UNC women drop NCAA tournament opener to Cal

Paris Kea left the floor with a minute remaining to a standing ovation from the North Carolina fans and was greeted on the sideline with a warm embrace from coach Sylvia Hatchell.

Kea scored 22 points, including 13 of her team’s last 14 as she tried desperately to lead the Tar Heels on a final run. But it wasn’t enough, as California pulled away for a 92-72 decision in the first round of the NCAA tournament Saturday at the Ferrell Center.

“There was definitely urgency, but I was just trying to be in the moment and enjoy playing in a North Carolina jersey,” Kea said. “That’s really all I was thinking about was just having fun.”

The ninth-seeded Tar Heels (18-15) had plenty of fun in the first half, when they led by as many as 12. The California guards eventually started to find their range, and that opened up the inside for All-American center Kristine Anigwe and the Golden Bears’ post game.

Anigwe was limited to two points on 1-of-5 shooting in the first half, but she finished with 18 points and showed why she’s the nation’s leading rebounder with 22. The Golden Bears controlled the boards 45-24 as a team.

“The rebounding was the biggest thing, but they are a good team. They are a really good team,” Hatchell said. “They have all the ingredients that it takes, and you know, because they have got shooters and they have got size and they are athletic and can rebound like crazy.”

Eighth-seeded California (20-12) advances to meet the winner of No. 1 overall seed Baylor against 16 seed Abilene Christian, in the second round Monday.

North Carolina led 40-37 at halftime, before California scored a pair of baskets in the opening minute of the third quarter to take its first lead at 41-40. The lead changed hands three more times in the third quarter, and North Carolina held it for the final time at 54-53 after a Janelle Bailey layup.

Bailey had the primary assignment of trying to handle Anigwe, and she held her own with 15 points.

“it was difficult. I knew that going into the game,” Bailey said. “Like I said previously, she’s an All-American, so I knew it was going to be just difficult to guard her. She does her work early. It’s difficult, them running the clock down to keep that focus and maintain contact with her.”

It was all Golden Bears after that, with a 24-4 run that stretched to the midway point of the fourth quarter. That was punctuated by a running 3-pointer that banked in at the third-quarter buzzer, gave California a seven-point cushion and a huge emotional lift going into the final period. S

Shayla Bennett had 14 points and seven assists for the Tar Heels, while Taylor Koenen had 13 points and seven rebounds.

Asha Thomas scored 19 points for the Golden Bears, which also received 13 points and eight rebounds from West and 12 assists from Recee Caldwell. Attending the game was Thomas’ brother, Quentin, a former UNC guard.

“We gave it all we had. I’m really proud of my kids,” Hatchell said. “They played their hearts out, but we just ran out of gas. I thought our kids really played hard. Our kids fought, and I thought we could make a run there, especially to start the fourth quarter. Some shots we’ve made in the first half were falling short, and it was physical. It was tough in there, but that’s the way it is when you get in the NCAA.”

This story was originally published March 23, 2019 at 7:14 PM with the headline "UNC women drop NCAA tournament opener to Cal."