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GREENSBORO, N.C. (AP) -- Leah Church scored 20 points and Jocelyn Jones had 14, both career-highs, and eighth-seeded North Carolina pulled away from ninth-seeded Georgia Tech 80-73 in a battle between short-handed teams in the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament second round on Thursday.
The Tar Heels (18-13), who earned a quarterfinal date with top-seeded and fourth-ranked Notre Dame on Friday, also got 19 points from Paris Kea and 18 from Shayla Bennett.
Church, in her fourth-straight start, opened the fourth quarter with a 3-pointer to break a 57-57 tie and the Tar Heels held a slim lead the rest of the way. Church, who averages 3.8 points, had another 3 with about 40 seconds left that pushed the lead to 77-70. Jones came off the bench to score eight points in the fourth quarter.
Georgia Tech (17-13) led by 10 points late in the first quarter and weathered a 13-3 North Carolina run to lead 40-35 at the half.
Elizabeth Dixon and Lotta-Maj Lahtinen had 11 points apiece for the Yellow Jackets and Chanin Scott had 11 points and 10 rebounds.
GAME INFORMATION
Second Round
Score: #8 North Carolina 80, #9 Georgia Tech 73
Records: UNC 18-13, Georgia Tech 17-13
Location: Greensboro Coliseum; Greensboro, N.C.
Attendance: N/A
UNC starters: Bennett, Koenen, Church, Kea, Murray
GT Starters: Balogun, Cubaj, Dixon, Scott, Lahtinen
NOTES AND HIGHLIGHTS
- The 20 points by UNC sophomore Leah Church were a career high as were her six successful shots (on eight attempts) from 3-point range … Church’s previous highs of 19 points and five made 3-pointers were set during her freshman season in the Tar Heels’ regular-season home game versus Duke … Church’s 37 minutes were also a career high.
- Shayla Bennett added 18 points for UNC, and Paris Kea added 17 … Kea has averaged 24 points in three ACC Tournament games in her hometown of Greensboro after scoring a total of 55 in two games here last season.
- Lotta-Moj Lahtinen and Elizabeth Dixon led the Yellow Jackets with 12 points each … Lahtinen hit double-figures for just the third time this season and finished just two points from matching her career high of 14 points set against the Tar Heels during the regular season meeting on Jan. 31.
- Georgia Tech’s Chanin Scott posted her first double-double of the season with 11 points and a season-high 10 rebounds.
- Church nailed three consecutive 3-point attempts in the first four minutes of the game, but UNC’s remaining players were a combined 3-for-18 from the floor as Georgia Tech build a 24-16 lead by the end of the first quarter
- UNC scrapped back to tie the game with a 9-0 second-quarter run, but the Yellow Jackets took a 40-35 lead into the halftime break … Tech’s Daijah Jefferson capped the first half with a short jumper from the left side.
- After being limited to four first-half points, UNC’s Kea scored 11 in the third quarter, and UNC rallied to go in front 55-50 before Jefferson’s 3-pointer highlighted a Tech counter attack that left the score tied at 57-all entering the final 10 minutes.
- The Tar Heels improved to 6-1 against the Yellow Jackets in the ACC Tournament and extended their all-time tourney record for total wins to 63.
TEAM LEADERS
North Carolina
Points: Leah Church 20
Rebounds: Jocelyn Jones 9
Assists: Paris Kea 9
Georgia Tech
Points: Elizabeth Dixon, Lotta-Maj Lahtinen 12
Rebounds: Chanin Scott 10
Assists: Lorela Cubaj 5
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
Halftime: 40-35, Georgia Tech
Ties: 7
Lead Changes: 4
Largest Leads: Georgia Tech 10 (1st -1:11); UNC 7 (4th -0:39)
Tech led for: 20:30
UNC led for: 15:20
Game was tied for: 4:10
UP NEXT
UNC advances to face top-seeded Notre Dame (27-3) in Friday’s 2 p.m. quarterfinal game … UNC upset the then top-ranked Fighting Irish 78-73 at Chapel Hill on Jan. 27.