NCAAW: Leigha Brown’s 25 guides Michigan Wolverines previous UNC Tar Heels

With 9.8 seconds left and her No. 19 Michigan Wolverines up 74-68 on the No. 6 North Carolina Tar Heels, Leigha Brown threw a deep inbound cross from her baseline to Laila Phelia close to mid-court. Phelia caught it like a large receiver simply forward of two defensive backs and took it in for a layup that sealed the deal on a 76-68 victory Tuesday evening within the Jumpman Invitational on the Spectrum Middle in Charlotte, North Carolina.

The Wolverines (11-1, 1-0 Massive Ten) had led by as a lot as 23 and solely needed to sweat late. Brown scored 13 factors in a primary quarter that noticed her go 3-of-3 from deep and Michigan go 12-of-16 from the sector, and he or she completed with a game-high 25 factors to associate with eight rebounds, 4 assists and two steals. Phelia scored 11 factors within the first and completed with 20 to associate with three helpers. Main scorer and rebounder Emily Kiser was held to 9 factors and 5 boards, however made a key play down the stretch and dished out a game-high six assists. Chyra Evans rounded out Michigan’s key contributors with seven factors, 9 boards and 4 blocks.

A 5-0 run by UNC’s Kennedy Todd-Williams lower the Tar Heels’ deficit to seven with 20 seconds remaining and Alyssa Ustby lower it to 6 with a layup on the 9.8-second mark.

Fortunes started to alter for UNC (9-2, 0-0 ACC) when main scorer Deja Kelly was fouled on a 3-point try with 2:30 remaining within the third. She buried all three free throws and made two extra free throws 35 seconds later for a 5-0 particular person run that lower her staff’s deficit to 12. After an change of scores, that was the Tar Heels’ deficit coming into the fourth as effectively.

Kelly had the chance to chop it to 10 when she was awarded 4 free throws after a private foul Phelia and a technical foul on Brown, each on the 8:25 mark of the fourth. Kelly made simply 2-of-4, however teammate Eva Hodgson lower it to 9 on a triple eight seconds later.

The Heels subsequent gained a degree on the deficit when Todd-Williams and Kelly trapped Brown, permitting Kelly got here away with the ball for a quick break layup that lower it to eight with 4:37 to play. Brown answered with a free throw line jumper after which Kiser might have made the play of the sport when she caught a Phelia airball one-handed and made a reverse layup to push the lead again to 12 at 1:50 remaining. Todd-Williams nonetheless made her run to chop it to seven, however no less than she wasn’t slicing it nearer than that.

Kiser getting fouled led to the primary media timeout. Out of the break, she sunk two free throws to place Michigan up 18-13. It was the start of 19-7 run that closed the primary quarter and put the Wolverines up 35-20. Brown scored eight factors on the run, together with making two of her three treys within the opening body. Evans additionally made a 3 through the stretch.

UNC scored the primary 4 factors of the second quarter, however Michigan answered with a 12-0 run to go up 47-24. Brown scored the primary 4 factors of the run earlier than showing to undergo a blow to her knee or decrease thigh space and exiting. She would return later within the body. The Wolverines didn’t miss a beat in her absence; two Alyssa Crockett threes highlighted the remainder of the run.

The Tar Heels went on one other small run (6-0) after that, however nonetheless trailed by a major quantity (17) on the break.

Earlier than the primary media timeout, the biggest lead for both aspect was 5, held by Michigan twice. The Wolverines led 11-6 after an Evans layup in transition and 16-11 after a Phelia pull-up mid-range make.

Kelly going 2-of-13 from the sector and 0-of-2 from three damage the Heels. She did end with a strong 15 factors although due to an 11-of-13 effort on the charity stripe. She additionally had 5 rebounds and 5 helpers, whereas Ustby added 11 factors, 11 boards, 4 assists and two swipes.