The North Carolina college basketball rivalry became even bitterer after the Duke women’s basketball team finished a 15-point victory over North Carolina on Sunday afternoon.
Point guard Jasmine Thomas led the Blue Devils (29-3, 12-2 ACC) with 21 points and was crowned the tournament MVP. Thomas and head coach Joanne McCallie have been a dynamic duo, appearing in four title games in the past four seasons, two of which resulted in a tournament wins.
The Tar Heels (25-8, 8-6 ACC) appeared to be tired from their previous three games as they hoped to become the first ACC team to win four conference games in four days. UNC beat its previous three opponents with leads no smaller than 14 points and did not allow any opponent to shoot better than 36 percent. On the contrary, Duke shot for 46 percent and outrebounded UNC 38-27.
While the Blue Devils led for most of the game, the Tar Heels were never far behind; at intermission, Duke led, 37-32. Duke took a secure lead when the Tar Heels went scoreless for six and a half minutes in the second half. UNC’s Jessica Breland attempted a comeback by making two consecutive shots, one from behind the arc.
However, when the Tar Heels finally got back on the board, they trailed by 12 points with 3:10 remaining. Although Duke won 81-66, Breland still registered 27 points, two rebounds and one assist. Hot from its six-game winning streak, Duke will make its 17th-straight appearance in the NCAA Tournament this March.
Gonzaga wins WCC
Saint Mary’s did not have a prayer against Gonzaga on Monday night as the Bulldogs toppled its West Coast Conference foes, 72-46 en route to claiming the WCC Tournament Championship.
The Gaels (19-12, 10-4 WCC) were aggressive offensively in the first half, going to the baseline 13 times and making nine free throws. They started strong on the defensive end as well, holding Gonzaga (28-4, 14-0 WCC) scoreless for a four and a half minute span. However, the Bulldogs led by eight at the half.
In the second half, Gonzaga stepped up its defense and outscored Saint Mary’s 44-26. The Bulldogs put the game out of reach when Courtney Vandersloot made a 3-pointer to make it 37-23. Vandersloot had a team-high 16 points, a career-high 16 assists, two steals and a block. At one point, she converted an up-and-under reverse layup that Saint Mary’s Louella Tomlison, the NCAA’s career-leader in blocked shots, was not able to stop. Vandersloot was selected tournament MVP.
The Bulldogs have secured their spot in the NCAA tournament, where they advanced to a sweet sixteen spot last year.
Xavier claims Atlantic 10 title
Ta’Shia Phillips carried Xavier to its fourth A-10 title in five years on Monday evening. After playing two previous games on Sunday and Saturday, Phillips showed no signs of fatigue. The 6-foot-6 powerhouse logged 39 minutes and totaled 26 points during the Musketeers’ 67-60 victory over Dayton. Phillips, who is currently second in the NCAA in rebounding, finished with 15 rebounds.
Dayton’s offense was strong in the first half, completing three 3-point shots. Justine Raterman shot 6-for-7 from the field and 1-for-3 from behind the arc. By the end of the first half, Dayton (21-11, 9-5 A 10) led 35-30.
In the second half, Xavier (28-2, 14-0 A 10) exhibited tougher defense and held the Flyers scoreless for four minutes. After accounting for more than half of Xavier’s points in the first half, Phillips made the go-ahead basket with 1:32 to play. Amber Harris and Special Jennings secured the lead by making a combined three free throws.
The Musketeers have received an automatic bid for the NCAA tournament, making it their fourth-straight appearance.
Trevor Bray can be reached at [email protected].
