Women's Basketball | 11/1/2017 8:29:00 PM

Chapel Hill, N.C.----UNC Chapel Hill senior guard Jamie Cherry (Cove City, N.C.) had 21 points to lead four players in double figures as the Tar Heels claimed an 84-62 women's basketball exhibition victory over Wingate University Wednesday at Carmichael Arena. Wingate senior center Marta Miscenko (Riga, Latvia) led the visiting Bulldogs with 17 points and nine rebounds as 11 Wingate student-athletes found the scoring column (NCAA box score).
 
Wingate led 4-2 on a Miscenko basket with nine minutes remaining in the first quarter. Back-to-back three-point field goals by Cherry and redshirt junior guard Paris Kea (Tarboro, N.C.) gave the hosts the lead for good. The Bulldogs hung tough, as the Tar Heels led 21-18 after the opening frame.
 
UNC led 40-25 at halftime as sophomore guard Taylor Koenen (Savage, Minn.) led the Tar Heels with 12 first-half points. Cherry had nine, while Miscenko led the Bulldogs with seven points and six rebounds. WU junior forward Zasha Barrett (Monroe, N.C.) had six points and five rebounds in the first half.
 
The Bulldogs shot an evening-best 53.3 percent from the floor in the third quarter (eight-of-15) to win the frame 20-18. Junior guard Caroline Averette (Midlothian, Va.) had a team-best seven points for the visitors in the third frame. Koenen had seven markers for the Tar Heels.
 
UNC closed out the contest by winning the fourth quarter 26-17 on the strength of 83.3 percent shooting from the field (10-of-12). On the evening, the Tar Heels shot 53.1 percent from the floor (34-of-64), while the Bulldogs made 45.8 percent of their field goal tries (27-of-59). Koenen and Kea had 19 and 18 points, respectively, for the hosts. UNC freshman center Janelle Bailey (Matthews, N.C.) added 12 points.
 
Averette had 11 points for the visiting Bulldogs, who outrebounded the Tar Heels 38-26. Wingate's bench outscored the UNC reserves 22-8. The Bulldogs won the second-chance points race 15-6, while outscoring the Tar Heels 42-40 on points in the paint. UNC scored 42 points off 32 Wingate turnovers.
 
WHAT THEY ARE SAYING
 
Wingate head women's basketball coach Ann Hancock: "This is such an awesome opportunity for us to come play at an ACC school and compete against top-level competition. Playing against bigger players really exposes weakness. I was extremely pleased with our effort. We came out strong then faded in the second quarter. It would have been easy to give in but we fought back to cut it to eight in the third quarter. Ultimately, one can't turn the ball over 32 times and have success. Our efforts on the boards were terrific. We shot the ball well enough to win, but didn't get enough shots. Hopefully, we will use this as a learning experience to prepare for the SAC."