CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) (December 2, 2005) -- No. 7 North Carolina got its toughest challenge at home this season -- and still won by 24.
Ivory Latta scored 16 points and Rashanda McCants added 14 to lift the Tar Heels to a 71-47 victory Friday night over previously unbeaten USF.
USF made just 19 of 55 shots (34.5 percent) but stayed closer on the Tar Heels' home court than any other opponent this season. North Carolina beat its first four visitors by an average of 45.8 points.
Erlana Larkins had 11 points for North Carolina (7-0), and La'Tangela Atkinson scored nine and grabbed 10 rebounds before fouling out with 6:49 to play.
Jessica Dickson led USF (5-1) with 18 points, and Shantia Grace added 14.
Dickson also grabbed 10 rebounds marking her second double-double of the year, and her second in the last three games.
North Carolina made five 3-pointers, two by Latta, on the way to a 32-17 halftime lead. Latta had 11 points in the first half, shooting 4-of-9 from the field.
USF repeatedly tried a 2-3 zone on the Tar Heels.
"I just didn't think we could match up with their depth and athleticism," coach Jose Fernandez said. "We're missing two starters from our lineup. We only played six kids, really, for most of the game. They played 11."
“We beat ourselves. I mean 7-21 from the free throw line, 19 turnovers for the game, for playing the No. 7 team in the country; you can't play as poorly as we did tonight. Defensively, we thought that if we kept them around the 60-point range ? anywhere between 60 and 68 points ? that we'd be alright. But 47 points, where are you going to be scoring 47 points? I just think we were a little tentative.”
USF led 8-5 after hitting four of its first five shots, then missed its next 14 over a span of 13:29. The Tar Heels used a 17-2 run during the Bulls' drought to take a 22-10 advantage.
USF failed to make a second-half basket until 7:30 elapsed. Already leading 34-20, North Carolina got five points from Latta and six from McCants in a 12-0 run that made it a rout.
A free throw by McCants with 12:53 left gave North Carolina a 46-20 lead. The Tar Heels took their biggest lead, 62-28, on McCants' last 3-pointer, coming with 7:02 remaining.
The Bulls will return to home for their inaugural BIG EAST Conference game with No. 14 DePaul.
