No. 19/19 North Carolina Ousts Clemson from 2011 ACC Tournament

March 3, 2011

Box Score |  Photo Gallery  | Postgame Press Conference Video

GREENSBORO, NC – A 13-5 North Carolina run in the first five minutes of the second half propelled the sixth-seeded Tar Heels to a 78-64 victory over 11-seed Clemson in the first round of the ACC Women’s Basketball Tournament. The Lady Tigers close the 2010-11 season with a 10-20 mark overall.

Clemson cut several double-digit leads down, but couldn’t quite get over the hump, as the Tar Heels (23-7) held on for the win. No. 19/19 North Carolina opened the game with a 17-4 run, but outscored the Tigers by only a point the rest of the way. Clemson went on a 16-3 run to pull within one at 20-19, but the Tar Heels responded with a 9-0 run, a cushion they would not forfeit.

After the game-opening run, the Tar Heels outscored Clemson by just one point, 61-60, over the final 34 minutes. Clemson shot .366 from the floor but hit just 6-25 three-point attempts after entering the game third in the ACC in three-point percentage.

The game was the 10th of the year against a ranked opponent for the Tigers, who finished 0-10 in those games.

North Carolina used a 13-5 run after halftime to distance themselves, although Clemson cut the deficit to seven points on three occasions within the final ten minutes.

Senior Kirstyn Wright finished as the game’s leading the scorer, and finishes the season as Clemson’s top scorer with her 16 points and a career-high 10 rebounds for her first career double-double. She also added three steals and two assists.

Freshman Kelia Shelton had a career-high 14 points, while also registering five rebounds, and four assists against no turnovers.

Clemson claimed the battle of the boards, 46-44, which was a remarkable improvement over the earlier season matchup when the Heels outrebounded the Tigers, 58-34, in a 60-47 win in Littlejohn Coliseum.

The difference in the game came down to turnovers, as Clemson committed 25, which led to 29 Carolina points, while the Heels turned it over just 15 times.

Four Tar Heels scored in double figures, led by Italee Lucas’ 14 on 6-12 shooting. North Carolina advances to play third-seeded Florida State on Friday at 8:00 pm.