Sun Mar 23 16:47:00 2008

Comment | Email | Print

Tar Heels trounce Bucknell

---

Norfolk, VA (Sports Network) - LaToya Pringle led five players in double- figures with 19 points, as the top-seeded North Carolina Tar Heels hammered the 16th-seeded Bucknell Bison, 85-50, in the first round of the New Orleans Region of the NCAA Tournament.

Erlana Larkins and Rashanda McCants both tallied 15 points and collected eight rebounds apiece for UNC (31-2), which will now play either Georgia or Iowa in the second round. Jessica Breland added 14 points and nine boards in the win, while Cetera DeGraffenreid chipped in 10 points.

Lauren Schober was the only player in double-figures for Bucknell (16-16), netting 13 points in the losing effort.

The Tar Heels shot a strong 51.4 percent from the field in the first half and went into the break with a commanding, 48-25 lead.

UNC flexed its defensive muscle in the second stanza, limiting Bucknell to a pathetic 26.3 percent shooting effort from the floor en route to the lopsided 35-point win.