesley Chapel, N.C., native scored the first five points of the game, but two quick fouls forced her to sit for most of the first quarter.

Watts re-entered the game in the second period and promptly scored 12 of Carolina’s 19 points in the frame to give her 18 at intermission, a new season high for the junior sharpshooter. Watts knocked down four three pointers and was 6-of-8 from the field in the opening half.

Carolina converted 10 of its first 11 shots in the third quarter to open up a 58-50 lead. Janelle Bailey’s talents were on display with a three-pointer from the top of the arc. The next trip down, she drove hard to her right for two more points. The reigning ACC Freshman of the Year finished with 14 points and seven rebounds.

A jumper from Shayla Bennett had Carolina up 67-55 with five minutes, 36 seconds left in regulation. The Bulls didn’t quit and made it a nail-biter in the final moments with a three-pointer from Elisa Pinzan that cut the Tar Heel lead to 71-68 with nine seconds on the clocks.

Paris Kea offered up 14 points for Carolina, while Laura Ferreira of USF (4-2) led all scorers with 22.

The win was the first over a ranked team for UNC since an 83-70 victory over No. 18 NC State on Jan. 29, 2017.